Panama City, the opening ceremony of the Panama Gem & Jewelry Center was held. The Diamond Exchange of Panama (Panama Diamond Exchange, PDE) unveiled a full list of founders and original members. The opening ceremony was attended by all the founding members and directors of the PDE.
Honorary founder and chairman of the board of directors of PDE was Eli Izhakoff (Eli Izhakoff). Among the directors of the PDE are the President of the World Federation of Diamond Banks Ernest Blom, CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri, WDC President Avi Paz and PDE President Erez Akerman.
The founding members of the PDE are the president of the International Association of Diamond Manufacturers (IDMA) Maxim Shkadov, honorary president of IDMA and DMIA and member of the board of governors of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Jeffrey H. Fischer, President of the Club of Diamond Dealers Reuven Kaufman (Reuven Kaufman) , President of the Association of Diamond Producers and Importers Ronnie Vanderlinden, President of the Moscow Diamond Exchange Alex Popov and President of the Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association (IDCA) Mehul Mehul Shah).