It was an evening of firsts as the Ottawa Main Mosque welcomed US Ambassador David Jacobson on his first official visit on April 8.

Almost 100 people attended the event titled “Strengthening Bridges & Working Together for a Better Future”.  Security was discreet and the question period was uncensored which was unusual for a high-profile guest like the ambassador. But a unique set of circumstances had created the space for this gathering.  As Ambassador Jacobson explained at the beginning of his speech:

Like most great ideas, this one started modestly enough.A few eager Ottawa residents thought it would be neat to invite a popular Canadian Muslim scholar to launch a new book on Islam in the nation's capital.

So they got together with a formal group of Muslim organizations to plan a conference which would bring Dr. Jamal Badawi to Ottawa, as well as other scholars to discuss important faith issues.

That was in 2011. Two years later, that modest idea has grown into a major youth conference scheduled for March 16, 2013 which aims to support young Muslims in every facet of their lives. Organizers are also thrilled that the conference also marks one of the most significant collaborations between Muslim organizations and youth groups ever to happen in Ottawa.

The Yemeni journalist and human rights activist Tawakkol Karman charmed several audiences during a visit to Ottawa on November 21 and 22 while touring across Canada.

Before landing in the nation's capital, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate had been in Edmonton, where she received an honourary doctorate of Laws from the University of Alberta. There, she also participated in the Festival of Ideas.

The Ottawa Police is inviting all Muslim residents to attend a community information session at Masjid Dar Assunnah on Jan. 24, 2013.  The event, organised in partnership with several Ottawa Muslim organizations, is aimed at strengthening relations between the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) and local Muslims.