Press Centre

Summing Up the 2009 J8 Summit

On July 13, 2009, the Russian J8 Delegation returned from Rome, after participating in the J8 Summit from July 4-12, which took place concurrently with the G8 Summit.

The main topics for discussion at this year’s summit were:  (a) Climate Change, (b) the Economic Crisis and Defending Children’s Rights, (c) Poverty and Development with a Focus on the Continent of Africa, and (d) Education.  In addition to the G8 countries, there were also participants from Brazil, Mexico, The Republic of South Africa, Egypt, and China.

Russian youth were represented at the J8 Summit by Roman Chukov, Angelika Isaeva, Uliya Kylaeva, and Ksenia Kozhina-the best high school students from the Southern Federal District.  They were all winners of the multi-phased competition “The World through the Eyes of Youth”, which took place in February through March of this year. In April, experts from both the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and St. Petersburg State University, organized a week-long training session to prepare the teens for their work at the summit.  Presenting information concerning the topics to be discussed at the summit, fine-tuning the youngsters’ English skills, and developing their discussion abilities enabled the Russian delegation to effectively participate in J8 Summit activities in Rome.

On July 9, 2009, the most significant event of the J8 Summit, the meeting with the G8 leaders, took place in L’Aquila.  Angelika Isaeva, a recent graduate of the Sochi Gymnasium No. 8, represented the Russian delegation. At this meeting, the key points from the outcome document (official report) of the J8 Summit were read aloud.  This included the importance of transitioning to the use of renewable energy resources, a proposal to make a wide range of medicine available to those suffering from infectious illnesses (especially to people living in developing countries), increasing the number of ecologically safe products and goods, making children’s rights a priority, especially in the conditions of a world economic crisis, and the importance of developing the social responsibility of business.

The section of the J8 official report concerning education was especially well-developed, as this is a topic more familiar to the teens.  A proposal written earlier this year by the Russian delegation, formed the substantive content for this area.  Their ideas were not only relevant for Russia, but also for the entire world.  This proposal called for encouraging talented youth and creating conditions for them to develop their exceptional skills, supporting the best teachers, and upgrading the system of further education.

On July 10, all of the members of the Russian J8 Delegation met with the President of Russia, D. A. Medvedev.   He congratulated the teens on their first successful experience at participating in international dialogue at the highest level and noted that having been a part of this event would serve them well in the future, as they continue their education at one of Russia’s leading universities.  After winning the competition “The World through the Eyes of Youth”, Ksenia Kozhina, Angelika Isaeva, Uliya Kylaeva, and Roman Chukov as well as the other four winners, were awarded the privilege of entering any Russian university without taking entrance exams. On this same day, the other J8 Summit delegations met with the leaders of their respective countries.  The J8 Summit participants expressed the hope that such meetings would become a traditional part of future J8 Summits.

Besides the above meetings for the 2009 J8 delegates, there were several other official cultural and media events in which they participated.  One such activity, a first in the history of the J8 Summit, was a mass media event titled “Hear Us and Act”.  A giant ear was set up on the square in front of the Coliseum.  J8 Summit participants placed notes with their ideas for the G8 leaders into the ear.  The formal opening of the J8 Summit took place at the palace of the Italian Prime Minister. On July 9, the J8 Summit participants met with the leader of Italy’s Parliament and leading parliamentarians.  A ceremonial presentation of each of the J8 Summit delegations, as well as an official reception on behalf of the mayor of Rome was held on July 10.

July 11 and 12 were dedicated to wrapping up the J8 Summit and planning further joint activities between the summit participants to deal with critically important global issues.   In particular, the Russian and Japanese delegation expressed the intent to help each other in forming and training the 2010 J8 Summit delegates.  Additionally, the summit organizers and those accompanying the delegates made the decision to better document the training and conducting of the summit itself to improve its effectiveness for all summit participants.  Russian “veteran” J8 Summit delegate members will take on a significant part of this work.  For a number of years they have continued to develop their analytical, consultative, and educational projects not only at the summit, but also after they return home.  Work on improving the organization of the summit will already begin in two weeks when the Russian J8 Summit delegation members will have a special session at the Orlenok All-Russian Children’s Center, which will be called “The World in the Hands of Youth”.

The 2010 J8 Summit will be held in Canada.  According to preliminary information, the J8 delegation will be selected from the best high school students in the Siberian Federal District of the Russian Federation.

Information about the J8 Summit

In 2006, when Russia hosted the G8 Summit for the first time, the J8 Summit was officially included in the program of activities for the G8 leaders.  At this time, July 2006, the first J8 Summit took place in St. Petersburg in which teens representing the G8 countries met together.

Each year, when the G8 Summit takes place outside of Russia, a Russian delegation, selected from one of the federal districts through a stiff competition, is sent to the summit.  The delegate members take part in an intensive training session prior to their summit participation.  In 2009 the most well-educated, talented, active, and patriotic teens were selected from the Southern Federal District.

Traditionally, through an official order from the Ministry of Education and Science, St. Petersburg State University is responsible for the selection and training of the delegation.  The 2009 project was carried out by the Rational Reserve Recruitment Agency.  The partners in this project were:  Donsckoi State Technical University, the Southern Federal University, the Administration of the Rostov Region, Ms. Taranroga, representative of UNICEF in Russia, and the Amway Company.


For additional information please contact:
 Jane Sinepol, J8 Russian Information Center Coordinator
Tel.: + (911) 256-55-04
e-mail:  info@juniorg8.ru