The objective of our project is inclusion of Muslim community members, namely students, into everyday student life. Simply by meeting the dietary needs of the students who practice Islam in Serbia, we would create a more inclusive and peaceful educational environment for everyone.
Local
Serbia
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Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
As an individual
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Yes
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites
Introducing a Halal menu to student restaurants in Serbia. Meeting dietary needs of Muslim students. Fighting Islamophobia and spreading understanding and peace among the students of Serbia.
Students
Islam
Inclusion
Halal
Community
The principles of Halalness are based on well-being of all living creatures, ethics, fairness, cleanliness, and sustainability. The connection between sustainability and Halalness is an immediate one, for halal food production and consumption can be an effective tool in promoting sustainable and organic agriculture and farming. Halal meat standard can be met only through sustainable farming. Moreover, Halal products are usually of higher quality and containing less additives than than mass produced products. The Halal stamp of approval reassures the consumer, regardless of their religious beliefs, that the food they are taking is good, clean and green.
Muslim students in Serbia is in a constant struggle to find food that would meet their dietary needs. This pursuit is, unfortunately, usually not a successful one. Halal food, though available on the market, is completely unaccessible to all the students who dine in student restaurants. Quality of experience of studying, eating and living in Serbia for all the Muslim students is a top priority of this project, as the group of people would finally have their basic human needs met. Additionally, cultural benefits of implementing this idea are numerous. By representing Muslim culture, and providing non-Muslim youth with more information on Islam and their fellow students of different religious beliefs, we encourage sense of belonging, peace and understanding within the educational community of Serbia.
The Halal Student Restaurants project is all about inclusion. All Muslim students deserve to develop a sense of belonging to the community. By incorporating a Halal menu into student restaurants we ensure that all Muslim university students feel seen, included and appreciated.
If this idea should be actualized and Halal menu introduced into student restaurants, Muslim students would no longer have to struggle to meet their dietary needs. The Halal stamp of approval would lower the cost of living for the students. Finally, Muslim community would be more included in everyday discourse.
Unfortunately, no stakeholders would participate in the design and the development of the project. Every attempt of mentioning Muslim representation in educational institutions in Serbia was ignored, and for this reason we deemed it necessary to submit the idea.
Knowledge in the fields of religious studies and sociology were used in designing and developing of the concept.
There is currently no Halal menu in student restaurants in Serbia. Any change in this regard would be a great change.
As stated above, implementation of this project could bring about a change in green farming and sustainable agriculture. Moreover, Halal menus would be healthier for all the students, regardless of their religious beliefs. By representing the Muslim community, and finally meeting their needs, we aid the health of all students.
By thinking locally, we think globally. By changing locally, we change globally. We want to inspire Europe to feel for Muslim communities, provide for them and fight Islamophobia. By adding Halal food to the menus of student restaurants we ensure that all parties involved acquire broader knowledge and understanding of food, health, sustainability and inclusion.
