Conference CEO and Founder Susan Wheeler (left), with co-organizer Andrea Hill during a recent planning session.
(PRESS RELEASE) CHICAGO — The agenda for the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference is nearly complete, and it promises to be an unprecedented gathering of industry, government, and NGOs; all focused on creating more responsible jewelry supply chains.
The conference will take place on October 25-26, 2019 at Columbia College’s Film Row Cinema at 1104 S. Wabash. Tickets are $350 for both days, or $175 for one-day access. Special rates are available for students, and members of several jewelry industry associations have access to discounts. Press passes are available for verified members of the press.
Some of the highlights of this year’s conference include discussions about deforestation with writer Paul Tullis from National Geographic; a panel on the impacts of illegal gold featuring the FBI, Google Earth, the Enough Project, and the US State Department; an exploration of sustainable pearl mining featuring Enrique Arizmendi of Cortez Pearls; and a presentation by the chiefs of the Amazonian Paiter-Surui Tribe.
The conference will also feature the US premiere of Shadow of Gold, a documentary that investigates the global gold trade from raw material to market, and explores its impact on human lives, economies, and the planet.
Breakout sessions will offer conference attendees opportunities to learn more about the Better Without Mercury initiative, Future US State Department Guidelines on Jewelry Material Sourcing, the Gemstones Glossary Project, and the Diamonds for Peace Project.
The conference will be preceded on October 24 by a Responsible Gem & Jewelry Boutique. Currently 10 gem and jewelry companies are participating, all offering gemstones with clear provenance and verifiable responsible practices. The Responsible Gem & Jewelry Boutique will take place at 5 S. Wabash building on the 18th floor, from 10AM – 4PM. No tickets are required for this. MJSA will be providing a day of jewelry designer training, co-located with the Boutique. Tickets to that event will be available through MJSA, and will be discounted for Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference attendees.
This conference is the only US gathering (and one of only two international gatherings) that brings people together across the entire jewelry supply chain and engages governments, NGOs, and law-enforcement to discuss challenges and solutions to responsible jewelry supply chains. It has become a launchpad for exciting initiatives and is evolving as a highly engaged community.
To learn more about the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference, please visit the website at http://crjc.info/2019.