Thousands of Muslims are expected to gather this weekend to discuss religion, radicalization and peace at the country's largest Islamic convention, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at National Islamic Convention.
The conference, which is also called the Jalsa Salana, is a three-day event expected to attract both Muslim and non-Muslim attendees from around the world. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper will also make an appearance.
Similar conventions take place in London, U.K., the United States, Germany, and other places around the world.
"It's a convention that actually happens worldwide," Safwan Choudhry, a l. "It's been occurring for over 100 years."
According to Choudhry, the first such convention was held in India. Since then, he said, a total of more than a million Muslims have attended Jalsa Salana conventions.
This year's Canadian event will be held in the Greater Toronto Area, at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont. It will feature speeches, academic presentations, and youth workshops, Choudhry said.
The talks will cover a range of topics, including "practical solutions to combat various forms of religious extremism," according to a statement from Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at.
Choudhry said some of the "key presentations" will deal with topics such as Islam's compatibility with the West, freedom of speech and freedom of religion, radicalization, and world peace.
Harper is scheduled to address attendees on Friday afternoon.
The Conservative leader has spoken at Ahmadiyya Muslim events in the past. he praised the community for publicly condemning attacks against Canadian soldiers in Montreal and at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
Choudhry said the community looks forward to welcoming Harper again.
"Among the members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, loyalty to the country is a tenent of the faith," he said. "So as the current prime minister of the country, I'm sure that people will be delighted to know that he values the community."
