Prospects and Possibilities for Japan’s G7 Summit 2023

The university community has contributed to G7 summits and governance for many years in several ways. Universities have been hosts and key stakeholders of the summits themselves and of consultations that the personal representatives of G7 leaders and G7 ministers mount to prepare their leaders’ summit and communique.

University scholars and students are a critical part of several G7 civil society engagement groups, notably the Think 7, Science 7, Youth 7, and Academies of Science of G7 countries. Most recently, the universities themselves have come together to create the U7+ Alliance of World Universities.

The contribution of the university community to G7 summitry will be even more important for the Japanese-hosted G7 summit in Hiroshima in May 2023, given the critical need to create, follow, and educate stakeholders about the science to deal with the central global crises and G7 priorities of climate change, COVID-19 and other health threats, peace and security, and education, skills development, and human capital.

Thus, this conference addresses two central questions: What are the prospects and possibilities for Japan’s G7 summit? And how can the universities’ contribution best be strengthened to help it succeed?

To address these critical questions, the G7 Research Group and the Centre for the Study of Global Japan, based at the University of Toronto, and the U7+ Alliance have assembled a group of leading policymakers and experts from Japan, Canada, the US, and other G7 countries, from government, diplomatic, university, think tank, and other communities, for a day-long conference at the University of Toronto on February 15, 2023, to explore “Prospects and Possibilities for Japan’s G7 Summit 2023: How Can Universities Contribute.”

Featured Speakers:

• H.E. Kanji Yamanouchi, Ambassador, Embassy of Japan in Canada
• David Morrison, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Personal Representative of the Prime Minister (Sherpa) for the G7 Summit
• Ron Daniels, President, Johns Hopkins University

Location: This is a hybrid conference. It will take place in-person at the Campbell Conference Facility, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, and online through Zoom Webinar.

Abridged Program:

• 8:30: Registration (in-person only)
• 9:00 - 9:15: Opening Remarks
• 9:15 – 10:00: Session 1: Plans and Priorities for the 2023 G7 Summit
• 10:00 – 11:00 Session 2: Key Issues in G7 Global Governance
• 11:10 – 12:10: Session 3: Innovation, Education, and Human Capital
• 12:10 - 1:00: Afternoon Keynote
• 1:00 - 2:00: Lunch Break (lunch provided for in-person attendees)
• 2:00 – 4:30: Session 4: G7 Summit Engagement and Influence
• 4:30 – 4:45: Concluding Remarks
• 5:00 - 6:00: Reception (in-person only)

View full program and event details

Sponsors:

• The Office of the Vice-President, International, University of Toronto
• G7 Research Group, University of Toronto
• Centre for the Study of Global Japan, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto
• Asian Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto