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IHI ALLIANCE VISITS THE MOSLEM INSTITUTE OF PARIS MOSQUE

On 15 January 2010, CEO of IHI Alliance, Darhim Hashim paid a visit to The Moslem Institute of Paris Mosque (“Paris Mosque”) to meet Rector’s Assistant Cheikh Al Sid Cheikh.

Founded in 1922 and later inaugurated in 1926, the mosque is located at the heart of Paris’ fifth district and until today stands as a symbol of France’s gratefulness to brave Muslim soldiers who fought against Germany during the World War 1. Stretching over a land of a hectare in size, this memorial monument is the largest mosque in France and the second largest in Europe.

The mosque is an architecture marvel with a minaret towering proud at 34 meters high. For almost a century, the Paris Mosque has played a significant role in bridging the Islamic world and western civilization in Europe. In 2009 at the 4^th World Halal Forum, the mosque officially joined as a member of IHI Alliance.

Rector’s Assistant Cheikh shared some insights with Darhim regarding the mosque’s initiatives to become an internationally recognised Halal certification body. In addition to animal slaughter, the mosque also has been certifying processed goods such as cheese, processed food and pharmaceuticals.

Darhim presented the latest development of IHI Alliance’s activities that include joint efforts and collaborations with Halal authorities around the world. The mosque, like most certification bodies, is no stranger to the difficulty of gaining recognition by importing authorities.

Recently, the Paris Mosque started a pilot project with the Belgian fast-food chain “Quick” that saw eight restaurants located in Toulouse, Marseille, Roubaix, Villeurbanne, Argenteuil, Garges-lès-Gonesse and Buchelay certified Halal for a trial period of six months.

Despite all the challenges, the Halal industry continues to flourish in France that has an estimated 5 million Muslims. In 2009, Times newsmagazine reported a study conducted by ethnic-marketing consultancy Solis Conseil in Paris estimated that French Muslims currently purchase about USD5.7 billion worth of specialised Halal foodstuffs and related products – a market that’s been increasing nearly 15% annually for almost a decade.