• Inaugural Symposium on Islamic Economics and Finance Agenda (PDF)
• Speakers Bios (PDF)

• Global Context for Islamic Finance: Role of Equity Markets
  Dr. Andrew Sheng, Asia Global Institute
• A Risk-sharing Financial System and its Contribution to Shared Prosperity
  Prof. Thorsten Beck, Cass Business School, London
• Islamic Banking: Is it Good for Growth?
  Patrick Amir Imam, IMF
• Undermining Shared Prosperity? Risk Shifting and Islamic Banking
  Alaa Alaabed, Ph.D Student – INCEIF
• Islamic Perspective on Re-distributive Justice
  Prof. Hossein Askari, George Washington University
• A Risk Sharing Banking Model
  Prof. Dr. Obiyathulla Ismath Bacha, INCEIF
• Risk-sharing and Shared Prosperity in Islamic Finance
  Profesors Nabil Maghrebi and Dr. Abbas Mirakhor, Wakayama University
• The Role of Islamic Finance in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals and Shared Prosperity
  Prof. Habib Ahmed, Durham University
• Constituting Islamic Social Welfare Function: An Exploration in Islamic Moral Economy
  Isa Yilmaz, PhD Student – Durham University
• Designing Holistic Financial Inclusion Based On Maqashid Shariah
  Dr. Ascarya, Center for Central Banking Research and Education – Bank Indonesia
• Islamic Banking: More Financial Inclusion for Arab States?
  Prof. Clement M. Henry, Middle East Institute National University of Singapore
• Islamic Microfinance Institutions: Pro-poor or for Profit?
  Luqyan Tamanni, Ph.D.Student – University of Glasgow 
• Women Participation in Islamic Microfinance in Bangladesh and their Role to Share Prosperity: An Empirical Study
  Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, Jaiz Bank – Nigeria
• Integration of Waqf and Islamic Microfinance for Poverty Reduction: The Case Of Sudan
  Dr. Mustafa Omar Mohammed, International Islamic University Malaysia

As Byzantium, Constantinople and finally, Istanbul, it has been the capital of three Empires, each leaving their mark in the form of stunning palaces, castles, mosques, churches and monuments. The legacy of its checkered past can be seen on every turn of the modern city. Although no longer the capital of Turkey, Istanbul still remains as the country’s cultural and business center.

Istanbul is a hectic mix of cultures and lifestyles with over-abundance of important historic buildings, exciting new art galleries and museums providing visitors with more than enough to see during the day, and at night the city swings into high-velocity, mega-stylish action.

Among the awe-inspiring historical sites to see in Istanbul are; Blue Mosque, with its fascinating blue tile exterior, Haga Sofia, the church-turned-mosque-turned-museum, whose interior size and grandeur will take your breath away, Topkapı Palace, home to generations of sultans and the harems and peaceful Yerebatan Cistern where you can wander on walkways over the water, with classical music playing in the background.

The culture of Istanbul is reflected very much in its culinary tradition, too. From traditional bakeries to kebap houses, from fine dining restaurants to local eateries, Istanbul offers visitors an extravagant spread of the very best traditional Turkish dishes.

Istanbul has a Mediterranean climate that features all four seasons. Sun in the summer, snow in the winter, but the humidity is a constant in sea-encircled Istanbul. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Istanbul, while the chill of the winter is brightened up by magical snowfalls, and relaxed evenings by the Bosphorus is the upside of the humid heat in the summer.

As the connection point between Asia and Europe, Istanbul is a 4- hour flight from almost 60 countries. Public buses and the metro are widely used in transportation. European and Asian continents rail systems are connected by Marmaray; underwater metro system. There are already two bridges uniting the two continents, and the construction of a third bridge is in progress. Moreover, in addition to two very busy international airports, a third one is underway.