Address by Rafik haji Fattakhetdinov, Deputy Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, at the 15th International Halal Congress:

Distinguished participants and honored guests of the jubilee 15th International Halal Congress!
Dear brothers and sisters!

On behalf of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation and personally its Chairman, Grand Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, I am sincerely pleased to welcome you all to the 33rd International Exhibition for Food, Beverages, and Raw Materials for their Production, "Prodexpo 2026," with the traditional Muslim greeting – As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh! May peace, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings be upon you!

The International Halal Congress has long become a hallmark of the exhibition, one of the main events of the domestic Halal industry, a platform for discussions, debates, and the exchange of valuable contacts. Each year, keeping pace with the rapidly developing production of Halal products in our country, we expand the scale of the event, attracting new colleagues, partners, and interested parties.

Traditionally, the Congress is attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps from Arab-Muslim countries. Our dear guests from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Mauritania, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, Palestine, and other countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation consistently provide support to the Muslim community and our entire country. In these fateful days for all of Russia, we especially appreciate not only the assistance our brothers and sisters offer us in developing the Halal industry but also the fact that all the aforementioned countries remain friendly to our state and to the entire multinational and multi-religious people of the Russian Federation.

The constructive development of Halal product and service production, their promotion both in the domestic market and in export destinations, is also ensured by consistent support from state bodies, relevant departments, and ministries of Russia. We are pleased to welcome the esteemed representatives of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, Agroexport, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, the Russian Export Center, Rosakkreditatsiya, Rosstandart, and other institutions of our homeland, continuously working for its prosperity. This very event is being held for the 15th time, also thanks to this support.

A special place in today's Congress program is occupied by representatives of the scientific and expert community, and producers of Halal products and services. We, the Muslims of Russia, feel sincere joy that the development of the Halal industry is advanced by people of completely different worldviews, and that Halal products are increasingly moving from a niche category to a mass-market one. The responsible approach of the producer, supported by specialists and verified by authoritative certification bodies, has allowed the Russian consumer to form a clear understanding of Halal as a synonym for quality and safety.

15 years of the Congress's work is an occasion to once again take stock of our collective efforts. Today, the export of Halal products from our country is approaching an estimated half a billion US dollars per year. Halal establishments can be found in almost every city, and stereotypes associated with the production of this type of product are completely fading away. Without any doubt, the rapidly developing Halal industry has not been immune to growing pains – we have observed and continue to observe changing trends in regulation, control, and production itself; we still encounter irresponsible approaches to certification and counterfeit products. However, it is precisely the Congress, organized by the International Center for Standardization and Certification "Halal" under the RBM, that is one of the platforms where we can collectively achieve even more impressive results for the benefit of not only the Muslim community but also all consumers of Halal products and services.

We thank the exhibition organizers for the opportunity to once again hold such a significant event. We prayerfully hope that the experience of partners, expert assessments, reports, and kind words from Congress participants will help us achieve this global goal.

Thank you for your attention!

Press Service of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation