The 2025 Civil 7 (C7) Summit took place on April 14–15 in Ottawa, marking a significant moment in global civil society engagement. Over 130 attendees from 11 countries convened at the Ottawa Art Gallery over the course of two days, which consisted of 8 sessions and a reception.
As an official G7 engagement group, the C7 brings together civil society organizations (CSOs) from around the world to develop policy recommendations for G7 leaders. This year’s summit focused on the theme “Global Justice, Together,” emphasizing inclusive and equitable solutions to global challenges.
Key Themes and Working Groups
The C7 Summit organized its work around several thematic priorities, each led by dedicated working groups:
- Climate, Energy & Environment: Addressing climate adaptation, financing, biodiversity loss and a just transition to renewable energy.
- Economic Justice: Advocating for fair tax policies, trade justice, debt relief and reforms in global financial systems.
- Humanitarian Action & Peace: Focusing on enhancing humanitarian aid, ensuring access and promoting global security policies that prioritize civilian protection.
- Sustainable Development: Tackling issues like food security, global health and education to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Cross-cutting themes such as gender equality, democracy and civic space and evolving technology were also integral to the discussions.
C7 Communiqué
The summit culminated in the release of the 2025 C7 Communiqué, which encapsulates the collective recommendations of global civil society to the G7. The communiqué calls for systemic changes to address interconnected global crises, emphasizing the need for policy coherence and inclusive approaches that leave no one behind. At the end of the Summit, the Communiqué was presented to the Personal Representative of the Prime Minister (Sherpa) for the G7 Summit.
Engagement with the G7
The C7 Summit serves as a platform for civil society to engage with the G7, ensuring that diverse perspectives are taken into account, especially from the Global South.
As Canada holds the G7 presidency in 2025, the recommendations from the C7 are poised to play a significant role in shaping the discussions and decisions of the upcoming G7 Leaders’ Summit, as well as ministerial meetings throughout the year.
For more detailed information and to access the full C7 Communiqué, you can visit the official C7 website.