EDB facilitates FACETS participants

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) will organize the participation of 17 SMEs and three designers at the international gem and jewellery exhibition FACETS Sri Lanka 2011.

FACETS Sri Lanka 2011 which will be held on September eight at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre in Colombo is organized by the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA). The National Gem and Jewellery Authority and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board are the co-sponsors of the show.

EDB Chairman and Chief Executive, Janaka Rathnayake said the EDB has co-organized FACETS, since its inception in 1991. Today the show has evolved to become one of the most important international gem and jewellery exhibitions in the world.

This year the EDB will organize a special pavilion at the show providing an opportunity for 17 small and medium scale jewellery manufacturers and three jewellery designers to showcase their products at FACETS 2011.

The main objective of this initiative is to showcase the talents of these SMEs and facilitate international market access for their products, Rathnayake said.

EDB has been organizing such pavilions since 1996. So far around 200 SMEs have been given the opportunity to take part in these exhibitions and promote their products among international buyers.

The EDB has special programmes to develop SMEs in gem and jewellery sector.

Under these programmes, the SMEs are educated on product development and market development through international experts, he said.

The EDB will also facilitate the participation of a Russian delegation to the show, which will immensely help local gem and jewellery industry to increase its exports to Russia.

The 16 member Russian delegation will include public and private sector stakeholders in the Russian gem and jewellery industry. These representatives are from well established firms in Russia and have a keen interest in the Sri Lankan gem and jewellery industry.

The delegation is headed by Tatyana Ignateeva the Chief Gemmologist of ‘Gokhran’, the state organization which monitors the gem industry in Russia.

“It is important to diversify into other markets such as BRIC countries without heavily depending on US and Europe which are our main markets.

“Last year we organized a delegation from China to the show considering this factor.” Janaka Ratnayake said.