Quick Facts About G8

• G-8 is an abbreviation of “Group of Eight”, an organization of eight industrialized nations - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• The world’s powerful heads of states meet annually to discuss both global and domestic economic, political and health issues. The president of the European Commission also attends summit meetings.
• It was in 1973 that the United Sates initiated the Library Group, which was an informal gathering of senior financial officials from Europe, Japan and the United States in response to current global issues at that time particularly the economic recession and the oil crisis.
• In November 1975, the French President Giscard d’Estaing held the first summit in Rambouillet, France where he invited the heads of states from the five nations (Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States) to meet together. Following the success of their informal gathering, they agreed to meet annually. G6 was then born.
• Canada joined the group in 1976, which came to be known as “G-7″ and was described as a rich men’s club.
• In 1998 saw Russia’s full participation and gave birth to “G-8″. However G-7 still functions along side the formal summits.
• Each member of the group would take turns to assume the role of presidency of the group. The country holding the presidency of that year will be responsible for hosting the summit.
• G8 presidency since 2000
  • 2000 — Japan, The Kyushu-Okinawa Summit (21-23 July 2000)
    Venue : The Bankoku Shinryokan, a resort-style convention facility, in Nago, Okinawa, Japan.

  • 2001 — Italy, The Genoa Summit (20-22 July 2001)
    Venue : The Ducal Palace in Genoa, the capital of Liguria. Liguria is one of the smallest Italian regions.

  • 2002 — Canada, The Kananaskis Summit (26-27 June 2002)
    Venue : The Kananaskis Village in Kananaskis, an hour’s drive west of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

  • 2003 — France, The Evian Summit (1-3 June 2003)
    Venue : Hotel Royal in Evian, located in the northern part of the French Alps, in the Department of Haute-Savoie, Southeastern France.

  • 2004 — USA, The Sea Island Summit (8-10 July 2004)
    Venue : An exclusive resort of Sea Island, Georgia.

  • 2005 — UK, The Gleneagles Summit (6-8 July 2005)
    Venue : The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.

  • 2006 — Russia, The St Petersburg Summit (15-17 July 2006)
    Venue : The Palace of Congresses located on the Gulf of Finland some 15 kilometers away from St. Petersburg, Russia. It combines the functions of a modern business center, a historic and cultural monument and a state residence.

  • 2007 — Germany, The Heiligendamm Summit (6-8 June 2007)
    Venue : Heiligendamm, Germany’s oldest seaside resort.

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