Student and teacher resources

Concept and proceedings

• The Group of Seven or G7 refers to a group of seven countries [1] whose leaders meet informally, once a year. These seven countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union is also represented at these meetings and has been since 1977.

  European Union: A voluntary association of 27 European countries in the economic and political fields that focuses on guaranteeing peace in Europe and ensuring economic and social progress.

• For G7 leaders, the objectives of these meetings are to discuss international issues and to come to an agreement on shared commitments related to the host country’s targeted themes. Canada was the host country this year.

• Every year, one of the member countries is the president of the group and hosts a two- or three-day meeting in its territory, called the G7 Leaders’ Summit. The country that is the president announces major themes that make up the agenda to be addressed over the course of that year.

• To prepare for the annual summit, the host country holds preparatory meetings with advisers from each government and ministerial meetings, prior to the summit.

• At the end of the meetings, the G7 often issues a final statement summarizing the countries’ commitments related to the themes that were discussed. The decisions outlined in this joint statement are made consensually, so all of all the members have agreed on them.

• During G7 summits, non-G7 countries and international organizations are invited to join in some of the discussions.

Creation of the G7

• In 1973 and 1974, informal meetings, referred to as the G4 and G5, were held between the finance ministers of 5 countries: France, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and West Germany.

• The first “official” meeting was the initiative of French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1975 and German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. Noting the success of the previous meetings between finance ministers, they wanted to hold similar meetings between leaders so they could discuss major global economic issues.

• Originally, these informal meetings were held to lessen the effects of the economic crisis caused by the oil shock of the 1970s and were designed as a venue to discuss economic policy.

Topics Discussed

• The G7 was initially designed to be a forum for diplomatic economic discussions aimed at addressing economic and monetary policy issues.

• Over the years, the themes discussed have diversified to include security, immigration, climate change and development assistance, among others.

Mock G7 Themes

For the Student Mock G7 Summit, the themes will be the following:

• Preparing for jobs of the future in the global context

• Working together for the environment

• Building a more peaceful and secure world

Chronology (Summit Timeline)

G7, G8, G20... What’s the difference?

• The G7 is the Group of Seven countries, plus the European Union.

• The G8 is the G7 countries plus Russia. This group formally existed from 1998 to 2014.

• The G20 was created in 1999 to bring together the finance ministers of 19 countries plus the European Union. Since 2008, it has been these countries’ leaders who meet to address issues related to the financial crisis that affects them:

Canada's Place

• Canada joined the G7 in 1976.

• It has already hosted the G7 Leaders’ Summit seven times :

  • In 1981 (Montebello, Quebec/Ottawa, Ontario)

  • In 1988 (Toronto, Ontario)

  • In 1995 (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

  • In 2002 (Kananaskis, Alberta)

  • In 2010 (Muskoka, Ontario) and a G20 meeting was held in Toronto that same year

  • In 2018 (Charlevoix, Quebec)

  • In 2025 (Kananaskis, Alberta)

• Canada holds the Presidency of the G7 from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. The highlight of this presidency was the G7 Leaders’ Summit, which took place from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta.

• This year also marks the 50th year since the first G7 meeting hosted by France in 1975. For 50 years, the G7 has played an important role in raising global awareness, fostering collaboration, and promoting international action to address the most pressing challenges of the day.  

BRAINSTORMING ACTIVITY: The G7 and you

Your teacher will ask you to think about the various roles played by the stakeholders taking part in the G7. Here is a list of people who work to make the summit a success. Which role(s) can you see yourself in?

The Leaders

(role that the student can play during the simulation)

The leaders of the seven member countries are the G7 Summit’s main stakeholders. Depending on how each country’s government is made up, it is either the head of state or the head of government who represents the country at G7 summits.

The Ministers

(role that the student can play during the simulation)

Finance and foreign affairs ministers also take part in the G7, often in the context of the preparatory meetings. Based on the themes chosen, other ministers may also attend the Summit or be involved in its preparation. For example, every year in the lead-up to the G7 Summit, environment ministers (since 1994) and labour ministers (since 1996) have taken part in ministerial meetings.

