Pope to hold bilateral talks with world leaders at G7 Summit

By Vatican News staff 

The Holy See Press Office had announced that Pope Francis would participate in the G7 Summit that is currently underway in the town of Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy, on 26 April.

A statement on that occasion said he would intervene in the Session devoted to Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Group of Seven industrialized nations, under the presidency of Italy, runs from 13 to 15 June and foresees the participation of the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. The Presidents of the European Council and Commission and leaders of a number of other States and International Organizations are also taking part in the work, invited by Italy.   

The Pope's programme

According to the Holy See Press Office‘s statement on Thursday, the Pope will depart from the Vatican by helicopter at 11 am local time and is scheduled to land one and a half hours later, at a Borgo Egnazia sports field, where he will be welcomed by Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.

A golf car will take him to the residential venue chosen to host the Summit where he will hold a first batch of bilateral meetings with: Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy; French President, Emmanuel Macron; and Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

The Pope is scheduled to deliver his speech at 2.15 pm local time, in the venue’s “Sala Arena”, and after having listened to other interventions, a group photo will be taken at 5.30 pm.

This will be followed by a second batch of bilateral meetings for the Pope with: Kenya’s President William Samoei Ruto; Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India; US President Joseph Biden; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkiye; Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The departure of the Holy Father‘s helicopter is foreseen at 7.45 pm local time with arrival in the Vatican at about 9.15.

Pope Francis will become the first Pope to participate in a G7 Summit.