The accreditation makes Fiera di Vicenza the only trade show organiser contributing directly to that United Nations-supported programme that aims to instill responsible business, social and environmental practices in the jewellery industry.
Fiera di Vicenza’s position in the programme was confirmed this week at the UN headquarters in New York, where CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri and Fiera di Vicenza Executive Director Corrado Facco met with Nassir Abdulaziz Al Nasser, UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, and President of the 66th General Assembly of the United Nations; Muna Rihani Al-Nasser, Chair of the UN Women for Peace; Dr. Hanifa Mezoui, Senior Advisor, Humanitarian Affairs and Civil Society at the UN Alliance of Civilizations; well as with other senior UN and ECOSOC officials.
“We consider this to be a critical step in advancing the principles of corporate responsibility in the jewellery industry,” said Dr. Cavalieri. “When CIBJO became officially associated with the United Nations seven years ago, our worldwide community committed itself to participating in the economic and social development of the countries in which we have a vested stake. But, to do this, it is essential that we are able to reach and educate industry members across the globe. Fiera di Vicenza, as a leading industry trade show organiser, educator and service provider, has the infrastructure, experience, talent and determination to enable us to get the job done.”
“Fiera di Vicenza is honoured to be part of the process,” said Mr. Facco, following the meetings in New York. “We have been strong supporters of CIBJO’s programme with the United Nations for several years already, and we are happy to be able to upgrade our role. As a service and content provider our mission is to enhance the position of the jewellery industry. CSR is not only the right way to go morally and ethically, but is also correct from a strategic perspective. Jewellery may be considered as a luxury, non-essential product, but the world should come to know that the jewellery business and the revenues it generates are absolutely essential factors in the wellbeing of millions of ordinary people living in the developing world.”
In 2006 CIBJO became the first and only organisation in the jewellery sector to receive official consultative status with ECOSOC, and, part of the process, in 2009 it set up the World Jewellery Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF), whose goal it is to establish programmes that will educate members of the diamond, gemstone and jewellery industries about the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility, and how they may implement these in their businesses.
Fiera di Vicenza was an early supporter of CIBJO’s CSR programme and WJCEF. In September 2010, it participated in two CSR workshops organised by CIBJO and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), in the United Nations Pavilion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China. In January 2011 it hosted a high-level CSR seminar organised by WJCEF at the VICENZAORO jewellery trade show. In May 2012, it hosted a WJCEF seminar conducted by UNITAR at the World Jewellery Forum in Vicenza, as well as the 2012 CIBJO Congress and the 8th Annual Meeting of the World Diamond Council.
Mr. Facco also serves as President of CIBJO’s International Trade Show Commission, which was established in 2012 and counts among its goals the promotion of CSR principles through jewellery industry trade shows worldwide.
