PROGRAM

4th EUROPEAN HALAL CONGRESS 2026

Here is our event schedule

Congress Center – Hotel Hills Sarajevo :: 9th – 10th June, 2026

08:00 – 09:00

REGISTRATION & ACCREDITATION

Congress Center – Hotel Hills
09:00 – 09:15

CONTACT WITH MEDIA

09:30 – 10:15

OPENING CEREMONY OF THE CONGRESS

(Hotel Hills)

  • Damir Alihodžić, Ph.D, President of 4th European Halal Congress Organization Committee, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Mustafa Hasani, Ph.D, Dean of Faculty of Islamic Studies, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Mian N. Riaz, Ph.D, Associate Department Head and Holder of the Professorship in Food Diversity, Dept. Food Science and Technology, Texas A&M University, USA
  • Zafer Soylu, Chairman of BoD of Halal Accreditation Agency (HAK), Türkiye
  • H. E. İhsan Övüt, Secretary General of OIC/SMIIC, Türkiye
  • hfz. Mensur-ef. Malkić, Ph.D, Envoy of Grand Mufti of Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina
10:15 – 11:15

PANEL DISCUSSION: HALAL GLOBAL MARKET — CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EUROPE

Moderator: Amir Sakić, MA
  • Ihsan Ovut, Secretary General of The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries, Türkiye
  • Tomas Kuchtik, European Commission DG TRADE, Brussels, Belgium
  • Yousuf Hasan Khalawi, Secretary General of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development
  • Damir Alihodžić, Agency for Halal Quality Certification of Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina
11:15 – 11:45

COFFEE BREAK AND NETWORKING

11:45 – 13:00

SESSION: HALAL INDUSTRY DIALOGUE

Session Chairs: Ali Fanous, Ph.D; Mihaela Brijak Gutierrez
  1. Implementation of Halal Requirements Rohaizad Hassan, General Manager of Food Safety & Defense at Yildiz Holding, Türkiye
  2. Halal Certification and the Challenges Facing It Ali Fanous, Ph.D, Food technologist and manager of certification unit, HALAL CONTROL, Germany
  3. Premium Raw & Plant-Based Halal Products – From Concept to Market: Bridging Health, Quality and Consumer Trust Mihaela Brijak Gutierrez, Founder of Raw Cakes & Raw Sweets by Mihaela, Croatia
  4. Alcohol free Hand and hard surface disinfectants Thomas Meneghini, Ph.D, Azett GmbH & Co KG / BactEX UG & Co. KG, Germany
13:00 – 14:00

LUNCH AND PRAYER TIME

14:00 – 15:00

PLENARY SESSION

Session Chairs: Mian N. Riaz, Ph.D; Çağrı Cankurtaran, MA
  1. Navigating Halal Compliance in Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals: Considerations for Halal Consumers Mian N. Riaz, Ph.D, Associate Dept. Head and Holder of the Professorship in Food Diversity Dept. Food Science and Technology, Texas A&M University, USA
  2. Future of IFHAB and Türkiye Experience in Halal Accreditation Zafer Soylu, Chairman of BoD of Halal Accreditation Agency (HAK), Türkiye
  3. Towards a Globally Coherent OIC Halal Ecosystem: Positioning SMIIC as Scheme Owner and IFHAB as MRA Platform Çağrı Cankurtaran, MA, The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), Türkiye
  4. Advantages of SMIIC Standard in Accreditation of Halal CBs in Pakistan Ateeq-Ur-Rehman Memon, Director General, Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC), Pakistan
15:00 – 16:00

SESSION: HALAL FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Session Chairs: Ema Obralić, Ph.D; Natalija Atanasova-Pancevska
  1. Integration of Islamic Ethical Principles into Business Strategies of Sustainable Economic Systems Ema Obralić, Ph.D, Solana d.d. Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Co-authors: Amela Semić, Belmin Poljić, Arman Hodžić
  2. Integrating Halal Principles with HACCP and Global Standards; The Future of Safe Food Omeera Ayoba, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dubai Campus, Academic City, UAE; Co-author: Arif Hussaina
  3. Microbiological Indicators and Hygiene-Based Approaches for Detecting and Preventing Halal Food Fraud Natalija Atanasova-Pancevska, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – Skopje, North Macedonia
  4. Analytical Strategies for Porcine Detection in Halal Certification Raafqi Ranasasmita, Lembaga Pengkajian Pangan, Obat-obatan dan Kosmetika MUI (LPPOM MUI), Indonesia
16:00 – 16:20

