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Participants in the Junior G8 summit handed over a declaration on climate change and health care to the G8 leaders. They discussed the same questions as their adult colleagues.

Students from a number of African and Central Asian countries, as well as Iraq and Nepal, a total of 39 delegates from 15 countries, were invited to the junior summit together with delegations from Russia and other members of the G8 club. This is the fourth junior forum timed to coincide with the G8 summit.

During their meeting with the representatives of the Junior G8, Mr Medvedev and the other G8 leaders took part in the traditional Tanabata ceremony.

This festival is celebrated on July 7. It is based on an ancient fairy tale about two stars – Altair and Vega. Separated by the Milky Way, they are in love with each other. They can only meet once a year – on the seventh day of the seventh month. During this festival, the Japanese hang bamboo stalks in front of their homes and attach paper strips to them with inscribed wishes.

Participants in the G8 summit also attached paper strips with wishes to bamboo stalks. “Although the Milky Way passes between Vega and Altair, they are united in Universe by the invincible force of their feelings,” President Medvedev wrote. “This is a message for the people on Earth. We are also united by the responsibility for our common home; we must preserve its prosperity and nature… I’m convinced that the G8 Hokkaido summit will help us reach this goal,” he emphasised.

The first day of the summit was crowned with a dinner given by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and wife Kiyoko in honour of the G8 presidents and prime ministers.