Kentucky World Trade Center


Volume 15 Number 1	August 2004
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World Trade Day 2004

Highlights International Trade in Kentucky

Some 33 international dignitaries representing 22 nations joined government and business leaders from throughout the Commonwealth to celebrate World Trade Day 2004 on June 9th at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lexington.

A special highlight of the event was the informative and interesting keynote address, given by His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, executive chairman of the Dubai Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation (PCFZ), chairman of Tejari.com, a B2B marketplace, and chairman of the property development company Nakheel in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). H.E. bin Sulayem outlined the economic development initiatives in Dubai, emphasizing that Dubai is run like a business venture.

Through Nakeel, H.E. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem chairs massive projects including the world's two largest man-made islands in the shape of palm trees located in the Arabian Gulf (being labeled the 8th wonder of the world), and the recently launched mammoth offshore project consisting of 200 islands strategically positioned to form the world map called The World. Through PCFZ, he also chairs one of the world's busiest free trade zone ports at Jebel Ali. H.E. bin Sulayem works directly for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

While discussing the sale of island-countries in the ‘World' island project that he chairs, the crowd laughed as he joked that the U.S. didn't have to go to war to gain control of Iraq, we could have just bought it from him! The visiting dignitary from Australia was interested to know how much Australia sold for and was given a figure of around $400 million.

Dignitary Guests
A delegation of dignitaries from foreign Embassies, Consulates and Trade Commissions throughout the United States traveled to Kentucky to promote trade and investment opportunities with their countries. A ‘Tour the World' trade fair allowed international businesses in Kentucky to discuss trade issues specific to their company with each of the foreign officials.

Among the countries represented at World Trade Day 2004 were Australia, Belarus, Canada, Chile/South America, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.

World Trade Success Award Winners
For twelve consecutive years, the Kentucky World Trade Center (KWTC) has recognized firms for their outstanding successes and contributions to international trade in the state during the World Trade Success awards luncheon. As the central event of World Trade Day, the awards luncheon has become Kentucky's largest annual gathering of international trade professionals, with over 300 executives and government officials in attendance this year.

This year the KWTC is proud to congratulate the following four winners of the World Trade Success awards competition, selected from a pool of nominations and entries by a panel of business professionals:

Charles T. Creech, Inc.
Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders, Inc.
Süd-Chemie, Inc.
Webasto Roof Systems, Inc.

Click here to see each company's world trade success story.

WTCA Book of Honor Inductee
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum

Click here to see His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum's award-winning profile.

Congratulations to all of the award winners
for their contribution to Kentucky's international business success!