This is a past event. Registration is closed. View other Cooperation Canada events.

(please note that Day 1 and Day 2 AM attendance of the C7 Summit is reserved to Civil Society invited and involved with the C7 Communique)

Registration & Light Breakfast
Opening Remarks
Paul FarranDarron Seller-PeritzVince Kicknosway

(Livestream available)
https://www.youtube.com/live/kee9zRTnwZ4?si=E4ml8nzfPSpH18Qb

  • Paul Farran (Director of Policy & Advocacy at Cooperation Canada)

    Paul Farran

    Director of Policy & Advocacy at Cooperation Canada
  • Darron Seller-Peritz (Policy Analyst and Program Officer at Cooperation Canada)

    Darron Seller-Peritz

    Policy Analyst and Program Officer at Cooperation Canada
  • VK

    Vince Kicknosway

    Indigenous elder
Session 1: Reclaiming Civic Space – Strategies for Resistance & Renewal
Hadi MarifatOluseyi Babatunde OyebisiNina PotarskaMaiwand RahyabKim Vance-Mubanga

(Livestream available) https://www.youtube.com/live/Vm3MvMg5DXo?si=oUcvn4AMy3mOxRM9

As civic space continues to shrink under increasing pressure from authoritarian regimes, illiberal democracies, and non-state actors, this session will explore concrete strategies for building resilience to repression in the civic space protection ecosystem. Panelists will discuss legal, digital, and grassroots tools that have effectively safeguarded fundamental freedoms. The session will also highlight insights and lessons for global advocacy and policy responses based on experiences from countries where civil society has successfully resisted backsliding.

With the G7’s role in upholding democratic values and human rights, this discussion will offer key insights into how international actors can support resilience and renewal in the civic space ecosystem.

  • HM

    Hadi Marifat

    Executive Director of AHRDO
  • Oluseyi Babatunde Oyebisi (CEO of Nigeria Network of NGOs)

    Oluseyi Babatunde Oyebisi

    CEO of Nigeria Network of NGOs
  • Nina Potarska (Director of Center for Social and Labour Reseach, Ukraine)

    Nina Potarska

    Director of Center for Social and Labour Reseach, Ukraine
  • Maiwand Rahyab (CEO of Resilient Societies)

    Maiwand Rahyab

    CEO of Resilient Societies
  • KV

    Kim Vance-Mubanga

    Director, Programs and Partnerships of Egale Canada
Break
Session 2: Bridging Movements to Strengthen the C7
Kate GillisAoi HoriuchiArjun KarkiRiccardo Moro

(Livestream available) https://www.youtube.com/live/RdTuVAyKljg?si=xInRELoE1sZ_qBtz

This session will take a high-level view of the C7 Communiqué while exploring the connections between diverse civil society priorities, ensuring a cohesive message to the G7 and beyond. Setting the stage for the afternoon sessions and for the recommendations being presented to government on day two of the Summit, it will examine how the C7’s key thematic areas—Sustainable Development, Humanitarian Action & Peace, Climate, Energy & the Environment, and Economic Justice—intersect and interact, highlighting shared drivers, disruptors, and enablers across all four areas, as well as the cross-cutting issues of Gender Equality, Civic Space and Democracy, and Evolving Technology.

  • Kate Gillis (Senior Policy Advisor International Relations at Metis National Council)

    Kate Gillis

    Senior Policy Advisor International Relations at Metis National Council
  • AH

    Aoi Horiuchi

    Senior Advocacy Officer at Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation
  • Arjun Karki (Executive President at Rural Reconstruction Nepal)

    Arjun Karki

    Executive President at Rural Reconstruction Nepal
  • Riccardo Moro (Board member -  former C7 Chair (2024) at Gcap Italy)

    Riccardo Moro

    Board member - former C7 Chair (2024) at Gcap Italy
Lunch
Session 3: Putting the Recommendations in Motion
Patricia MirandaKate MunroOluseyi Babatunde OyebisiHarjeet Singh

This session will focus on actionable strategies for implementing the C7 Communiqué recommendations. In a highly interactive breakout groups format, participants will engage in dynamic discussions that will further deepen our collective understanding, especially around the one or two topics most pertinent in 2025.

