The World Diamond Council is moving ahead with preparations for its seventh annual meeting, set to take place in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 14-15. The event is being hosted by the Diamond Chamber of Russia.

According to a World Diamond Council statement, proceedings will begin on Wednesday, July 14, with a series of committee meetings at the Astoria Hotel, which is located on St. Isaac's Square in the St. Petersburg city center; followed by a formal reception that evening.

The World Diamond Council plenary meeting will take place on Thursday, July 15, and the day will end with a gala dinner, attended by senior members of the Russian government and mining sector.

A cultural program has been organized for people accompanying delegates to the WDC Annual Meeting, including visits to the State Hermitage, one of the world's most celebrated museums, and the Peterhof, which is a complex of palaces and fountains that is often referred to as the "Russian Versailles."