World Halal Summit and Expo start in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Twin events focusing on halal products -- made under Islamic guidelines -- opened in the Turkish commercial capital Istanbul on Thursday.

The 5th World Halal Summit and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) 7th Halal Expo bring together leading companies, top officials, decision-makers, experts, academics, scientists, and students from 80 countries.

While the four-day summit aims to raise awareness of halal with seminars focusing on halal-related topics, the expo, which is the largest exhibition in the halal sector, brings together sector players to promote the halal market.

Emre Ete, deputy manager of the World Halal Summit Council, told the twin events’ opening ceremony: "We continue to work to boost the $4 trillion halal market and awareness of halal."

The summit aims to improve economic solidarity among the 2 billion Muslim people worldwide, he added.

Ismail Cebeci, an Islamic legal expert, said that governments, regulators, scholars, and consumers are all responsible for halal standards.

"All of the work for the halal market is indispensable for our lives and future," he said.

Ihsan Ovut, head of the Standards and Metrology Institute for the Islamic Countries (SMIIC), said Muslims constitute more than 27% of the world's population.

"Their needs for products and services such as health, food, cosmetics, tourism, logistics, pharmaceuticals, and finance are growing," he noted.

"So there is a strong need to have common standards for all products and services."

Both events will be organized under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey at Istanbul's Eurasia Exhibition Center.