At their meeting in the Doge’s Palace, the G8 leaders discussed problems such as conflict prevention the advancement of democracy, mass migration, social inequality, public health, and environmental protection, as well as some topical international issues.
The summit’s first two sessions culminated in the signing of a Genoa plan for Africa, a statement on regional issues, and a joint statement on the Middle East. The G8 leaders also adopted a press release condemning the violence that led to tragic events during an anti-globalisation demonstration in central Genoa on July 20. A 23-year-old resident of Rome, Carlo Giuliani, was killed in the disturbances and a total of 172 people were injured. Hundreds of troublemakers were detained by police.
During an interval between their sessions, delegates to the G8 summit made entries in the distinguished visitors’ “Golden Book” of Genoa. Guiseppe Pericu, Major of Genoa, and Sandro Biasotti, President of the Regional Giunta (executive authority) of Liguria, attended the ceremony.
The leaders of the leading industrialised nations continued their discussion of the situation in the Middle East, the Balkans and Africa at a luncheon given in their honour by the host country’s Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi.