Learn more here.

Informational flyer.

• Preserving and Celebrating Historical & Cultural Assets
• Educating Kids with Global Roots
• Building World Heritage City Awareness & Ownership
• Extending Philadelphia’s Global Reach

Download the report.

The city of Philadelphia declared World Heritage Day on the last Thursday of May to celebrate Philadelphia’s World Heritage City Designation. Today, we celebrate World Heritage Week with a selection of events to highlight Philadelphia’s international heritages and communities.

This week is a collaborative celebration featuring valued community partners, the Office of the City Representative, and GPA-hosted events. 

View all of our events on our website.

Date and Time: Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 5:00 – 8:00 PM

Location: Industrious, 901 Market Street, Suite 3020, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Register.

In 2016, Mayor Jim Kenney created Philadelphia World Heritage Day on the last Thursday of May to celebrate Philadelphia’s World Heritage City Designation. Today, we celebrate World Heritage Week with a selection of events to highlight Philadelphia’s international heritages and communities.

This week is a collaborative celebration featuring valued community partners, the Office of the City Representative, and GPA-hosted events.

Learn more.

Check out the flyer for World Heritage Week 2023.

What’s offered on the website?

• Information about GPA’s World Heritage Education Program
• Details about the Philadelphia World Heritage City Project
• Philadelphia World Heritage Coloring Book for Kids
• Countless resources for students and educators ranging from high school social studies lesson plans, the Philadelphia Heritage Map, and information on the Sustainable Development Goal Campaign
• Stories that highlight our city’s unique & diverse collection of heritages
• Travel resources for teachers looking to go global

All of the work that has been accomplished over the last few months would not have been possible without our amazing sponsor, PECO. Their trust and support in the Learn Philly Heritage Fellowship allowed GPA to revitalize this great resource.

Today, over 200 organizations, businesses, and internationally-minded individuals have become joint venturers in the Global Philadelphia initiative, and more are joining each month. If you have resources you believe should be a part of our website and for more information on Global Philadelphia, including information about becoming a member, please email info@globalphiladelphia.org or call 215-563-2482.

• To assist – and to encourage greater interaction among – the many organizations and people who are engaged in one form or another of international activity within the Greater Philadelphia Region;
• To promote the development of an international consciousness within the Region;
• To enhance the Region’s global profile.

Today, over 200 organizations, businesses, and internationally-minded individuals have become joint venturers in the Global Philadelphia initiative, and more are joining each month.

While accepting new avenues of growth, GPA stayed true to the four critical initiatives within our mission throughout 2021:

• Education
• Preservation
• Building Awareness
• Extending Global Reach

Read our 2021 Impact Report.

Date and Time: May 25, 2022, 10:00-11:00 AM

Register.

Date and Time: May 26, 2022, 5:00-6:30 PM

Location: KIPP Philadelphia Schools, 5070 Parkside Avenue, #3500d, Philadelphia, PA 19131

Register.

Date and Time: May 24, 2022, 2:00-4:30 PM

Location: The Old Library, 775 S Church St, West Chester, PA 19383

Date and Time; May 23, 2022,  12:00-12:45 PM

Register.

Building on our Educating Global Kids with Roots program, we have worked in partnership with Woodmere, with area school children in Philadelphia schools to create an art exhibit of children’s art from local primary schools showcasing their personal heritage exploring the theme of Sankofa.

The art opening celebrating the works of art event will be held at Woodmere Art Museum on May 22, 2022, 2:00-4:00 PM. A short program at 2:30pm followed by a reception.

Location: Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118

Register.

We are celebrating the National Historic Landmarks in Philadelphia by promoting special programming and discounts on April 18th and throughout the week.

In the same breath, it is also a call to action to prioritize and address climate justice in an increasingly delicate global ecosystem. According to the council, this year’s theme, Heritage and Climate, will champion “inclusive, transformative and just climate action.” Building upon past themes and celebrations, this day will help chart the beginning of a more sustainable future. While thinking about this year’s theme, incorporating the United Nation’s 16 Sustainable Development Goals into the celebration opens dialogue to ask questions like:

• How can cultural heritage conservation drive climate action?
• What are the risks and responses to Climate Justice and Equity?
• What actions are ICOMOS National Committee, International Scientific Committees, Working Groups, and Task Forces taking in response to the increasing risks and impacts of climate change?

Learn more.

Informational flyer.

An asynchronous webinar “Teaching Philadelphia Heritages” for K-8 educators is now available to watch and share online. Check it out here.

This 30-minute webinar introduces educators to Global Philadelphia Association (GPA) learning resources, presents several approaches to exploring the concept of heritage with K-8 students, walks educators through some possible classroom activities, and suggests ways to use these resources to help students get to know our World Heritage City even better.

The Webinar Guide contains more info.

Please share and use this webinar. It introduces many of the resources that were created in collaboration with our partners, including all five Heritage Storytime episodes.

For any GPA questions or webinar follow contact Zabeth Teelucksingh at (zabeth.teelucksingh@globalphiladelphia.org).

Philadelphia World Heritage Day was instituted by Mayor Jim Kenney in 2016, and is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of each May. This annual event is an important part of bringing awareness of Philadelphia’s World Heritage City to all city residents. Each year, the celebration is carried out in a different location and in a different way. In 2021, we will celebrate our 6th year as a World Heritage City by holding a week of virtual festivities, to be held May 24-28.

Sneak Peak:

Watch Amanda Gorman – the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history – perform the poem she composed in 2020 to celebrate Philadelphia’s 5th anniversary as a World Heritage City, entitled
“The Gathering Place.”