• G7 employment and innovation ministers will meet under the theme of Preparing for jobs of the future in the global context

• G7 foreign affairs and security ministers will meet under the theme of Building a more peaceful and secure world

• G7 environment and energy ministers will meet under the theme of Working together for the environment

The Sherpas

(role that the student can play during the simulation)

The term “sherpa” refers to the personal representative of each G7 leader. Every year, in preparation for and during the summit, the sherpas for all the countries meet on a regular basis to agree on the agenda, how the summit will be organized and the final statement. They also meet after the summit for an update on how the announced commitments are being implemented.

The sherpa for the host country is responsible for organizing and planning the event, the budget, logistics, collaboration between the different countries, communication and G7 awareness raising.

The Expert

(role that the student can play during the simulation)

Expert and working groups made up of representatives from each country, and whose areas of expertise correspond with each of the chosen themes, also meet before and after the summits. For example, the Lyon Group on International Crime was created during the 1996 summit. During Italy’s 2017 G7 Presidency, the Lyon Group’s objective was to formulate strategies to combat terrorism and transnational crime. One of the topics discussed was dialogue between religious communities to eliminate the negative impacts of socio-economic exclusion. The experts also hold discussions with civil society organizations to hear their recommendations.

Additional Roles in a G7 Summit

The European Union

The European Union is a full member of the G7. The President of the European Commission has attended the G7 Summit since 1977 and the President of the European Council has attended since 1982. Although the European Union takes part in the G7 Summit every year (and has a sherpa and a delegation), it does not host summits itself.

Invited Countries

Every year, the G7 invites other countries and organizations to attend the Summit. For example, the African Union, Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Türkiye , United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, the Vatican, and seven other countries were invited to the 2024 G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy. The invited countries are usually chosen based on the themes to be addressed.

International Organizations

Many international organizations attend G7-related activities, including:

• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• The World Bank

• The United Nations (UN)

• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

• The World Trade Organization (WTO)

The Media

• The media are key G7 stakeholders. They keep the public informed on the Summit’s progress.

• Only a few hundred journalists attended the first summit in 1975, but today, the G7 Summits are attended by thousands.

• This year, the International Media Centre was located at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Although the Summit is taking place in Kananaskis, sound, videos and images will be captured and broadcast in real time to the journalists in the town of Banff.

Civil Society

• G7 engagement groups are independent, non-government bodies that provide annual recommendations to the G7. They are the Business 7, Civil Society 7, Labour 7, Science 7, Think 7, Women 7 and Youth 7. These groups help ensure that G7 discussions are well-informed and consider the perspectives of diverse stakeholders. They often hold their own meetings in the months leading up to the G7 Leaders’ Summit and issue communiqués.  

• The G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC) is an independent advisory body that provides recommendations on gender equality to G7 leaders and ministers.  The council brings together a diverse group of gender equality experts, including academics, activists, businesspeople and policymakers, to ensure a broad and inclusive approach to gender equality. It was established by Canada during its 2018 G7 presidency.  

• Researchers and professors from the academic community are sometimes consulted when the G7 agenda is being developed. They can also play an informal role in the G7 by holding side events or by speaking with the media. 

Preparing for jobs of the future in the global context

• Access to the job market and non-discrimination

• Demographic changes and migration

• Basic human rights related to work (freedom of association, decent wages, non- discrimination, social protection, etc.)

• Presence of women and youth on the job market

• Pay equity between women and men

• Public and private investment for job creation

• Research and development by companies to foster innovation and its integration into the job market

• Education system and continuing education

• New technologies and their impact on the environment and workers: increased productivity vs. job losses in some sectors

• Artificial intelligence: develop, retain and attract talent

• International market competition

• Underground economy and informal economy

Working together for the environment

• Promotion and development of renewable energy

• Protecting the oceans.