COFFEE BREAK AND NETWORKING

16:20 – 17:20

SESSION: HALAL CERTIFICATION, ACCREDITATION AND GOVERNANCE

Session Chairs: Riadh Soussi, Ph.D; Muhammad Irhammudin Bin Ibrahim, Ph.D
  1. Improving animal welfare compliance through a holistic Halal certification approach Awal Fuseini, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, United Kingdom
  2. A Practical Model for Halal Slaughtering Demonstration and Research: Design Specification of a Heavy-Duty Cabin Facility Muhammad Irhammudin Bin Ibrahim, Ph.D, International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART), International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
  3. From Waste to Barakah: Halal Pathways for Transforming Food Waste into Sustainable Resources Amel Mohammed Abdallaha, Ph.D, Technical advisor OIC - SMIIC, Türkiye
  4. Plain Language in Halal Standards: A New Approach to enhance Clarity and Compliance Riadh Soussi, Ph.D, The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), Türkiye
17:20 – 18:00

SESSION: HALAL, SUSTAINABILITY, ISLAMIC ECONOMY AND FINANCE

Session Chairs: Midhat Jašić, Ph.D; Ismet Kalić, Ph.D; Tharwat Mamdouh Al-Bataineh, Ph.D
  1. Integration of ESG Principles and the Halal Market: From Profit to Ethical Business Model Kadrija Hodžić, Ph.D; University of Tuzla, Faculty of Economy, B&H; Midhat Jašić, Ph.D
  2. Future Foresight of Halal in the Context of Sustainable Technologies with Focus on Food and Animal Waste Index Tharwat Mamdouh Al-Bataineh, Ph.D, Food Regulatory Specialist – Food Safety and Halal Regulations; CEO Food Excellence Center, Dubai – AlAin Road, Dubai, UAE; Co-authors: Jood Osama Quran, Midhat Jašić
  3. Strategic Financial Management in the Function of Long-Term Sustainable Development of the Halal Industry in the Context of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence Ismet Kalić, Ph.D, University FINRA Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
18:00 – 20:00

MEETING OF EUROPEAN HALAL CERTIFICATION BODIES

20:00 – 22:00

DINNER TIME

08:15 – 09:30

REGISTRATION

Congress Center - Hotel Hills
09:30 – 10:15

SESSION: HALAL TOURISM AND GASTRONOMY

Session Chairs: Dino Selimović, MA; Waleed Jahangir; Moulana Muhammad Saeed Navlakhi
  1. The Synergy Between Halal Gastronomy and Halal Tourism: Enhancing Muslim-Friendly Travel Experiences Waleed Jahangir, Muslim Travel Show / Algebra Consulting
  2. How Do Stakeholders Perceive the Role of Halal Certification in Market and Investment Attractiveness of Hotels? Evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina Dino Selimović, MA, International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3. The Muslim Traveller Dilemma: When Halal Food is Avaliable but Halal Confidence is Missing Moulana Muhammad Saeed Navlakhi, Director at SANHA Halal Authority, South Africa
10:15 – 11:15

SESSION: HALAL FOOD SCIENCE, NUTRITION AND ALTERNATIVE SOURCES

Session Chairs: Saeed Hayek; Neira Fazlović, Ph.D; Farrah Payyadhah Binti Borhan, Ph.D
  1. Halal Governance in Aesthetic Practice: A Maqasid Shariah-Based Framework for Quality and Ethical Compliance Farrah Payyadhah Binti Borhan, Ph.D, Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies (ACIS), Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, Malaysia; Co-author: Ahmad Syukran Baharuddin
  2. Alternative Sources of Protein: Technical Aspects and Halal Requirements Saeed Hayek, Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, USA
  3. Halal status of unconventional animal species as a source of human nutrition Neira Fazlović, Ph.D, Veterinary faulty, University of Sarajevo, Department of Food Safety and Environmental Protection; Co-authors: Faruk Čaklovica, Kenan Čaklovica
  4. Key Requirements for Halal Aquaculture Feed Production: A Shariah Perspective Nurulaina Saidin, Ph.D, Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies, UiTM Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia; Co-author: Rafeah Saidon
11:15 – 11:45

COFFEE BREAK AND NETWORKING

11:45 – 12:15

SESSION: HALAL IN PHARMACEUTICAL, COSMETIC AND HEALTHCARE SECTORS

Session Chairs: Jawad Alzeer, Ph.D; Nurzahidah binti Haji Jaapar, Ph.D
  1. Halalopathy: A Systems-Based Bridge Between Modern Medicine and Prophetic Medicine Jawad Alzeer, Ph.D, Swiss Scientific Society for Developing Countries, Zürich, Switzerland
  2. Halal Certification versus Shariah-Compliant Operations in Malaysia's Beautypreneurship Industry: A Thematic Literature Review Nurzahidah binti Haji Jaapar, Ph.D, Senior Lecturer, Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies (ACIS), UiTM, Malaysia
12:15 – 13:15

