How important are meetings like the G7 summit?

Rishi Sunak and many other world leaders are in Hiroshima this weekend to discuss, among other things, the rise of authoritarianism, and to plot a response to it. Thank you to Michelle for taking the time to give her perspective.
'The G7 summit was held over this weekend, with leaders from some of the world's largest democracies meeting in Japan. How important do you think meetings like this are?'
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[@1258-Eckhart]

The questions you asked are better addressed to the G20, not to the G7. The latter is a club of mutual backslappers that nobody needs (any more). As a mere echochamber, it also serves to strengthen the "top down" element of national discourse at the expense of "bottom up", which is what a democracy should be.