• Sustainable development-related jobs and economy

• Protection of threatened species

• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

• Migration flows related to climate migrants

• Women’s leadership in clean energy

• Issues related to the security of the Pacific Islands

Building a more peaceful and secure world

• Maintenance and consolidation of peace after armed conflicts

• Diplomacy and mediation

• Armed conflicts between countries and within countries

• Terrorism and national security (online radicalization and Internet regulation)

• Major human rights violations

• International criminal justice and transnational justice (transition between war and return to peace)

• State security and human security: poverty, climate change and other issues as threats to human security

• The nuclear threat

• The territorial independence of states and the principles of non-intervention and non-aggression

• Migrants and refugees

• Weapons proliferation, including nuclear weapons

• Meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution

• Sexual violence in conflict zones: women and girls and disproportionately affected

General information about the G7

2025

Global Affairs Canada : Canada and the G7 2025 [playlist]

2018

Global Affairs Canada : Behind the Scenes of the G7 [several episodes]
Global Affairs Canada : What is the G7?

Resources to develop your delegation’s position

• The United Nations (UN)

• The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• The World Bank

• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

• The World Trade Organization (WTO)

• The London School of Economics and Political Science

• The Central Intelligence Agency

• Wikipedia

• News platforms

• Past G7, G8 and G20 Summits publications and websites

Student name:
School:
Role:

This notebook contains the information needed to prepare for the Mock G7 Summit, as well as a description of the tasks to be performed.

Before you start:

The goal of the Mock Summit is to give you a G7 experience and to help you discover the inner workings of such international events. The intent is for you to put yourself in the shoes of one of the participating delegations. Although the Mock G7 Summit is a pared-down version of a G7 Summit, it will give you an idea of how the event unfolds.

To ensure that everyone gets the most out of the Mock G7 Summit, here are a few tips:

• You are encouraged to follow an appropriate dress code.

• The more involved you are, the more fun you will have.

• Follow the instructions given by the facilitator and the organizing committee.

• Respect your speaking time and the speaking time of others.

THE DELEGATION

Your delegation is responsible for representing the interests of the government and the people in discussions with other delegations.

Your Roles Within the Delegation

Each delegation is made up of the following:

• 1 leader or head of state

• 1 sherpa

• 1 minister and 3-4 experts on Preparing for jobs of the future in the global context

• 1 minister and 3-4 experts on Working together for the environment

• 1 minister and 3-4 experts on Building a more peaceful and secure world

Below are descriptions of each of the roles (these are broad descriptions; refer to the mandate chart and the agenda to determine all the work to be done in advance of, as well as during, the mock summit):

Leader / Head of State

Represents their country and its people. They engage in discussions with the other leaders on issues affecting their state and its interests. They must also address the media by delivering speeches at the beginning and end of the G7 Summit, using a sophisticated vocabulary and displaying exemplary decorum, to maintain diplomatic relations with the other states present at the Summit.

Sherpa

They are the personal representative of the head of state and government. They advocate for the position of the leader of their state. They negotiate with the other sherpas to reach a consensus on the commitments made by all states. They also help draft the final communiqué.

Minister

A minister is a politician who heads a ministry or department, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. They will be called upon to present on the priorities decided on with their fellow G7 ministers. They meet with other G7 ministers to discuss issues pertaining to their portfolio:

• G7 employment and innovation ministers will meet under the theme of Preparing for jobs of the future;  

• G7 foreign affairs and security ministers will meet under the theme of Building a more peaceful and secure world;  

• G7 environment and energy ministers will meet under the theme of Working together for the environment. 

Expert

As the name suggests, this person is very familiar with the issues related to the subject matter for which they have developed expertise. They must be able to express the positions of the state they represent during meetings and in speeches they deliver or help draft. In addition, they must be able to negotiate with experts from other delegations to reach consensus on joint commitments.

Get to know the subjects so you can explore them in greater depth!

Important note for Ministers and Experts

Using the documents from Phase I,web sources and your own research, write a two-minute speech and identify 5 to 10 strong arguments for each subject. You will present your work during the discussion with the other experts and ministers.

• Preparing for jobs of the future in the global context

• Working together for the environment

• Building a more peaceful and secure world

Before you begin

Before distributing the student workbook, ask the following questions:

• What is the G7?

• Which countries are member states?

• What issues does the G7 discuss?

