The World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) will be held for the first time in a non-Muslim country this year, showing that its role has been widely recognised, says WIEF Foundation chairman Tun Musa Hitam.
"It has been developed slowly but surely to the extent that it is now widely known by the Muslim business world especially but also including the non-Muslim business world," he said to Bernama.
The ninth edition of WIEF will be held in London for three days beginning Oct 29, 2013.
WIEF has been held in its birth-country Malaysia four times, and has also been held in Pakistan, Kuwait, Indonesia and Kazakhstan.
"We are just on the eve of celebrating our 10th anniversary. I never imagined that WIEF would reach London. London, in terms of business, is the ultimate dream of every organisation to have it there and to be accepted.
"It was without much struggle from us, it literally came from them by understanding. We are in the middle of preparations for the 9th WIEF to be held in London.
"For the first time it will be held in a non-Muslim country and the hub of world business. The British government seems very enthusiastic," he said.
Musa noted that the WIEF Foundation, the organiser of the Forum, has a little 'problem' on its hands in holding the 10th anniversary.
"Many countries are knocking on our doors persuading us to have it (in their country), including France and Russia. It is not glamorous, it is not high-profile, but countries are aware of that. Why would they do so if there is no value in it?" he said.
Describing WIEF as a precious 'jewel' from Malaysian 'soil', Musa said: "It is a 'jewel' that can be used as an example to show that Muslims the world over have risen and know how to keep the good name of Islam.
"For us to show Islam's good image, we can show that Islam can improve the lives of Muslims as a whole.
"Islam is also a global religion that is accepted by the world community, by looking at what we are doing with the product, the meetings and forums that we have had for the last eight years.
"It reminds the global community that there is an organisation that promotes the need to improve the livelihoods of the Muslim community," he said.
The WIEF began modestly as The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (formerly Organisation of the Islamic Conference) Business Forum in October 2003, in conjunction with the 10th OIC Summit in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
The inaugural OIC Business Forum sought to create a business 'face' of the OIC.
The second OIC Business Forum was convened in Kuala Lumpur in 2004, a momentous event that brought about the birth of the WIEF and the subsequent convening of the first WIEF in Kuala Lumpur in 2005.
Musa said WIEF is unique, though some may see it as a mirror of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which was first conceived in January 1971 in Davos, Switzerland.
"Davos is a very high-profile, rather elite organisation attended by the whos who of the world business community, but WIEF goes lower down the line.
"It concentrates on the community that really needs the opportunity to communicate with each other, and also promotes practical programmes that are really meaningful to them.
"There are activities that have managed to identify the real sectors that need assistance. The programme is less publicised but more meaningful," he said.
Musa said WIEF gets its priorities right because the only way to ensure a better world is to concentrate on women and youth.
"We are now in Surabaya to do simple things that the world might laugh at, because the world has gone to such a high level of technical advancement. We start with internet marketing.
"Davos might say, what are you doing? But they (women and youth) are the ones who really need awareness and capacity. I am very encouraged this less glamorous activity has really given meaning to WIEF," he said.
The WIEF Businesswomen Network (WBN) has just organised the Second Regional WIEF Online Marketing Workshop, held here for five days from April 8, 2013.
As a result, all 50 selected small-and-medium women entrepreneurs in East Java, including in the handicrafts, Muslim apparel and frozen food sectors, are now ready to market their products on their own website.
Bernama
Mon Apr 15 2013
Pasangan kekasih ditahan kes buang bayi di kedai jual ayam
Polis menahan seorang wanita hari ini kerana dipercayai meninggalkan bayi lelakinya berusia kira-kira seminggu, baru-baru ini di sebuah kedai menjual ayam proses di Chukai, Terengganu.
Tuntutan palsu: Tiga pegawai latihan institut kemahiran direman
Dua lelaki dan seorang wanita itu ditahan kira-kira 4.10 petang semalam selepas hadir memberikan keterangan di pejabat SPRM.
Projek pembangunan luar bandar perlu disempurnakan sebaiknya - Ahmad Zahid
Setiap pemegang taruh dalam ekosistem pembangunan luar bandar perlu memastikan program atau projek pembangunan yang sedang dilaksanakan dapat disempurnakan sebaiknya.
Presiden Iran dan Menteri Luar terkorban dalam nahas helikopter: Malaysia ucap takziah
Kerajaan dan rakyat Malaysia menyampaikan ucapan takziah kepada keluarga mangsa, rakyat Iran, dan semua yang terjejas dalam insiden tragis ini.
