On 8 October 2025 in Baku the Deputy Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Merey Mukazhan, participated as a speaker at the Azerbaijan Halal Business Forum, addressing a dedicated session on “The Role of Historical Heritage in Developing Halal Tourism in the Caucasus and Central Asia.”

In his remarks, Merey Mukazhan underscored the unique potential of the Turkic World’s shared historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage to catalyze sustainable Halal tourism growth across the region. He highlighted OTS initiatives such as the Modern Silk Road Joint Tourism Package, “Tabarruk Ziyarat” projects and “Turkic World Tourism Capital” and the “Cultural Capital of the Turkic World” initiatives that support cross-border connectivity and joint destination branding to enhance competitiveness and visitor experience.

The Azerbaijan Halal Business Forum is the unique event that offers a multilateral networking environment to explore new business opportunities in the field of halal trade and global halal industry. The two-day event featured specialized exhibition of halal products and services, panel discussions and networking sessions with international market experts, analysts and thought leaders in halal finance, tourism, pharmacy, textile, food, and other industries.