• Do you have any G7-related questions?

Concept and proceedings

• The Group of Seven or G7 refers to a group of seven countries [1] whose leaders meet informally, once a year. These seven countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union is also represented at these meetings and has been since 1977.

  European Union: A voluntary association of 27 European countries in the economic and political fields that focuses on guaranteeing peace in Europe and ensuring economic and social progress.

• For G7 leaders, the objectives of these meetings are to discuss international issues and to come to an agreement on shared commitments related to the host country’s targeted themes. Canada was the host country this year.

• Every year, one of the member countries is the president of the group and hosts a two- or three-day meeting in its territory, called the G7 Leaders’ Summit. The country that is the president announces major themes that make up the agenda to be addressed over the course of that year.

• To prepare for the annual summit, the host country holds preparatory meetings with advisers from each government and ministerial meetings, prior to the summit.

• At the end of the meetings, the G7 often issues a final statement summarizing the countries’ commitments related to the themes that were discussed. The decisions outlined in this joint statement are made consensually, so all of all the members have agreed on them.

• During G7 summits, non-G7 countries and international organizations are invited to join in some of the discussions.

Creation of the G7

• In 1973 and 1974, informal meetings, referred to as the G4 and G5, were held between the finance ministers of 5 countries: France, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and West Germany.

• The first “official” meeting was the initiative of French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1975 and German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. Noting the success of the previous meetings between finance ministers, they wanted to hold similar meetings between leaders so they could discuss major global economic issues.

• Originally, these informal meetings were held to lessen the effects of the economic crisis caused by the oil shock of the 1970s and were designed as a venue to discuss economic policy.

Topics Discussed

• The G7 was initially designed to be a forum for diplomatic economic discussions aimed at addressing economic and monetary policy issues.

• Over the years, the themes discussed have diversified to include security, immigration, climate change and development assistance, among others.

Mock G7 Themes

For the Student Mock G7 Summit, the themes will be the following:

• Preparing for jobs of the future in the global context

• Working together for the environment

• Building a more peaceful and secure world

Chronology (Summit Timeline)

G7, G8, G20... What’s the difference?

• The G7 is the group of 7 countries, plus the European Union.

• The G8 is the G7 countries plus Russia. This group formally existed from 1998 to 2014.

• The G20 was created in 1999 to bring together the finance ministers of 19 countries plus the European Union. Since 2008, it has been these countries’ leaders who meet to address issues related to the financial crisis that affects them:

Canada’s Place

• Canada joined the G7 in 1976.

• It has already hosted the G7 Leaders’ Summit seven times:

  • In 1981 (Montebello, Quebec/Ottawa, Ontario)

  • In 1988 (Toronto, Ontario)

  • In 1995 (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

  • In 2002 (Kananaskis, Alberta)

  • In 2010 (Muskoka, Ontario) and a G20 meeting was held in Toronto that same year

  • In 2018 (Charlevoix, Quebec)

  • In 2025 (Kananaskis, Alberta)

• Canada holds the Presidency of the G7 from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. The highlight of this presidency was the G7 Leaders’ Summit, which took place from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta.

• This year also marks the 50th year since the first G7 meeting hosted by France in 1975. For 50 years, the G7 has played an important role in raising global awareness, fostering collaboration, and promoting international action to address the most pressing challenges of the day.

BRAINSTORMING ACTIVITY: The G7 and you

In the context of a group discussion, ask your students to discuss what role they can play in the G7 Summit and what they can do in preparation for it. Ask them why it is interesting and the importance of getting involved. After going through all the sheets, you can also come back to these questions with your group to see how their interest in certain G7 issues has developed as they learn.

You will ask your students to think about the various roles played by the stakeholders taking part in the G7: “Here is a list of people who work to make the summit a success. Which role(s) can you see yourself in?” Collect the students’ answers; this will help them get into place when the simulation begins.

The Leaders

(role that the student can play during the simulation)

The leaders of the seven member countries are the G7 Summit’s main stakeholders. Depending on how each country’s government is made up, it is either the head of state or the head of government who represents the country at G7 summits.

