The Israel Diamond Exchange will honor Eli Izhakoff, president of the World Diamond Council, and Gaetano Cavalieri, president of CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, at the 2013 CIBJO Congress on May 8 in Tel Aviv.

Izhakoff will be honored for his commitment to the world diamond industry over the past 33 years, during which he has served as president of the Diamond Dealers Club in New York, founder and chairman of the New York Diamond Steering Committee, and three terms as president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses. He is also an honorary life president of the WFDB and CIBJO.

Cavalieri will be honored for his contributions to the international jewelry industry. As president of CIBJO since 2001, he fostered relationships with major world organizations, including the United Nations, to which CIBJO became formally affiliated in 2006.

“We in the diamond industry are indebted to these two individuals, who have dedicated their careers to serving the interests of our business community and all of our stakeholders,” Yair Sahar, president of the Israel Diamond Exchange, said in a statement. “There are but a handful of people who can truly declare that they left a lasting and positive mark on our business, and Eli Izhakoff and Gaetano Cavalieri are certainly two of them.”

The Israeli Diamond Industry also honored Izhakoff for his contribution to the world diamond industry, presenting him with the first ever IDI Medal of Honor during WDC’s 9th Annual Meeting in Tel Aviv.

During the meeting IDI also bestowed the IDI League of Honor Award on Cavalieri, acknowledging his many contributions to the industry. 

JCK