Rounding up 50 years of trade impact for good
While every year is important in an organization’s growth and development, 2014 is especially noteworthy for the International Trade Centre (ITC), which marked its 50th anniversary during the week of 10 June with a celebration in Geneva.
The event kicked off with a panel discussion at the World Trade Organization on the topic ‘ITC 50 Years of Trade Impact for Good: Where Next?’ Highlights included introductory remarks by Michael Møller, Acting Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, and a keynote address by Hanna Tetteh, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. High-ranking government and trade officials, as well as two former ITC executive directors, spoke on the panel.
The discussion was followed by the launch of the anniversary publication 50 Years of Unlocking SME Competitiveness: Lessons for the Future, a compilation of contributions from policymakers and representatives of the business community.
Before the reception at the end of the day, ITC Executive Director Arancha González signed memoranda of understanding with representatives of German engineering and electronics company Robert Bosch GmbH, and the Government of Brazil and Apex-Brasil, the country’s trade and investment promotion agency. A letter of intent was signed with the World Economic Forum and global management-consulting firm Bain & Company.
ITC focused on women’s economic empowerment on 12 June, co-hosting an interactive discussion on ‘The Power of Empowered Women 2014’ with The Group of Women Ambassadors to the United Nations at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. At the high-level event, women leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world talked about how they overcame discrimination and transformed their communities.
In the evening, ITC’s Ethical Fashion Initiative presented a fashion show featuring the latest designs by Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean.