The Ministers

(role that the student can play during the simulation)

Finance and foreign affairs ministers also take part in the G7, often in the context of the preparatory meetings. Based on the themes chosen, other ministers may also attend the summit or be involved in its preparation. For example, every year in the lead-up to the G7 summit, Environment ministers (since 1994) and labour ministers (since 1996) have taken part in ministerial meetings.

• G7 employment and innovation ministers will meet under the theme of Preparing for jobs of the future in the global context

• G7 foreign affairs and security ministers will meet under the theme of Building a more peaceful and secure world

• G7 environment and energy ministers will meet under the theme of Working together for the environment

The Sherpas

(role that the student can play during the simulation)

The term “sherpa” refers to the personal representative of each G7 leader. Every year, in preparation for and during the summit, the sherpas for all the countries meet on a regular basis to agree on the agenda, how the summit will be organized and the final statement. They also meet after the summit for an update on how the announced commitments are being implemented.

The sherpa for the host country is responsible for organizing and planning the event, the budget, logistics, collaboration between the different countries, communication and G7 awareness raising.

The Expert

(role that the student can play during the simulation)

Expert and working groups made up of representatives from each country, and whose areas of expertise correspond with each of the chosen themes, also meet before and after the summits. For example, the Lyon Group on International Crime was created during the 1996 summit. During Italy’s 2017 G7 Presidency, the Lyon Group’s objective was to formulate strategies to combat terrorism and transnational crime. One of the topics discussed was dialogue between religious communities to eliminate the negative impacts of socio-economic exclusion. The experts also hold discussions with civil society organizations to hear their recommendations.

Additional Roles in a G7 Summit

The European Union

The European Union is a full member of the G7. The President of the European Commission has attended the G7 Summit since 1977 and the President of the European Council has attended since 1982. Although the European Union takes part in the G7 Summit every year (and has a sherpa and a delegation), it does not host summits itself.

Invited countries

Every year, the G7 invites other countries and organizations to attend the Summit. For example, the African Union, Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Türkiye , United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, the Vatican, and seven other countries were invited to the 2024 G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy. The invited countries are usually chosen based on the themes to be addressed.

International Organizations

Many international organizations attend G7-related activities, including:

• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• The World Bank

• The United Nations (UN)

• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

• The World Trade Organization (WTO)

The Media

• The media are key G7 stakeholders. They keep the public informed on the Summit’s progress.

• Only a few hundred journalists attended the first summit in 1975, but today, the G7 Summits are attended by thousands.

• This year, the International Media Centre was located at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Although the Summit is taking place in Kananaskis, sound, videos and images will be captured and broadcast in real time to the journalists in the town of Banff.

Civil society

• G7 engagement groups are independent, non-government bodies that provide annual recommendations to the G7. They are the Business 7, Civil Society 7, Labour 7, Science 7, Think 7, Women 7 and Youth 7. These groups help ensure that G7 discussions are well-informed and consider the perspectives of diverse stakeholders. They often hold their own meetings in the months leading up to the G7 Leaders’ Summit and issue communiqués.  

• The G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC) is an independent advisory body that provides recommendations on gender equality to G7 leaders and ministers.  The council brings together a diverse group of gender equality experts, including academics, activists, businesspeople and policymakers, to ensure a broad and inclusive approach to gender equality. It was established by Canada during its 2018 G7 presidency.  

• Researchers and professors from the academic community are sometimes consulted when the G7 agenda is being developed. They can also play an informal role in the G7 by holding side events or by speaking with the media. 

ACTIVITY 1: G7 members at a glance

Let’s look at these sheets.

Before beginning this activity, ask your students to look up what the terms “human development index” and “annual GDP growth” mean, and how these indexes are calculated.

The student workbook includes a sheet for each member with information to be filled in. Use these as guides, and feel free to adapt for their learning. You will need to verify the information they find with your own research.

See the questions in the student workbook.

FACTS ABOUT CANADA

General information

Leader/Head of State
Capital
Population
Official language(s)
Area
Population density
Employment by gender
Human development index

Political system

2018	2025
Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary system

Economy

Where does it rank as a global economy?
Annual GDP growth
Main trading partners

Environment

2018	2025
10th most CO2-emitting country (2016 data) Litres of water used per capita in 2014 ___litres (20% is used for industry). Water covers __ % of its area. Canada produces ___ % of global greenhouse gas emissions. Canada has a federal sustainable development strategy.

Other relevant information

2018

2025

It is the 12th-largest export economy in the world. Its main exports are cars, crude oil production, gold and vehicle parts. Its main imports are cars, vehicle parts, delivery trucks, refined oils and crude oil production. Its main export destinations are the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Japan and Mexico. Its main import sources are the United States, China, Germany, Mexico and Japan.

Using the For more information section (at the end of the notebook) and your own research, find out what Canada’s current challenges are.

Ask the students to research fast facts about Canada and its current challenges.

FACTS ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION

General information

Leader/Head of State	European Council: European Commission:
Capital
Population
Official language(s)
Area
Population density
Employment by gender
Human development index

Political system

2018	2025
Political and economic association of 28 countries

Economy

Where does it rank as a global economy?
Annual GDP growth
Main trading partners

Environment

2018	2025
The European Union produces 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions (2015). The European Union has adopted a European strategy for sustainable development.

Using the For more information section (at the end of the notebook) and your own research, find out what the European Union’s current challenges are.

Ask the students to research fast facts about the European Union and its current challenges.

FACTS ABOUT FRANCE

General information

Leader/Head of State
Capital
Population
Official language(s)
Area
Population density
Employment by gender
Human development index

Political system

2018	2025
Semi-presidential system

Economy

Where does it rank as a global economy?
Annual GDP growth
Main trading partners

Environment

2018	2025
19th most CO2-emitting country (2016 data) Litres of water used per capita in 2014 – 3,015 litres. Water covers 0.26% of its area. France produces 1.34% of global greenhouse gas emissions. There are a variety of postgraduate courses on sustainable development offered in France; these courses are internationally recognized.

Other relevant information

2018

2025

Its main exports are aircraft, helicopters, spacecraft engines (representing 9.3% of total exports), packaged medicines (representing 4.67% of total exports), cars and vehicle parts. Its main imports are cars (5.86% of imports), crude oil production (3.31% of imports), aircraft parts, refined oils and packaged medicines. Its main export destinations are Germany, Spain, the United States, Italy and the United Kingdom. Its main import sources are Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

Using the For more information section (at the end of the notebook) and your own research, find out what France’s current challenges are.

Ask the students to research fast facts about France and its current challenges.

FACTS ABOUT GERMANY

General information

Leader/Head of State
Capital
Population
Official language(s)
Area
Population density
Employment by gender
Human development index

Political system

2018	2025
Parliamentary system[2]

Economy

Where does it rank as a global economy?
Annual GDP growth
Main trading partners

Environment

2018	2025
Sixth most CO2-emitting country (2016 data) Litres of water used per capita in 2014 – 1,321 litres (1% is used for agriculture). Germany produces 2.56% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Germany is the second-largest producer of electricity from biomass.

Other relevant information

2018

2025

It is the third-largest export economy in the world. Its main exports are cars (11.4%), vehicle parts, packaged medicines, aircraft, helicopters, and spacecraft. Its main imports are cars, vehicle parts, crude oil production, packaged medicines. Its main export destinations are the United States, France, the United Kingdom the Netherlands and China. Its main import sources are the Netherlands, France, Belgium, China and Italy.

Using the For more information section (at the end of the notebook) and your own research, find out what Germany’s current challenges are.

Ask the students to research fast facts about Germany and its current challenges.

FACTS ABOUT ITALY

General information

Leader/Head of State
Capital
Population
Official language(s)
Area
Population density
Employment by gender
Human development index

Political system

2018	2025
Parliamentary system

Economy

Where does it rank as a global economy?
Annual GDP growth
Main trading partners

Environment

2018	2025
Litres of water used per capita in 2014 – 3,002 litres. Water covers 3.4% of its area. Italy produces 1.18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Italy is approving a national sustainable development strategy and is introducing well-being indicators into its economic planning.

