By Fatma Eda Topcu
ISTANBUL (AA) - Speakers at the World Halal Summit and Halal Expo in Istanbul emphasized efforts to promote Halal food worldwide, emphasizing that such foods are not only healthy for Muslims, but also for everyone, with numerous health benefits.
The World Halal Summit and the Halal Expo, which began in Istanbul on Wednesday as two simultaneous events with busy schedules of panels and many speakers, will run until Saturday under the auspices of Türkiye’s Presidency, with Anadolu serving as global communication partners.
The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are organizing the events with the coordination of the Turkish Ministry of Trade and the Turkish Halal Accreditation Agency.
The events feature panels on halal trends, certification, and market expansion, among other topics, while participants debate the global halal market and the development of halal products in the cosmetics industry.
Thamer Baazeem, vice president of the Saudi Halal Center, said at the event that he has attended numerous halal market events in the last six months and that only problems are discussed, urging attendees to focus on the future and opportunities instead.
He stressed that Muslim countries should educate Muslims and non-Muslims alike on the benefits of halal eating and food safety in general.
Baazeem added that the aim should be to combine halal with global development goals and establish contact with international organizations.
Desliana Nur Ismet, former deputy general secretary of the Indonesian Muslim Entrepreneurs Association (HIPKA), highlighted climate issues and the role of halal products in the cosmetics industry, noting that climate change poses a threat to many regions and promoting “blue beauty,” which is a sustainability movement in the beauty industry.
Ismet noted that the concept of halal can be incorporated into blue beauty products and that halal can help fight the climate crisis as well.
Yasmeen Hafiz Zaki, a Sudanese academic, talked about Sudan’s involvement in halal certification, emphasizing that some projects are currently underway in the country for the use of halal cosmetics, in which Sudanese authorities are developing standards for halal products to be used in cosmetics and manufacturing in line with local and international rules regarding halal.
In other panels, participants and academics from various countries shared their perspectives on halal production practices and global efforts to establish common standards and certification criteria, as well as establish a future roadmap for the halal economy.
Participants in Thursday's final panel discussed current research and development activities in the halal economy, as well as future plans to innovate and develop the sector's potential.
*Writing by Emir Yildirim