"Trends" He organizes scientific dialogues in the Ontario Parliament and the International Islamic Council of Canada
Ottawa, November 20 / WAM / The delegation from the Trends Center for Research and Consultation began its research tour in Canada, with a series of scientific meetings and dialogues in the city of Toronto, as part of its efforts to strengthen research partnerships and develop knowledge on issues of combating extremism and terrorism.
The first day witnessed a dialogue session in the Ontario Parliament with the participation of Her Excellency Charmaine A. Williams, Ontario Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Mohamed Vereen, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister, His Excellency Paul Calandra, Ontario Minister of Education, and Sherif Sabawi, Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, along with a TRENDS delegation headed by Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of the Centre.
The discussion addressed the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood and its cross-border threats, emphasizing the importance of raising institutional awareness of the nature of the organization, and the necessity of intensifying research cooperation to confront extremist discourse and enhance intellectual security within multicultural societies.
In the context of the visit, Representative Andrea Hazel, Member of the Ontario Parliament, honored the Trends Center in appreciation of its efforts in combating extremist ideology and spreading cognitive education.
The Trends delegation also met with Dr. Leslie Dunn, one of the most prominent founders and supporters of the University of Ontario, where the prospects for research cooperation between Trends and the university were discussed, especially in the fields of studies of extremism and social transformations, in addition to discussing joint projects that enhance the exchange of experiences and the production of scientific knowledge.
As part of the first day’s activities, the delegation visited the headquarters of the International Islamic Council (GIC) in Toronto, where a panel discussion was held entitled “Generating Knowledge to Promote Religious and Human Dialogue.”
Imam Muhammad al-Tawhidi, advisor for combating extremism and terrorism at Trends, and member of the Supreme Committee of the Council, stressed the importance of cooperation between religious and intellectual institutions in building moderate discourses that confront extremism.
During the session, the Council honored Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Al-Ali by granting him the “Personality of the Year” award in recognition of his knowledge efforts and the global initiatives led by “Trends” in the field of combating extremism.
For his part, Dr. Muhammad Al-Ali stressed, in his keynote speech, that knowledge forms the basis for promoting peaceful coexistence and confronting extremism, stressing that effective approaches require a strategic vision, in-depth research, and broad international partnerships, and not just temporary reactions.
He pointed out that extremism has become a cross-border digital phenomenon that exploits social media platforms, which requires the development of advanced research tools based on artificial intelligence to monitor and analyze threats early. He pointed out that “Trends” has a team of Canadian researchers who lead specialized knowledge files about Canada, which supports long-term research partnerships.
For her part, researcher Shamsa Arif Al Qubaisi gave a presentation on the encyclopedia of the Muslim Brotherhood, which the center is working on as part of a long-term research project, explaining that the encyclopedia reveals the hidden dimensions of the group, especially with regard to the “special apparatus” and the secret arm of the organization.
She explained that the goal of the encyclopedia is to build an organized academic field that provides decision-makers with an in-depth analysis of the nature of the group and its risks, noting that the Brotherhood Index is the first global tool to assess its influence and provide early warning to policy makers.
For her part, Badriya Hilal Mubarak Saif Al-Riyami, the principal researcher at Trends, presented the strategic importance of the “Muslim Brotherhood International Strength Index” developed by the Center’s Department of Political Islam.
She explained that the index represents the first comprehensive quantitative tool to measure the group’s influence across political, regulatory, economic, media and societal dimensions, with coverage that extends to the Arab world, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
She stressed that the index addresses an important knowledge gap by providing an accurate assessment of the organization’s ability to achieve its goals, in addition to providing early warning indicators that help governments and security institutions understand the group’s movements and anticipate its threats, which enhances transparency and raises the quality of academic discussions.
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter
