The changing demographic in Canadian society (2007 statistics estimates Canada's Muslim population at between 750,000 and one million, the majority of whom are in their mid 20s). Consequently, a chair in Global Islam was established by the Amir of Sharjah, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, in 2008. Professor Liyakat Takim was appointed as the holder of this position in 2009. The need to make Islam known to both the academic and non-academic community and to foster links with the Hamilton and Toronto communities and to project an accurate image of Islam led to the idea of having an annual lecture series on an Islamic topic. Since 2011, several top Muslim scholars have been invited to address the Annual Global Islam Lecture.