EVENTS
06.23.2023
[3rd in Series] Scene report from the G7 Hiroshima Summit: JCS × G7 × Sustainable Conventions®
The G7 Hiroshima Summit took place over three days from Friday, May 19 to Sunday, May 21, 2023. JCS managed Prime Minister Kishida’s presidency press conference at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the press conference for heads of state and government including Ukraine at the Hiroshima International Conference Center and ran the International Media Center (IMC) at the Hiroshima Prefectural Sports Center, which served as a base for Japanese and international media organizations to broadcast their news to the world.
The G7 Summit is an international forum held annually for the leaders of the G7 member states of France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada (in order of rotating presidency), and the European Union.
At G7 Summit meetings, the G7 leaders exchange views on important challenges the international community is facing at that time, such as the global economy, regional affairs, and various global issues, and issue a document as an outcome of such discussions.
This year’s G7 Summit in Hiroshima, held amidst escalating tensions in Ukraine and the growing risk of the use of nuclear weapons, provided the opportunity to show the world the strength of Hiroshima’s recovery from the atomic bomb and to share the desire for peace.
In addition to presiding over the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan is also hosting 15 ministerial meetings in various cities this year to discuss important themes in key areas
In our JCS × G7 × Sustainable Conventions® series of articles, we have already reported on the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Karuizawa, Nagano (Sunday, April 16–Tuesday, April 18, 2023) and the G7 Digital and Tech Ministers’ Meeting in Takasaki, Gunma (Saturday, April 29–Sunday, April 30, 2023). Now, in this third installment, we will introduce our sustainability initiatives in the G7 Hiroshima Summit IMC.
JCS proposed sustainability initiatives from the planning stage of these events. Our BSI Associate Consultant made onsite assessments on the basis of JCS’ trademarked Sustainable Conventions® guidelines.
JCS was chosen by the certification body BSI Japan as a member of the BSI Associate Consultant Programme based on certain conditions. We were selected for our wealth of experience and expertise in event sustainability.
Universally designed “downtown IMC”
For the past 30 years, the IMC for G7 Summits was located in a suburb of the host city. However, this year’s IMC was set up in the city center. It was designed to coexist with the community as a “downtown IMC,” merging seamlessly with the neighboring facilities and street blocks, including Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome. This was a departure from the conventional relationship with the host community. Additional features included universally designed construction and layout, such as a large ramp that was newly constructed at the exhibition hall entrance, and a pictogram signage.
Cooperation with local volunteers and students
The IMC was run with the coordinated help of local volunteer staff and students. Local students served as interpreters, guiding visitors through the facilities of the IMC and introducing Hiroshima’s fascinating history and culture at the exhibition booths. The IMC hosted over 10,000 visitors from the international press.
Promoting Japanese cuisine and food loss reduction initiatives to minimize negative environmental impact
In a dining space set up within the IMC, a daily changing menu featured fresh, local ingredients in a blend of Japanese and Western cuisine. An okonomiyaki tasting booth and a matcha tea ceremony booth were also set up to further promote the culinary delights of Japan and Hiroshima. Working stations had a panel display of the “Return to the Earth” Food Loss Prevention Plan, in which cooking waste and leftover food is mixed with soil made of natural waste from Hiroshima and regenerated into nutrient-rich soil. Still-edible foodstuffs not consumed during the exhibition were donated to children’s cafeterias and international NGOs in Hiroshima Prefecture. Even while showcasing Japanese cuisine, measures were taken to minimize food loss and negative environmental impact.
Message of peace from Hiroshima to the world
This year marks the seventh G7 Summit presided over by Japan. Hiroshima, an international city of peace and culture, hosted the G7 leaders’ dialogue on world peace and sustainable development. On the opening day, all of the leaders visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. They then laid flowers at the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims and offered silent prayers. The IMC also played a role in sending out the message of a world without nuclear weapons from Hiroshima to the world: in the IMC, public relations exhibits were set up under the theme, “From Reconstruction to Peaceful Society and Sustainable Future,” where visitors could take a VR tour of the Atomic Bomb Dome or experience AI-assisted interactive sessions with an atomic bomb survivor.
In August 2012, JCS became the first company in Japan to be ISO 20121 certified (Event Sustainability Certification). As a leader in the convention industry, JCS is committed to offering Sustainable Conventions®*, which consider environmental, social, and economic sustainability to bring new added value to events and help create a sustainable society.
*Sustainable Conventions: Trademark registered by Japan Convention Services, Inc.
