The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) is preparing a special 2009 WFDB Asia Summit Meeting on June 29, hosting member bourses in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo. The objective of the Summit is to increase the involvement of the six bourses into WFDB activities, to determine which services from WFDB are most required by the bourses and what assistance can these bourses extend to WFDB members worldwide.

The summit meeting, which will be hosted by the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, will be attended by WFDB President Avi Paz, Ernest Blom, WFDB vice president and honorary president; Boonyong Assarasakorn, president of the Bangkok Diamond & Precious Stones Exchange; Michio Iwasaki, president of the Tokyo Diamond Exchange; Lawrence Ma, president of the Hong Kong Diamond Bourse; Lin Qiang, president of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange; Anoop Mehta, president of the Bharat Diamond Bourse; and Suresh Hathiramani, vice-president of the Diamond Exchange of Singapore.

Explaining the initiative, Paz said that he would pay attention to the reports from the bourses and their markets, so as to understand how WFDB’s role can be made more significant in advancing their interests. He said, "I hope to discuss with my colleagues how the WFDB can serve its Asian members better and more effectively, how the WFDB can assist its members to raise their profile and vice-versa, and what tools the WFDB can offer to advance the standing and competitive position of bourse members in their markets. Of course, we will bring our colleagues up to date as to what tools the WFDB is developing to advance the business interests of bourse members and the diamond exchanges to which they belong, and what the WFDB can do to advance diamond sales in general."

He further added, "I am looking forward to this event which will, so I hope, culminate in Asia bourses playing a much more visible and significant role in our organisation's undertakings.”