Other relevant information

2018

2025

It is the eighth-largest export economy in the world. Its main exports are packaged medicines, cars, vehicle parts, and refined oils. Its main imports are cars, crude oil production, packaged medicines, petroleum gas and vehicle parts. Its main export destinations are Germany, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain. Its main import sources are Germany, France, China, Spain and Belgium.

Using the For more information section (at the end of the notebook) and your own research, find out what Italy’s current challenges are.

Ask the students to research fast facts about Italy and its current challenges.

FACTS ABOUT JAPAN

General information

Leader/Head of State
Capital
Population
Official language(s)
Area
Population density
Employment by gender
Human development index

Political system

2018	2025
Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary system

Economy

Where does it rank as a global economy?
Annual GDP growth
Main trading partners

Environment

2018	2025
Fifth most CO2-emitting country (2016 data) Litres of water used per capita in 2014 - 3,015 litres. Water covers 1.7% of its area. Japan produces 3.79% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It encourages companies to develop innovations in the areas of construction, waste and sanitation.

Other relevant information

2018

2025

It is the fourth-largest export economy in the world. Its main exports are cars, vehicle parts, integrated circuits and cargo ships. Its main imports are crude oil production, petroleum gas, packaged medicines, computers and charcoal briquettes. Its main export destinations are the United States, China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. Its main import sources are China, the United States, South Korea, Germany and Australia.

Using the For more information section (at the end of the notebook) and your own research, find out what Japan’s current challenges are.

Ask the students to research fast facts about Japan and its current challenges.

FACTS ABOUT THE UNITED KINGDOM

General information

Leader/Head of State
Capital
Population
Official language(s)
Area
Population density
Employment by gender
Human development index

Political system

2018	2025
Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary system

Economy

Where does it rank as a global economy?
Annual GDP growth
Main trading partners

Environment

2018	2025
17th most CO2-emitting country (2016 data) Litres of water used per capita in 2014 – 2,244 litres. Water covers 1.3% of its area. The United Kingdom produces 1.55% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Other relevant information

2018

2025

It is the 10th-largest export economy in the world. Its main exports are cars, packaged medicines, gas turbines, gold and aircraft parts. Its main imports are gold, cars, packaged medicines, gas turbines and vehicle parts. Its main export destinations are the United States, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Ireland. Its main import sources are Germany, China, the United States, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Using the For more information section (at the end of the notebook) and your own research, find out what the United Kingdom’s current challenges are.

Ask the students to research fast facts about the United Kingdom and its current challenges.

FACTS ABOUT THE UNITED STATES

General information

Leader/Head of State
Capital
Population
Official language(s)
Area
Population density
Employment by gender
Human development index

Political system

2018	2025
Presidential system

Economy

Where does it rank as a global economy?
Annual GDP growth
Main trading partners

Environment

2018	2025
Most CO2-emitting country (2016 data) Litres of water used per capita in 2014 – 8,846 litres (2.2% of its area is covered in water) The United States produces ___% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The United States produces ___% of the world’s total electricity from biomass. It is the world’s largest producer of bioethanol.

Other relevant information

2018	2025
It is the second-largest export economy in the world. Its main exports are refined oils, cars, vehicle parts and integrated circuits. Its main imports are cars, crude oil production, computers and packaged medicines. Its main export destinations are Canada, Mexico, China, Japan and the United Kingdom. Its main import sources are China, Mexico, Canada, Japan and Germany.

Using the For more information section (at the end of the notebook) and your own research, find out what the United States’ current challenges are.

Ask the students to research fast facts about the United States and its current challenges.

Points to ponder… Why the G7?

After presenting and discussing the seven member countries and the European Union, ask the students what these countries have in common (political system, economic system, history, etc.). This may lead you to discuss why other countries are not included in the group.

ACTIVITY 1: Looking at the issues

Select a few issues for each theme (the What are the issues in 2025? section on each theme’s sheet) to be worked on in small groups (and, possibly, to be presented briefly to the class). Some of these issues may be brought up in the simulation. Prior exploration will help the students.

