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PHILADELPHIA NAMED FIRST WORLD HERITAGE CITY IN THE UNITED STATES

RECEIVING THE DESIGNATION ON NOVEMBER 6


(Source: City of Philadelphia - Global Philadelphia)
(Source: City of Philadelphia - Global Philadelphia)
USPA NEWS - Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Commerce Director, and the Global Philadelphia Association announced that the City of Philadelphia has become the first World Heritage City in the United States, formally receiving the designation...
Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Commerce Director, and the Global Philadelphia Association announced that the City of Philadelphia has become the first World Heritage City in the United States, formally receiving the designation through a vote taken by the XIII World Congress of the Organization of World Heritage Cities in Arequipa, Peru.
The designation comes as the result of a two-year campaign and is expected to enhance the City's international stature and provide a new growth engine to drive tourism and commerce in the region.

Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger and John F. Smith, III, Chair of the Global Philadelphia Association, led a delegation of Philadelphia officials to the World Congress that included Sylvie Gallier-Howard, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor; Fernando Trevino, Deputy Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs; and Zabeth Teelucksingh, Executive Director of the Global Philadelphia Association.
Philadelphia's strong case to become the first World Heritage City in the U.S. began with a revolutionary foundation ““ the fact that the City is the home of Independence Hall, where America's Founding Fathers forged democratic ideals into the Declaration of Independence and changed the course of history to give birth to a nation in 1776. It is also where the United States Constitution was written and signed. Independence Hall became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.
In 2013, Philadelphia was approved as an Observer Member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities. Earlier this year, the World Heritage Philadelphia Executive Committee submitted an application to become a Full Member. Philadelphia, the fifth-largest U.S. city, joins 266 other World Heritage Cities in the Organization of World Heritage Cities.
At a symposium in Philadelphia last month, the Global Philadelphia Association and the City of Philadelphia invited more than one hundred leaders in the public and private sectors to discuss ideas and strategies that could be implemented following the World Heritage City designation.

Mayor Nutter and the delegation will celebrate this historic designation with a Toast to World Heritage PHL at the Independence Visitors Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday, November 11th at 4pm.

Source : City of Philadelphia

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