Parallel Working Group Sessions

1. Climate, Energy & Environment

2. Economic Justice

3. Humanitarian Action and Peace

4. Sustainable Development

  • Patricia Miranda (Global Advocacy Director of LatinDadd)

    Patricia Miranda

    Global Advocacy Director of LatinDadd
  • Kate Munro (Head of Advocacy at Action Against Hunger)

    Kate Munro

    Head of Advocacy at Action Against Hunger
  • Oluseyi Babatunde Oyebisi (CEO of Nigeria Network of NGOs)

    Oluseyi Babatunde Oyebisi

    CEO of Nigeria Network of NGOs
  • Harjeet Singh (CEO of Satat Sampada Climate Foundation)

    Harjeet Singh

    CEO of Satat Sampada Climate Foundation
Break
Session 4: Advocacy Lessons – How can civil society best leverage its position in influencing the G7
Elisa BernelliGabriel Karasz-PerriauTina LinesKate MunroAndy OuedraogoArjun Karki

This session will explore key lessons in advocacy, focusing on how civil society can effectively influence decision-makers, including governments and multilateral forums like the G7. Participants will discuss strategies for sustained engagement beyond the summit, leveraging key international moments to maximize impact. The session will also contribute to a participatory advocacy initiative highlighting the tangible benefits of investing in global cooperation. Outputs will include clear, action-oriented messaging and creative advocacy materials to support broader outreach efforts.

  • Elisa Bernelli (Advocacy Officer at Global Health Italian Network)

    Elisa Bernelli

    Advocacy Officer at Global Health Italian Network
  • Gabriel Karasz-Perriau (Senior Communications Manager at Cooperation Canada)

    Gabriel Karasz-Perriau

    Senior Communications Manager at Cooperation Canada
  • Tina Lines (Advocacy and Policy Officer at Canadian Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (CNNTD))

    Tina Lines

    Advocacy and Policy Officer at Canadian Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (CNNTD)
  • Kate Munro (Head of Advocacy at Action Against Hunger)

    Kate Munro

    Head of Advocacy at Action Against Hunger
  • Andy Ouedraogo (Research and Program Officer at Cooperation Canada)

    Andy Ouedraogo

    Research and Program Officer at Cooperation Canada
  • Arjun Karki (Executive President at Rural Reconstruction Nepal)

    Arjun Karki

    Executive President at Rural Reconstruction Nepal
Concluding Remarks
Evening Social

Participants are invited to join us for a relaxed gathering after day 1 of the Summit at Beyond the Pale Byward Taproom.
This offers a relaxed atmosphere to mingle with fellow attendees. We look forward to seeing you there!
21 George St, Ottawa , ON

Arrival and Registration
Session 5: Financing for Development in Crisis: Debt and the Future of Aid
Chinelo Agom-EzePatricia MirandaOluseyi Babatunde OyebisiZia RehmanHarjeet Singh

(Livestream available) https://www.youtube.com/live/lOGdYIGrGfI?si=YaRtrVHEoo60iKmS

This session will allow civil society actors to explore how we respond to major shifts in global development finance: the deepening debt crisis and the dramatically changed landscape of official development assistance (ODA). As debt levels reach unsustainable heights across the Global South and reform of the global financial architecture stalls, civil society is grappling with how to push for systemic change while supporting immediate relief. At the same time, many governments, including those of the G7, are cutting aid budgets or redirecting funds toward domestic priorities, raising critical questions about the future of aid, power imbalances in financing, and how to uphold principles of equity and solidarity. 

The session will feature a panel and facilitated discussion focused on identifying changes civil society must make in this evolving context, including for international development, humanitarian action and climate justice. What narratives, tactics, and alliances do we need to shift? How do we advocate for justice-based financing solutions while navigating donor withdrawal? The session will therefore aim to surface concrete recommendations for the C7 ecosystem as well as broader advocacy toward the G7 and international groupings and financial institutions.

