ITC marks 50 years

ITC celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014. A new book looked back at its work, and an ethical fashion show celebrated current successes.

    The 50th anniversary of the International Trade Centre (ITC) in 2014 gave an opportunity to showacse the organization’s growth and development.

    A discussion at the World Trade Organization focused on "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.

    A special publication, 50 Years of Unlocking SME Competitiveness: Lessons for the Future, commemorated the anniversary. The publication explored opportunities to connect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries to global markets, provided recommendations for trade-related technical assistance, and presented a road map for ITC’s future work.

    Top women leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world held a discussion on The Power of Empowered Women with The Group of Women Ambassadors to the United Nations at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

    And ITC’s Ethical Fashion Initiative presented a fashion show featuring the latest designs by Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean.

     

     

    Ethical Fashion Show

    Over the past half century, the ITC team and its partners have helped advance sustainable growth and improve economic opportunities for people around the world. The ITC has enabled small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries to boost exports by enhancing the competitiveness of their goods and services, and connecting them to global value chains.
    Over the past half century, the ITC team and its partners have helped advance sustainable growth and improve economic opportunities for people around the world. The ITC has enabled small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries to boost exports by enhancing the competitiveness of their goods and services, and connecting them to global value chains.
    Ban Ki Moon, Secretary-General
    United Nations
    ITC is valued for its expertise and expansive and dynamic network, including tens of thousands of women entrepreneurs. As an organization, it has the business contacts to get things done! In the future, the focus should continue to be on inclusiveness and sustainability, and advancing women and trade. UN Women looks forward to working together with the ITC in the next 50 years to advance women’s rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality.
    ITC is valued for its expertise and expansive and dynamic network, including tens of thousands of women entrepreneurs. As an organization, it has the business contacts to get things done! In the future, the focus should continue to be on inclusiveness and sustainability, and advancing women and trade. UN Women looks forward to working together with the ITC in the next 50 years to advance women’s rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality.
    Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General,
    Executive Director of UN Women
    In the coming years, equitable economic growth and poverty eradication will depend on sustainable businesses, in particular SMEs, that can trade freely, create jobs and be competitive locally, regionally and globally. ITC is uniquely placed to help facilitate an enabling environment. WIPO looks forward to continuing its work with ITC for the next 50 years, and beyond.
    In the coming years, equitable economic growth and poverty eradication will depend on sustainable businesses, in particular SMEs, that can trade freely, create jobs and be competitive locally, regionally and globally. ITC is uniquely placed to help facilitate an enabling environment. WIPO looks forward to continuing its work with ITC for the next 50 years, and beyond.
    Francis Gurry, Director-General
    World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
    For the ILO, ITC’s uniqueness derives from the way it complements the work that we do. ITC focuses on many of the same priorities as the ILO in terms of fair and sustainable economic development, but it looks at them through a different lens and asks different questions.
    For the ILO, ITC’s uniqueness derives from the way it complements the work that we do. ITC focuses on many of the same priorities as the ILO in terms of fair and sustainable economic development, but it looks at them through a different lens and asks different questions.
    Guy Ryder, Director-General
    International Labour Organization (ILO)
    ITC has a great specialization in export-strategy development and in providing market intelligence and export-related business advisory services such as marketing and branding. ITC’s expertise is a valuable contribution to United Nations-wide programmes to make value-chain actors in developing countries fit for exports.
    ITC has a great specialization in export-strategy development and in providing market intelligence and export-related business advisory services such as marketing and branding. ITC’s expertise is a valuable contribution to United Nations-wide programmes to make value-chain actors in developing countries fit for exports.
    Li Yong, Director-General
    United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)