Pope to meet with world leaders at G7 Summit

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis will become the first Pope to participate in a G7 Summit later today when he arrives in the town of Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Italy, where world leaders are already gathered.

The Group of Seven industrialized nations, under the presidency of Italy, runs from 13 to 15 June with 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.

According to the Holy See Press Office's statement on Thursday, the Pope will depart from the Vatican by helicopter at 11am 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.

He will be taken to the residential venue hosting 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'.

After this the Pope will meet with Kenya's President William Samoei Ruto, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, Joseph Biden, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The Holy Father is due to leave at 7.45 pm local time.