SESSION: DIGITALIZATION AND INNOVATION IN HALAL CERTIFICATION

Session Chairs: Muhamad Zubaidi, Ph.D; Muhammad Abubakar; Almir Halilčević
  1. Digital Transformation of Halal Compliance: A Unified Web-Based Architecture for Global Accreditation Verification Muhamad Zubaidi, Ph.D, Polish Institute of Halal, Poznan, Poland; Co-author: Mohamed Salah Messikh
  2. Sustainable Digital Traceability for Halal Food Safety and Supply-Chain Resilience Muhammad Abubakar, Windsor Group, Pakistan
  3. Application of Artificial Intelligence in Halal Certification: Opportunities, Challenges, and Practical Use Cases Almir Halilčević, Moosheimer Str, Bad Saulgau, Germany; Co-authors: Midhat Jašić, Benjamin Muhadbegović, Damir Alihodžić
  4. From the Wisdom of Baghdad to the Halal Table: The Forgotten Scientific Heritage of Islamic Civilization Stanko Blatnik, Ph.D, Inštitut IPAK, Velenje, Slovenia
13:15 – 14:15

SESSION: CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES IN HALAL CERTIFICATION AND MARKET PRACTICES

Session Chairs: Rafeah Saidon, Ph.D; Farah Lynn Amira Binti Nor Zaidi
  1. Evaluation of Halal Compliance in Market Transactions: A Case Study of Central Market in Mbale City, Uganda Manswab Mahsen Abdulrahman, Ph.D; Senior Lecturer-Department of Shariah; Islamic university in Uganda, Uganda
  2. When Access is Restricted: Understanding Interview Rejection by Halal Certification Agencies in Australia Farah Lynn Amira Binti Nor Zaidi; International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART) Malaysia; Co-authors: Mohammad Aizat Jamaludin, Anis Najiha Ahmad
  3. Constitutional Issues in Halal Certification and Enforcement in Malaysia: Reassessing Federal-State Jurisdiction Rafeah Saidon, Ph.D, Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies (ACIS), Malaysia

Congress closing

CONGRESS RESOLUTIONS

SOCIAL EVENTS

POSTER SECTION

1.

The influence of Lactobacillus spp. on the hygienic safety of dry cheese - a traditional halal product of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In vitro study of the antifungal activity of 10% propolis extract in propylene glycol on Candida albicans

Zinka Hojkurić Rahmanović, Berin Rahmanović, Adnan Alijagić, Kenan Muratović, Damir Alihodžić, Mehmed Sultanović, Kenan Čaklovica
2.

In vitro study of the antifungal activity of 10% propolis extract in propylene glycol on Candida albicans

Zinka Hojkurić Rahmanović, Berin Rahmanović, Adnan Čučuković, Mirela Čučuković, Adnan Alijagić, Damir Alihodžić, Mehmed Sultanović, Munevera Begić
3.

From Halal Compliance to Evidence-Based Assurance: The Role of ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited Laboratories in Controlling Haram Risks in Food Systems

Benjamin Čauševič, Amir Ibrahimagić, Emina Idrizović, Damir Alihodžić, Kemal Sejranić, Muamer Mandra
4.

Application of Allicin in Accordance with Halal and Tayyib Principles: Influence on Ascites Syndrome and Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Gene Expression in Broilers Reared in the Mexican Highlands

Elma Hrustemović, Artemio Jovanny Vargas-Galicia, Arturo Pro-Martínez, Fernando González-Cerón, Amalio Santacruz-Varela, Horacio Osorio-Alonso, Eliseo Sosa-Montes, Raúl Argüello-García
5.

Antimicrobial Resistance Dynamics of Campylobacter Species: The Impact of Environmental Reservoirs on the Integrity of the Halal Food Chain

Elma Hrustemović, Faruk Čaklovica, Marko Samardžija, Vesna Jaki Tkalec, Sanja Furmeg, Kenan Čaklovica, Marija Pajić, Usman Mir Khan, Marko Pećin, Oskar Nowak, Hafiza Saima, Raúl Argüello-García
6.

Biotechnological Advancements in Animal Husbandry: Risk Analysis and Ethical Imperatives Within Public Health and Halal Standards

Elma Hrustemović, Faruk Čaklovica, Marko Samardžija, Vesna Jaki Tkalec, Sanja Furmeg, Kenan Čaklovica, Marija Pajić, Usman Mir Khan, Marko Pećin, Oskar Nowak, Hafiza Saima, Raúl Argüello-García
7.

Improving Halal Integrity in Raw Material Intake Using Lean Six Sigma Methodology

Azra Sinanovic, Ragib Spahic, Aldijana Omerović
8.

Enhancing Halal Compliance Through Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Aldijana Omerović, Ragib Spahić, Azra Sinanović
9.

Halal Nutrition in Diabetes Management

Tarik Zolotić, Damir Alihodžić, Midhat Jašić
10.

Integration of Halal and Tayyib Standards Into Dairy Chain Biosecurity: Analysis of MRSA in Cows With Mastitis in Selected Regions

Elma Hrustemović, Faruk Čaklovica, Vesna Jaki-Tkalec, Sanja Furmeg, Zrinka Štritof, Lejla Kapur-Pojskić, Jasmin Ramić, Marija Pajić, Usman Mir Khan, Raúl Argüello-García