Ekonomi Bumiputera: 5,000 pemimpin profesional menjelang 2030
Yayasan Peneraju akan memfokuskan kepada pembangunan bakat untuk meningkatkan kelas pencipta nilai Bumiputera dan berperanan sebagai Talent Bank untuk mengenalpasti, membangun, memupuk, mengurus dan menyalur bakat Bumiputera.
Ekonomi Bumiputera: Kerajaan berhasrat gandakan syarikat di Bursa Malaysia
Kerajaan berhasrat untuk menggandakan jumlah syarikat Bumiputera yang berdaya tahan untuk disenaraikan di Bursa Malaysia pada masa hadapan melalui penjajaran semula tiga agensi bermandat Bumiputera di bawah kawal selia Kementerian Ekonomi.
29 Julai keputusan rayu keputusan inkues mendiang Soosaimanicckam
29 Julai ditetapkan bagi memutuskan rayuan terhadap keputusan terbuka berhubung inkues bagi menentukan punca kematian pegawai kadet TLDM, J. Soosaimanicckam.
Elon Musk ke Bali untuk pelancaran Starlink
Elon Musk berada di Bali untuk melancarkan perkhidmatan Starlink dan kerajaan sudah membuat tawaran rasmi kepada Tesla untuk membuka kilang bateri di negara itu.
Norza yakin atlet akan tunai janji raih emas di Olimpik Paris
Peminat sukan tanah air diseru tidak meragui keupayaan atlet kebangsaan untuk merangkul pingat emas Olimpik sulung negara pada Olimpik Paris.
Masak mi segera di stesen minyak: Empat didakwa esok
Empat daripada 15 individu yang ditahan menjalankan aktiviti memasak mi segera di kawasan stesen minyak di Genting Highlands baru-baru ini akan didakwa di Mahkamah Bentong.
AirAsia X timbang tawar penerbangan ke Eropah Timur, London dan Orlando
AirAsia X menimbang kemungkinan untuk menawarkan penerbangan ke negara di Eropah Timur dan menyambung semula laluan ke London serta menggunakan hak pendaratannya di Orlando.
MAS ubah laluan penerbangan, elak ruang udara Iran dan ketegangan di Asia Barat
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) akan mengubah laluan penerbangan antara Kuala Lumpur dan London untuk mengelak ruang udara Iran berikutan ketegangan yang semakin memuncak di Asia Barat.
Alexei Navalny dianggap sebagai hero oleh pengikutnya
Alexei Navalny yang meninggal dunia dalam penjara dianggap sebagai hero di mata rakyat Rusia.
Polis Metropolitan London dedah rakaman suspek serangan bahan kimia
Rakaman kamera keselamatan Polis Metropolitan London mendedahkan gambaran suspek dalam kes serangan bahan kimia di sebuah pasaraya di selatan London yang berlaku pada Ahad lalu.
Britain pulangkan set pakaian emas Ghana yang dirompak pada abad ke 19
Britain memulangkan semula set pakaian emas Ghana yang dirompak daripada Raja Asante pada abad ke-19.
London bandar paling sesak di dunia, Kuala Lumpur pun masuk senarai
Mengikut data yang mengumpul kesesakan terburuk dunia daripada 387 bandar di 55 negara sepanjang tahun lalu, London di tangga pertama.
Jenazah Allahyarham Fiza Kamarudin selamat dikebumikan
Allahyarham Fiza Kamaruddin selamat dikebumikan di Tanah Perkuburan Raudhatul Sakinah, Taman Selasih, di sini, tengah hari ini.
Jenazah wartawan hiburan Siti Nor Hafiza tiba esok
Jenazah akan berlepas dari London dengan menaiki pesawat MH0003 hari ini sebelum dijangka tiba di KLIA 7.15 pagi esok.
'Sempat tunai hajat anak' - Wartawan meninggal dunia di London kerana sel kanser merebak
Adiknya berkata, pendarahan otak itu disebabkan oleh sel kanser yang sudah merebak ke seluruh anggota badan Fiza.
Wartawan hiburan, Siti Nor Hafiza meninggal dunia di London
Wartawan hiburan, Siti Nor Hafiza Kamarudin yang dilaporkan kritikal dan menerima rawatan di sebuah hospital di London disahkan meninggal dunia.