The 2017 CIBJO Congress will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, November 5-7, 2017, with pre-Congress meetings beginning on November 2, the organisation said in a press release. The Congress is being hosted by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) and the Gem and Jewellery Institute of Thailand (GIT), both of which fall under the jurisdiction of the Thai Ministry of Commerce, the release stated. CIBJO said it was invited to conduct the event in Bangkok by Mrs. Apiradi Tantraporn, Thailand's Minister of Commerce.

The World Ruby Forum, which is being organised in conjunction with the congress, will take place November 4.

The annual gathering of delegates from different national jewellery associations and trade bodies is being held at Shangri-La Bangkok, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the major waterway that flows through Thailand's capital city.

The event will include the World Jewellery Confederation's Assembly of Delegates, and the annual meetings of CIBJO's sectoral commissions, where amendments can be introduced to the organisation's definitive directories of international industry standards for diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, gem labs, precious metals and coral, known as the Blue Books.

The programme and activities of the World Jewellery Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF), relating to responsible and sustainable activities in the industry, and CIBJO's ongoing cooperation with the United Nations and its development programme will also be discussed.

The CIBJO Congress is returning to Bangkok for the second time. The city hosted the event in 2004.

Gaetano Cavalieri, CIBJO President said, "We thank the Thai government for its generous invitation, as well as DITP and GIT, and invite members of the gem and jewellery sectors from around the world to join us, and to participate in our deliberations, which will impact on stakeholders along the entire chain of distribution. We also are honoured to be able to work in tandem with the World Ruby Forum, which in itself will be a milestone event."

A dedicated CIBJO Congress 2017 website will be launched shortly.