Ms. Shaikha Mai opens 1st International Pearl Convention
23 Nov '07
3 min read
Sheika Mai
HH Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Assistant Under-secretary for the Sector of Culture and Heritage in Bahrain's Ministry of Information, has opened the first International Pearl convention, the in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Convention expected to bridge yesterday's tradition with tomorrows market needs corresponding to the changing fashion needs of new generation.
“The convention will indeed lay the foundation for a remarkable and unique revival that gives us back our wonderful history within the pearl industry,” said Shaikha Mai, during her opening speech.
“Currently, the global pearl farming is a $1.5-billion industry. In value terms, more than 50 per cent of this trade is composed of black pearls.
Revival of the pearl industry is expected to boost the region's economy as a whole, which is now trying to tap more from non-oil industry,” she added.
During his speech, Chairman of the Internatianal Pearl Revivival committee, Khaled Al Sayegh, said, “Though pearling has been an important economic activity in the Gulf region since ancient times, and pearling flourusihed from the latter half of the 19th century to the early decades of the 20th century, the discovery of oil and the invention of cultured pearls seemingly has put an end to the old days.
But there is a purposeful effort to reestablish the pearling industry in the UAE. With this end in view, we have decided to host the First International Pearl Convention.”
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