when did the g8 summit first start?

Answer 1

At the initiative of United States President Bill Clinton, Russia formally joined the group in 1997, resulting in the Group of Eight (G8).
More about the history of the G8 can be found on this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G8_summit

Answer 2

The first G8 summit subsequently took place in 1998. At Kananaskis, Heads of State and Government made an historic decision and invited Russia to assume the G8 presidency and host the summit for the first time in 2006, reflecting the remarkable economic and democratic change that had occurred over the previous years. The European Union also has an observer status at G8 meetings and is represented by the President of the Commission as well as the Leader of the country that holds the presidency of the European Union.

Initially it used to be 6 countries consisting of French, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy and the first ever meeting was in 1975 and hosted by the French President Giscard d'Estaing at the chateau of Rambouillet, near Paris.

The idea was for the 6 to discuss current world issues (dominated at the time by the oil crisis) in a frank and informal manner. There was to be no army of advisers, just the Leaders in a relaxed and private setting.
Following the success of the Rambouillet summit, these meetings became an annual event, with the inclusion of Canada as the 7th member of the group at the 1976 summit in Puerto Rico.

Each summit is unique and takes the G7 one step further in its evolution. The 1995 summit in Halifax, Canada, led to significant changes in the way in which the World Bank, the IMF and other international organisations operated.

The group remained at 7 until Russia, who had attended the meetings as an observer throughout the 1990s, was invited to formalise this relationship in 1997.



Check out this URL for other further information.
http://www.g8.fr/evian/english/navigation/the_g8/background_to_the_g8.html

Answer 3

Since their 1975 start, the G8 Summit and supporting system have developed into the centre of global governance, operating effectively, if largely invisibly, every day of the year. During its first 29 years in operation, the G8 Summit have been responsible for driving the major global transformations from which we now benefit. Its achievements range from delivering the democratic revolution throughout the communist world, the Americas, much of Asia, and some of Africa, from generating global growth, flexible exchange rates, low inflation, liberalized trade, and poverty reduction, to fighting terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, disease and genocide in our rapidly globalizing world. At Sea Island, the G8 is primed to take another great leap forward, by extending the democratic revolution to the last global holdout in the global village — the greater Middle East — by improving transport security, the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, private sector development, and helping to sustain economic growth, trade liberalization and encourage international financial system reform. For corporate leaders, this G8 is thus well worth watching, and working with, to make sure G8 governance works for you.

Answer 4

It really does not matter the origin of the summit; just see what it has done for the good of the world, so far nothing, just chatting of elite club.