ACTIVITY 2: G7 Successes

After presenting and discussing the 3 themes for the 2025 Mock G7 Summit, ask your students, in small groups, to research the G7’s key successes since it was created.

ACTIVITY 1: G7 Quiz

Once all of the subjects have been discussed, here are a few fact-based questions to ask the class in the form of a quiz. *Feel free to develop your own questions based on the delegations of your school*

• What year was the G7 (then called the G6) created? In 1975

• What year did Canada join? In 1976

• Which 2 countries founded the G7? France and Germany

• From the G8 to the G7...

  • Which country has been removed from the G8? Russia

  • For what reason? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014

• What was the original theme behind the creation of G7? The global economy

• Which leader has attended the most G7 summits? Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, 15 summits

• What do we call the person who has been designated by the head of state to organize the summit? The Sherpa

• Which international organization is a member of the G7? The European Union

ACTIVITY 2: Reflecting on G7 proceedings

• What are some of the constraints involved in organizing this kind of summit?

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of having only seven countries meet?

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of not having permanent G7 headquarters, permanent G7 staff, etc.?

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of making joint decisions based on consensus?

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of making a non-binding final statement?

ACTIVITY 3: Reflecting on the role that civil society plays in the G7

• Research the role civil society organizations play in G7 summits:

  • Which are present?

  • What are they doing to make their voices heard?

• What are the main criticisms that civil society can direct at the G7?

ACTIVITY 4: Reflecting on the G7’s role in the media

• Ask the students to pay attention to what they hear or read about the G7. After a few days, ask them what communication channels and strategies they think the Government of Canada is using in relation to its G7 Presidency.

  • What media are being used?

  • Is communication stronger/more intense on certain channels?

  • Who does the messages seem to be aimed at?

• Ask your students to find and select a newspaper article, blog post, radio program or television show about the 2025 G7 Summit. Ask them to analyze it in light of these questions:

  • How is the G7 presented? What is the author’s/host’s or speakers’ view on the G7 Summit?

  • According to this media outlet, what are the main challenges of the G7 Summit?

  • Does it explain how the G7 works?

  • What elements are missing?

Preparing for jobs of the future in the global context

• Access to the job market and non-discrimination

• Demographic changes and migration

• Basic human rights related to work (freedom of association, decent wages, non-discrimination, social protection, etc.)

• Presence of women and youth on the job market

• Pay equity between women and men

• Public and private investment for job creation

• Research and development by companies to foster innovation and its integration into the job market

• Education system and continuing education

• New technologies and their impact on the environment and workers: increased productivity vs. job losses in some sectors

• Artificial intelligence: develop, retain and attract talent

• International market competition

• Underground economy and informal economy

Working together for the environment

• Promotion and development of renewable energy

• Protecting the oceans

• Sustainable development-related jobs and economy

• Protection of threatened species

• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

• Migration flows related to climate migrants

• Women’s leadership in clean energy

• Issues related to the security of the Pacific Islands

Building a more peaceful and secure world

• Maintenance and consolidation of peace after armed conflicts

• Diplomacy and mediation

• Armed conflicts between countries and within countries

• Terrorism and national security (online radicalization and Internet regulation)

• Major human rights violations

• International criminal justice and transnational justice (transition between war and return to peace)

• State security and human security: poverty, climate change and other issues as threats to human security

• The nuclear threat

• The territorial independence of states and the principles of non-intervention and non-aggression

• Migrants and refugees

• Weapons proliferation, including nuclear weapons

• Meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution

• Sexual violence in conflict zones: women and girls and disproportionately affected

General information about the G7

2025

Global Affairs Canada: Canada and the G7 2025 [playlist]

2018

Global Affairs Canada : Behind the Scenes of the G7 [several episodes]
Global Affairs Canada : What is the G7?

Resources to develop your delegations’ position

• The United Nations (UN)

• The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• The World Bank

• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

• The World Trade Organization (WTO)

• The London School of Economics and Political Science

• The Central Intelligence Agency

• Wikipedia

• News platforms

• Past G7, G8 and G20 Summits publications and websites