  • Chinelo Agom-Eze (Senior Policy Advisor, Humanitarian and Nexus at Canadian Foodgrains Bank)

    Chinelo Agom-Eze

    Senior Policy Advisor, Humanitarian and Nexus at Canadian Foodgrains Bank
  • Patricia Miranda (Global Advocacy Director of LatinDadd)

    Patricia Miranda

    Global Advocacy Director of LatinDadd
  • Oluseyi Babatunde Oyebisi (CEO of Nigeria Network of NGOs)

    Oluseyi Babatunde Oyebisi

    CEO of Nigeria Network of NGOs
  • Zia Rehman (Director / Secretary General of Asia Development Alliance)

    Zia Rehman

    Director / Secretary General of Asia Development Alliance
  • Harjeet Singh (CEO of Satat Sampada Climate Foundation)

    Harjeet Singh

    CEO of Satat Sampada Climate Foundation
Break
Session 6: Gender Justice in 2025Progress, Challenges and the Road Ahead
Claire HouseKara LouttitPatricia MirandaDebbie Owusu-AkyeeahBeth Woroniuk

(Livestream available) https://www.youtube.com/live/vgYJ20KLTN0?si=hKWLw5CuIrO1m-Vo

In 2025, the global ambitions to achieve gender justice stand at a critical juncture as persistent challenges and emerging geo-political complexities shape the way forward. As we approach the midpoint of the Sustainable Development Goals timeline and reflect on the commitments made during the Generation Equality Forum, it is crucial to examine the current state of gender justice around the world, celebrate hard-won gains and reassess our strategies to chart a course for the years ahead. Join us as we delve into the multifaceted landscape of gender justice in 2025, and identify the synergies for working together to envision and create a future where gender justice is not just an aspiration, but a lived reality for all.

  • CH

    Claire House

    Director of Programmes, Partnerships, and Learning at Dignity Network Canada
  • KL

    Kara Louttit

    Senior Policy Analyst at National Association of Friendship Centres
  • Patricia Miranda (Global Advocacy Director of LatinDadd)

    Patricia Miranda

    Global Advocacy Director of LatinDadd
  • DO

    Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah

    Co-Director of Policy and Advocacy at Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
  • Beth Woroniuk (Senior Fellow at FFP Collaborative)

    Beth Woroniuk

    Senior Fellow at FFP Collaborative
Lunch
Arrival and Registration
Welcome and land honouring
High-Level Panel Discussion: International Cooperation in a Changing World Order
Kate GillisKate HigginsSenator Peter M. BoehmHis Excellency Rieaz ShaikHis Excellency Rob Tinline

The world is undergoing profound transformations driven by geopolitical shifts, conflicts, climate change, economic considerations, and technological innovation. While these changes present challenges, they also create opportunities to strengthen international cooperation, build more inclusive global governance, and foster collective action for a more just and sustainable world. The G7, G20, and other multilateral forums have a unique role in shaping this future, ensuring that collaboration remains effective, responsive, and inclusive.
This high-level panel will bring together senior diplomats from G7 and G20 countries, a senior level government participant and civil society to explore how international cooperation can adapt and thrive in this evolving landscape. Moderated by Kate Higgins, Cooperation Canada’s CEO, the discussion will highlight ways to reinforce multilateralism, promote inclusive decision-making, and unlock new solutions for shared global challenges.

  • Kate Gillis (Senior Policy Advisor International Relations at Metis National Council)

    Kate Gillis

    Senior Policy Advisor International Relations at Metis National Council
  • Kate Higgins (CEO of Cooperation Canada)

    Kate Higgins

    CEO of Cooperation Canada
  • SB

    Senator Peter M. Boehm

    Canadian Senator and former Deputy Minister for the G7 Summit
  • HS

    His Excellency Rieaz Shaik

    South African High Commissioner-designate to Canada
  • HT

    His Excellency Rob Tinline

    British High Commissioner to Canada
Break
Presentation of the Communiqué to the G7 Sherpa
Elisa BernelliPaul FarranPatricia MirandaKate MunroHarjeet Singh
  • Elisa Bernelli (Advocacy Officer at Global Health Italian Network)

    Elisa Bernelli

    Advocacy Officer at Global Health Italian Network
  • Paul Farran (Director of Policy & Advocacy at Cooperation Canada)

    Paul Farran

    Director of Policy & Advocacy at Cooperation Canada
  • Patricia Miranda (Global Advocacy Director of LatinDadd)

    Patricia Miranda

    Global Advocacy Director of LatinDadd
  • Kate Munro (Head of Advocacy at Action Against Hunger)

    Kate Munro

    Head of Advocacy at Action Against Hunger
  • Harjeet Singh (CEO of Satat Sampada Climate Foundation)

    Harjeet Singh

    CEO of Satat Sampada Climate Foundation
Concluding Remarks
Reception

The Summit will close with a Reception, where you can enjoy a cash bar and small bites, mingle with fellow attendees, and celebrate the event’s highlights!