(PRESS RELEASE) LAS VEGAS, NV — The Rapaport Group is organizing a trade mission to Sierra Leone from Sunday, October 15 through Friday, October 20, 2023.
The trade mission will provide an opportunity for members of the diamond and jewelry trade to meet and interact with the artisanal digger community in Sierra Leone. The mission will promote greater understanding of the role of the artisanal sector and the severe challenges they experience. It will highlight and demonstrate opportunities for sustainable economic development that can transform the lives of millions of people.
The mission will visit the Peace Diamond Village, artisanal diamond digger sites, and land reclamation and agricultural development sites. Members will spend three of the five days upcountry in the Kono district and another two days meeting with business leaders and visiting Freetown. Rapaport will provide all ground arrangements from arrival through departure, including lodging, food, transportation, and security. The fee for the mission will be $3,000 per person. The mission will be limited to 30 participants due to logistical considerations.
Additional information and registration are available here. Applicants are encouraged to view the Rapaport.com/PeaceDiamondVideo.
“It is vital that the diamond and jewelry trade gain a better understanding of the artisanal community. We must find ways to support sustainable economic development for those who have made us wealthy. We cannot build luxury on top of poverty. There is a reason G-D gave diamonds to the poorest people in the world and made the wealthiest desire them, bridging that gap is ‘Tikun Olam’, fixing the world,” said Martin Rapaport, Chairman of the Rapaport Group.