G7 white hatter ceremonies casualties of security climate
Delegates to the upcoming G7 will receive Calgary's trademark white hat, but it'll be done unceremoniously.
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Rising security concerns tied to a volatile geopolitical climate mean VIP visitors who arrive in Calgary en route to Kananaskis won't be welcomed with the usual white hatter ceremony, Mayor Jyoti Gondek said Monday.
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'This is a tradition we hold close to our hearts, and it's a way of sharing Calgary's western hospitality and Stampede spirit,' Gondek told reporters.
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'But we have to respect that security considerations today are very different from the last time we hosted the summit in 2002 . . . there's been a lot of nostalgia about what we were able to do in 2002.'
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Instead, delegates will be given a white Smithbilt hat minus the usual formal ceremony — along with a gift bag containing soap, chocolate, coffee, beef jerky and glassware that's been subject to security protocols, she said.
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That ceremony typically includes the recipient repeating a pledge to spread that hospitality — while being fitted with the Calgary-made cowboy hat.
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Recipients have included the Dalai Lama, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Elizabeth II, George W. Bush, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan and Ozzy Osbourne.
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'It's really important to practise diplomacy, so every delegate will be treated with equal respect,' said the mayor.
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The number of guests accepting invitations to the summit has remained in flux, with non-G7 leaders such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum being recently added to the list.
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Gondek reiterated that the G7, despite its tight security, will showcase Calgary's hospitality, business acumen and beauty to a world audience.
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'The eyes of the world are on Calgary,' she said, noting 1,400 journalists from around the globe are expected to attend.
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'This is Calgary's moment to lead and to welcome with both confidence and care.'
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