International beauty and spa therapy standard setter CIDESCO held its 64th World congress in Dublin, Ireland last month, playing host to more than 300 beauty and spa professionals from around the world.

The conference included a seminar programme and a gala dinner and awards ceremony.

The Congress also saw the appointment of the organisation’s new board; Anna-Cari Gund from Sweden has been elected president for a second four-year term, and Sandy Fuhr from South Africa will serve another term as board member for PR.

New appointments include Biju Nair, treasurer, from India; Pamela Adkins, education, from Japan; Vicky Harper, education, from Switzerland; and Karin Lupgens, vice president, from The Netherlands.

“CIDESCO transcends politics to bring all corners of the world together for the greater good of our profession,” said Gund. “Each one of our members has education and standards at their heart with a willingness to share knowledge and experience to the benefit of others within the beauty and spa industry. It is an honour to be president of CIDESCO International, and although we celebrate a growing membership and new partners, I also recognise that driving standards is a continual process, so we will ensure CIDESCO leads on this important issue, whatever it might take.”

The meeting also saw a new CIDESCO Section Serbia accepted into the fold, led by Dr Vera Zec, founder of Aquatonale Beauty Academy.

In the US, CIDESCO appointed the Cosmetologists Chicago/American Association for Esthetics as the administrator for CIDESCO Section USA.

The 65th CIDESCO World Congress will take place 15-19 September 2017 in Mumbai, India, and will feature a theme of ‘Nurture through Nature.’