World Gold Council in partnership with Hammer Group launch AuDITIONS Arabia

The Contest will be a platform for showcasing new talents in gold jewellery design across the region.

AuDITIONS Arabia is part of AuDITIONS Global platform which is a gold jewellery design competition launched across the globe in South Africa, Brazil, China and India in partnership with AngloGold Ashanti - one of the world's leading gold producers.

The Contest is expected to draw the best design practitioners in the region and is set to inspire talented designers to create designs themselves, therefore making gold appealing & relevant to their lifestyle.

Speaking at the launch of the competition at Park Hyatt Dubai, Moaz Barakat, Managing Director of World Gold Council, commented:

'AuDITIONS Arabia aims to enrich design practice in this region by providing aspiring designers with an opportunity to gain fame and recognition for their designs. We believe in the immense potential of local talent and activities such as this allow the exchange of creative ideas that will be of great benefit to the gold jewellery sector.'

'We are truly fortunate that our vision is shared by Hammer Group and AngloGold Ashanti - making it possible for us to launch a project of this scale and provide support and exciting rewards to the most talented jewellery designers in the region.

This Contest will infuse a sense of vibrancy and passion for gold jewellery amongst the target group by making it modern and inspirational and in tune with their lifestyle.'

Majid Algouneh, Chief Managing Director of Hammer Group, the largest multinational German jewellery group in the world and Partner in this competition, remarked, 'We take pride in being associated with this innovative initiative. Our organization believes in the distinct character of Arabian jewellery design - be it traditional or contemporary. This Contest will inject a sense of excitement, intrigue and fascination towards the design of gold products.'

As the name implies, AuDITIONS is an audition in gold, with designers being raised to the level of performers who 'audition' through their masterpieces. The competition is about creativity and glamour, with design talent taking centre stage.

Participants will be required to submit designs that are original, artistic, modern and show-stopping until end of March 2008 which is the deadline to receiving all entries. The competition is open to Arabs and Non-Arabs alike who are residents of the Arab Region. World Gold Council will assemble a panel of experts in the field - professional designers and artists who are well known in the Arab world -- to judge and shortlist 30 designs of the thousands of entries received. The selected designs will be translated into actual jewellery pieces. The panels will then choose, in a second judging session, the final winners from the 30 finalists and announce their names at the Grand Finale Award Ceremony which will be held in October 2008.

Design entries submitted to AuDITIONS Arabia will be anchored on the theme: 'Ethno-Contemporary: Inspired by Cultural Treasures & Contemporary Trends.' Participants are required to draw design inspiration from the ancient traditions, culture, art, architecture and heritage of the Arab region to create pieces that set new trends. All participants should give form to new age gold jewellery and push the boundaries of conventional design in gold. The finished piece of jewellery should exemplify culture and heritage, and be defined by a modern twist.

The beauty of AuDITIONS Arabia is that the top 30 designs will be translated into actual gold jewellery pieces that will have international exposure. This is a step closer to realizing the dreams of existing and aspiring designers from this region to be known internationally.

Apart from the prestige that the final winners will get which will serve as their passport to gold and fame, the top 30 nominated participants will also be accredited and awarded a merit certificate while the 5 final winners will be presented with the following prizes:


• One first place prize worth $5,000

• One second place prize worth $3,000

• Three third place prizes worth $2,000 each

The packages may come in the form of overseas trips to attend a jewellery design forum, training in a gold jewellery workshop, or a subsidy to study in a design university, college or institute. The same will be arranged and agreed upon with each of the winners.

'Our goal is to boost the professional careers of the winners and what better way to accomplish this than by gifting them with an educational benefit that will further broaden their horizon. Following the success of the regional design competition that we have organized in the past, we are now adopting an international format that will put the design enthusiasts of Arabia side by side with their counterparts in other parts of the world, thereby creating a forum for global understanding and appreciation of Arabian design sensibility. Thus we urge all design practitioners in the region to participate and take advantage of this rare opportunity,' Barakat added.

Zahrat Al Khaleej magazine will be the official magazine to cover this event with special reportage. The Pan Arab magazine will cover the contest activities and judging sessions as well as issuing special gold issues and interviews in their publications all throughout the Contest activities.