A large number of visitors attended the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT) exhibition at the Kingdom of Bahrain Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, where they were able to get a firsthand look at Bahrain’s rich pearling tradition.
The Bahrain Pavilion and the DANAT exhibition attracted more than 100,000 visitors from across the world in October, many of whom were interested in learning about the scientific methods used by gemmological laboratories to detect pearls and other precious stones.
DANAT’s involvement in Expo 2020 Dubai comprised a variety of experiences, including the ability to distinguish between natural pearls and cultured pearls, among other things. The latest, state-of-the-art technology and procedures used for pearl testing are demonstrated by DANAT’s gemmologists, including high-grade laboratory X-ray microradiography and X-ray fluorescence equipment.
Picture credit: DANAT
Visitors brought in pearl jewellery and were delighted to see it evaluated and learn the results firsthand.
“The huge number of visitors in the first weeks of DANAT’s presence at Expo 2020 Dubai demonstrates the public’s significant interest in pearls,” said DANAT Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Noora Jamsheer.
DANAT, Bahrain’s pearl testing laboratory, has asked for more acknowledgement of the role that women play in promoting sustainability and environmental consciousness in order to conserve the world’s oceans.
In two panel discussions held on the sidelines of the DANAT exhibition at Expo 2020 Dubai, marine biologist Dr. Reem Al Mealla, DANAT’s Research Manager, said that women must be fully recognized for their contribution to biodiversity conservation and preservation, and she called for greater efforts and collective action to protect the world’s oceans.
Dr. Reem, the first Bahraini woman field ecologist, holds a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Essex (UK), and is heavily involved in DANAT’s efforts to protect Bahrain’s pearl oyster beds. She spends much of her time working on ocean conservation and the sustainability of Bahrain’s oyster beds.
DANAT’s research team, which includes several female gemmologists and academics, has pioneered groundbreaking studies on pearls and the long-term viability of oyster beds.
DANAT is exhibiting at Expo 2020 Dubai in the Kingdom of Bahrain Pavilion, Opportunity District, from October 1 to November 30, 2021.
Based in the Kingdom of Bahrain, DANAT works to protect and enhance the confidence of the trade and consumers in pearls, gemstones and jewellery.
