Jakarta. The upcoming Indonesia Halal Week 2026 and the EduNation Festival will mark a push to strengthen collaboration between the country’s halal industry and international Islamic education sectors through an integrated national platform, organizers said on Wednesday.

The preliminary launch event, held at the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry's complex in Jakarta, underscored the ministry’s role as a strategic partner in connecting halal business development, modern lifestyle trends, education, and youth empowerment.

Organizers said the initiative reflects Indonesia’s ambition to position itself as a global center for the halal ecosystem, leveraging its status as the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation and the growing demand for halal products and services among younger generations.

The Indonesia Halal Week 2026 is designed not only as a showcase for halal-certified products and services, but also as a meeting point for industry players, educational institutions, creative communities, regulators, and young consumers to help shape the future of Indonesia’s halal economy.

Vibiadhi Swasti Pradana, director of organizer PT Debindo, said the event was created to complement Indonesia’s existing halal exhibitions by integrating business, education, and lifestyle elements into a single platform.

“The Indonesia Halal Week seeks to fill gaps that have not been fully accommodated in existing halal exhibitions. We are presenting a platform that not only connects businesses and markets, but also integrates education, halal literacy, certification, and the strengthening of a modern halal lifestyle,” Vibiadhi said.

The event will feature “Halal Kulture,” an experiential exhibition space focused on modern halal lifestyles through interactive programs including Faedah Talkz, Creative Space, Outdoortainment, and Community Space. Organizers said the concept is intended to reinforce the idea that halal has evolved beyond religious compliance into part of contemporary cultural identity and lifestyle trends.

Another section, GlamLocal, will showcase modest fashion and Muslim accessories brands, highlighting Indonesia’s expanding Muslim fashion industry while combining shopping, creativity and modest lifestyle values.

The event will also collaborate with Deatextile through a dedicated Textile Trade Event by Deatextile, focusing on textile manufacturing and modest fashion supply chains. The platform aims to connect industry players, brands, buyers, and textile innovators to support the growth of Indonesia’s modest fashion ecosystem domestically and internationally.

As part of the broader ecosystem initiative, organizers will also hold the EduNation Festival, an international-scale Islamic education exhibition bringing together schools, universities, educators, students, and scholarship organizations from Indonesia and abroad.

Ali Saman Hasan, chairman of the International Islamic Education Consortium (Kopin), described EduNation 2026 as a major transformation from previous editions that focused primarily on domestic institutions.

“This year, we are positioning EduNation as an international Islamic education platform that gives Indonesian students broader access to global educational institutions. We want to bring in international schools and universities from the Middle East, Malaysia, and other countries to create real collaboration opportunities,” Ali said.

He added that the initiative aims to establish Indonesia not only as the world’s largest Muslim consumer market, but also as a center for modern Islamic education capable of producing globally competitive graduates.

Muhammad Quraisy, a representative from the National Committee for Islamic Economy and Finance (KNEKS), said Indonesia already has strong foundations for halal industry expansion, citing growing halal consumption, the contribution of halal value chains to the national economy, and rising halal certification issuance.

More than 300,000 halal certificates have been issued in Indonesia, alongside the development of halal industrial zones in areas including Bekasi, Banten, the Riau Islands, and East Java, he said.

However, Quraisy noted that public literacy on halal standards and the Islamic economy remains a major challenge.

“Many people believe they already understand halal concepts, but education regarding standards, certification, and implementation is still urgently needed,” he said.

He added that halal certification is increasingly viewed not only as a regulatory requirement, but also as a benchmark for product quality, business credibility, and consumer trust in international markets.

Organizers expect the events to attract tens of thousands of visitors, ranging from industry players and potential buyers to students, educators, young families, and community groups, positioning the platform as a convergence point for halal industry innovation, international education, and Indonesia’s evolving halal lifestyle movement.