Live Blog: World Halal Forum - Day 1

May 6, 2006 at 5pm - New York

This evening I depart New York bound for Kuala Lumpur to attend the first ever industry trade event dedicated to the promotion of the global halal industry.  The World Halal Forum will take place from May 8 - 10 with the aim to:

1. Develop the Global Halal Market
2. Understand and solve challenges faced by the Halal food industry
3. Address the need for industry standards for Halal on a global scale
4. Create a networking event to facilitate trade between players in the Global Halal Market

These are indeed worthy goals.  For the uninformed they might seem nothing short of unrealistic.  But for an industry that can claim a market of over 1.2 billion and now commands the attention of major international journals such as the Wall Street Journal (May 5th article entitled “Halal Meets Kosher In Health-Food Aisle”) these goals are real! 

The forum promises to set global benchmarks for the industry and galvanise efforts to promote it worldwide.  These are objectives which DinarStandard wholeheartedly supports and we look forward to reporting on the event. 

On a personal note I'm excited to visit Malaysia - one of the most dynamic economies of the Muslim World.  As Ziauddin Sardar has recently written in the New Statesman, "Malaysians are nothing if not far-sighted."  His article highlighted an interesting facet of their bid to send a man to outer space.  They are also bidding to be a leading hub for the global halal market in the years to come.  Their planning should be in evidence at the 3rd Malaysia International Halal Showcase which the Malaysian government is hosting from May 10 – 14, 2006 in conjunction with the World Halal Forum.  It should be interesting to see some of this foresight in action at the conference which will showcase Halal products and food from the world over.

Keep visiting this blog this week for regular updates from the Kuala Lumpur and the World Halal Forum. 

Regards, Sajjad Chowdhry, Associate Editor

Comments

[Mumby]

I'm delight with Halal Forum that leading to form Halal industries in esp.food.I wish Dinar standart inspire Muslim accross the world to develop halal food industry.On that matter should be there are many articles/guidance halal industry about in this magazine.

[Abubaker]

This web site amazed me to much because it is very informative web site.