Did you know that General George Washington served a West Indian soup to warm his freezing troops camped at Valley Forge? Discover the fascinating history of Pepperpot Soup and learn how to make it at home from Emmy Award winning TV host and culinary historian Chef Walter Staib.

Do your kids or students enjoy learning about and making global foods? Tune in for a special World Heritage Week episode of Heritage Storytime where we’ll make tabbouleh with our friends at Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture and learn about the culinary traditions of the SWANA region.

Learn more.

Heritage Storytime (HS) is a series of monthly storytime episodes presented virtually for children. Each HS episode will focus on a heritage-related theme and will feature a children’s book read-along as well as complementary learning materials and activities. HS nurtures our desire to tell stories about our lives and heritages, past and present, and to learn through these stories. HS is especially important now due to the constraints that COVID-19 has imposed on teachers and families.

In this episode, Basma Jaber from Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture will present Morning Circle Media‘s book, Let’s Cook for Ramadan! in both Arabic and English. She will introduce us to the month of Ramadan and the important role of both fasting and food to Muslims in Philadelphia and beyond. We will follow along as Basma buys fresh vegetables and prepares tabbouleh – her dad’s favorite and a beloved food in the Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) region. Want to make your own tabbouleh at home with a little help from an adult? You can follow along with Basma using our recipe and even try the book’s other delicious recipes! You will also have the chance to start thinking about your own favorite foods and how YOU celebrate special holidays and family traditions. Additional teaching resources and ideas for exploring the episode’s themes will be included, too.

Date and Time: April 15, 2021, 1:00-1:40 PM

Audience: Children in grades 3-5, families, teachers
*This episode would be great for Arabic speakers and those learning Arabic.

Register here.

Heritage Storytime (HS) is a series of monthly storytime episodes presented virtually for children. Each HS episode will focus on a heritage-related theme and will feature a children’s book read-along as well as complementary learning materials and activities. HS nurtures our desire to tell stories about our lives and heritages, past and present, and to learn through these stories. HS is especially important now due to the constraints that COVID-19 has imposed on teachers and families.

Join us for a special bilingual episode of Heritage Storytime, presented in Spanish and English! We’ll hear Tania Ramos Otón from Esperanza read the book Slide! ¡Deslízate!…and she will get us up and MOVING AROUND with some fun movement activities! We’ll also learn how everyone plays – past and present and all around the world – and we’ll visit Smith Memorial Playground, a historic and welcoming playground here in Philly. We’ll learn how we can play outside or at home, any time of year, even during the pandemic. Additional teaching resources and ideas for exploring the episode’s themes will be included, too.

Date and Time: March 11, 2021, 1:00-1:40 PM

Audience: Children in grades K-3, families, teachers. This episode would be great for Spanish speakers and those learning Spanish.

Learn more and register.

Heritage Storytime (HS) is a series of monthly storytime episodes presented virtually for children. Each HS episode will focus on a heritage-related theme and will feature a children’s book read-along as well as complementary learning materials and activities. HS nurtures our desire to tell stories about our lives and heritages, past and present, and to learn through these stories. HS is especially important now due to the constraints that COVID-19 has imposed on teachers and families.

EPISODE 3:
Let’s Play Together!/¡Juguemos Junto! 
Join us for a special bilingual episode of Heritage Storytime, presented in Spanish and English! We’ll hear Tania Ramos Otón from Esperanza read the book Slide! ¡Deslízate!…and she will get us up and MOVING AROUND with some fun movement activities! We’ll also learn how everyone plays – past and present and all around the world – and we’ll visit Smith Memorial Playground, a historic and welcoming playground here in Philly. We’ll learn how we can play outside or at home, any time of year, even during the pandemic. Additional teaching resources and ideas for exploring the episode’s themes will be included, too.

Date and Time: February 11, 2021, 1:00-1:40 PM

Audience: Children in grades K-3, families, teachers
*This episode would be great for Spanish speakers and those learning Spanish

Register.

Join us for the second episode of Heritage Storytime, where we’ll hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspiring “I Have a Dream” speech, read from a book with beautiful illustrations by Caldecott Honor winning artist Kadir Nelson. Dr. King’s powerful message of freedom and equality for all people will be explored further with a virtual tour of the ​Johnson House​, presented in partnership with ​History Hunters​. We’ll learn all about the people who fought for racial justice in Philadelphia in this Underground Railroad Station and House Museum. We’ll also present opportunities for service-learning during the ​MLK Day of Service​ and provide additional teaching resources and ideas for exploring the episode’s themes.

Date and Time: January 13, 2021, 1:00 PM

Audience: Children in grades 4-5, families, teachers

Learn more and register.

Heritage Storytime (HS) is a series of monthly storytime episodes presented virtually for children. Each HS episode will focus on a heritage-related theme and will feature a children’s book read-along as well as complementary learning materials and activities. HS nurtures our desire to tell stories about our lives and heritages, past and present, and to learn through these stories. HS is especially important now due to the constraints that COVID-19 has imposed on teachers and families.

EPISODE 1: Oney Judge’s Daring Escape from Slavery

Join us for our first virtual Heritage Storytime episode! We’ll be at the African American Museum in Philadelphia reading the book “My Name Is Oney Judge” by local author Dr. Diane Turner to learn all about Oney’s daring escape from slavery in George Washington’s house in Philadelphia. Then we’ll learn more about slavery in America with a tour of the Lest We Forget Museum of Slavery in Germantown. We’ll have lots of additional learning resources and activities to share.

Date: Nov 19, 2020
Time (two showings): 1:00 PM and 4:30 PM

Audience: Children in grades 4-8, families, teachers

Everyone who registers to attend this virtual event will be entered to win a FREE copy of the Philadelphia World Heritage Coloring Book.

Register.