Istanbul to host World Halal Summit and Halal Expo

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Istanbul next week will host two major gatherings on the global market for products and services conforming to Islamic guidelines (known as halal) under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

This year the World Halal Summit Istanbul (WHSI) and the 6th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Halal Expo, for which Anadolu Agency is the global communications partner, is expected to attract scholars, company representatives, experts, businesspeople and politicians from around 80 countries.

Starting on Nov. 29, some 250 exhibitors are expected to attend the four-day expo in such sectors as food, tourism, and finance.

Last year nearly 30,000 visitors from 72 countries and 150 exhibitors took part in the massive gathering.

During the summit, featuring a speech by President Erdogan, topics will include standardization, halal food, halal slaughtering, halal medicine, halal tourism, and halal finance.

Both programs will be at the Eurasia Show and Art Center in Yenikapi, Istanbul, and will last through Dec. 2.

- Events next week

Istanbul will also host several economic events next week, including the 9th Bosphorus Summit, Istanbul Innovation Days (IID), and the 34th Ministerial Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the OIC (COMCEC).

On Monday, the three-day 9th Bosphorus Summit will kick off under the auspices of President Erdogan with the theme of "Sustaining Peace and Development for All."

Several Turkish and foreign experts, businesspeople, and politicians will attend the summit to discuss economic issues.

The three-day Istanbul Innovation Days, organized by the United Nations Development Program, will focus on technology and emerging global trends. It will start on Tuesday.

COMCEC's annual ministerial meeting, which will begin on Wednesday, will feature discussion of trade among Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, transportation, communication, tourism, poverty, and financial cooperation.