TRENDS Research & Advisory has concluded an extensive research tour across Canada, carrying intellectual and knowledge-driven messages aimed at confronting extremism, promoting values of tolerance, strengthening peace, and developing international partnerships in the fields of counter-extremism and future foresight.
The tour marked a new milestone in TRENDS’ global presence through high-level meetings, academic and institutional cooperation, and distinguished engagements inside the Canadian Parliament.
Toronto: The First Stop
The tour began in Toronto, where the TRENDS delegation held in-depth dialogue sessions with Canadian ministers and officials at the Ontario Parliament. The discussions addressed transnational challenges posed by the Muslim Brotherhood and its global networks. They underscored the importance of developing a knowledge-based cooperation framework to reinforce efforts to counter extremist discourse. The delegation also explored prospects for academic collaboration with Dr. Leslie Dan, one of the founders of the University of Toronto, within the context of developing integrated programs with the TRENDS International Training Institute.
In recognition of TRENDS’ research leadership and its role in advancing global dialogue, the Ontario Parliament, represented by MPP Andrea Hazell, presented a special honor to the TRENDS delegation for its contributions to enriching knowledge related to peace and security.
Toronto also hosted a dialogue session organized by the Global Imams Council (GIC) on the theme Generating Knowledge to Enhance Dialogue. The session opened with remarks from Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, followed by a keynote address from Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, who stressed the importance of building shared knowledge platforms that strengthen social cohesion and counter extremist ideologies.
During the session, TRENDS researchers Shamsa Al-Qubaisi and Badriya Al-Riyami presented the center’s key research outputs, including the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, which deconstructs the group’s clandestine structure, and the International Power Index, the world’s first analytical tool for measuring the group’s influence using data-driven scientific metrics. Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali was also presented with the “Person of the Year” award by the organizing body in recognition of TRENDS’ global initiatives to promote tolerance and strengthen cross-border partnerships.
Memorandum of Understanding
As part of its efforts to strengthen international cooperation, TRENDS, through its virtual office in Canada, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Secure Canada, an organization specializing in community security, counter-extremism awareness, and safeguarding local communities. The MoU marks a new step toward building joint research projects and training programs designed to support effective policies that address emerging ideological threats.
Ottawa: The Second Stop
The delegation then continued to the capital, Ottawa, where the tour’s momentum carried on with meetings in the Federal Parliament and diplomatic engagements, including a visit to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates. The delegation also met with Mila – Quebec AI Institute, one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence institutes – to explore ways to leverage AI technologies to develop advanced analytical tools that support future-oriented research.
Press Conference and Parliamentary Forum
At a concluding milestone under the dome of the Canadian Parliament, the TRENDS delegation participated in a global press conference broadcast by CPAC. Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, and researcher Shamsa Al-Qubaisi addressed the media, underscoring that knowledge remains the first line of defense against extremism.
Following the press conference, participants moved to the Senate Chamber for the Parliamentary Forum on Fostering Peaceful Coexistence and Resisting Extremism, held under the theme Shared and Actionable Insights. The forum featured the TRENDS research delegation, which joined via its virtual office in Canada and was led by Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, alongside Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, representing the Global Imams Council. Distinguished attendees included Senator Leo Housakos, Members of Parliament Shuv Majumdar, Melissa Lantsman, Anthony Housefather, and Greg Fergus, as well as diplomats and former Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Richard Fadden.
Prominent religious leaders were also present, including Imam Hassan Ismail Tarab, Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn, and Father Raymond de Souza. From the policy community, international human rights lawyer Irwin Cotler, Secure Canada CEO Cheryl Saperia, MLI Managing Director Brian Lee Crowley, and renowned journalist Steve Paikin participated. Additional MPs, such as Roman Baber and Jacob Mantle, also took part, along with a select group of researchers, directors, and advisors.
Steve Paikin moderated the sessions. Senator Housakos opened the forum, emphasizing that parliaments are not only legislative chambers but “the first line of defense” against security threats and extremist ideologies.
In his keynote address, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali stressed that global peace cannot be achieved by goodwill alone; it requires moral clarity and the courage to confront extremist ideologies, foremost among them the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, “the umbrella from which all extremist groups have emerged.”
The forum included two main sessions featuring parliamentarians, alongside TRENDS experts and researchers, exploring the implementation of the Document on Human Fraternity, the Abraham Accords, strategies for countering extremism, and strengthening societal resilience.
Recognition and Appreciation
At its conclusion, the Parliamentary Forum honored Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali with a special award in recognition of his outstanding leadership in promoting global understanding and TRENDS’ vision in combating extremism and advancing tolerance. The award described TRENDS as “a global beacon of knowledge production in the Middle East and beyond,” marking the culmination of a significant research and diplomatic tour that reinforces TRENDS’ position as a leading international platform for thought and knowledge.
