The 5th Dubai City of Gold Conference will hold a panel discussion on the need for a unified jewellery marketing effort to increase global demand for jewellery, on April 22 at the Park Hyatt, Dubai. %% “The global gems and jewellery industry has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 5.2 per cent since the year 2000, this is expected to see a slight slowdown in the coming years. A unified jewellery marketing effort by the industry can help to overcome this,” said Tawhid Abdullah, the managing director of Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG), a trade body. %% A GJEPC-KPMG report released in December 2006 had reached a similar conclusion. %% The panel session will feature: GJEPC chairman Sanjay Kothari, DTC worldwide marketing director David Lamb, WGC managing director-marketing & jewellery Philip Olden, Jewellery Industry Research Institute president Kenneth Gassman, DTC Gulf region director Anan Fakhreddin and CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri. %% “All industry segments like gold, diamond, pearls and gemstones need to work in synergy to promote jewellery as a ‘single category’ instead of distinct metals and stones,” said Abdullah, who will also chair the discussion. “An eminent group of panellists will debate ways to mobilise industry resources for an integrated marketing effort,” he added. %% The two-day conference is being held in association with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).