EIJP - Emerging International Journalists Program

The Wawa Welcome America Festival kicked off on June 29, 2019, with a variety of events for all to enjoy. Some of the highlighted activities included free concerts, eating some of Philadelphia’s culinary classics, and free visits to museums across the city. In particular, the Free Library of Philadelphia opened its doors so that festival-goers could get a first-hand look at the rare books the library has to offer.

On June 7th, I had the pleasure of attending the 2019 Philly Pride Kick-Off Block Party. The block party marked the official start of Pride weekend here in Philadelphia, a whole weekend dedicated to celebrating the LGBT community, culminating in the annual LGBT Pride Parade. I normally don’t participate much in Pride, as I’m not one for crowds, but this year is special because it is the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall and I wanted to be a part of it in some way.

Thirty artisans from the Sichuan province of China came to Philadelphia and worked with local technicians to masterfully transform Franklin Square into an illuminated wonderland: the 2019 Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival (中國彩燈節).

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians hosted an open house event on May 22, 2019, to celebrate its relocation to the fourth floor of 211 N. 13th Street. The event showcased the organization’s efforts to promote inclusivity for immigrants.

The Wawa Welcome America group held a press conference on May 16, 2019, for its upcoming 4th of July celebration. Speakers at the event included the Mayor of Philadelphia Jim Kenney, Welcome America Inc. President & CEO Michael DelBene, Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens, and NBC10 President and General Manager Ric Harris.

Philadelphia’s rising prominence as a global city is showcased through numerous events and organizations that highlight our region’s diversity and international connections. The Greater Philadelphia area is one of the most internationally-oriented, economically competitive, and forward-thinking regions in our nation, and much of that success can be attributed to our local globally-minded initiatives. We can find one such initiative just about an hour outside of the city, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) recently released a report discussing the challenges in public transportation to provide access to tourist attractions in the Greater Philadelphia area. With Philadelphia being a World Heritage City and an epicenter for tourism, attracting thousands of visitors each year to attractions such as Independence Hall, the Penn Museum, and Fairmount Park, providing easy access to these tourist spots are important to help our region grow economically.

The Honorable Stanley Straughter has been dedicated to global social justice supporting African and Caribbean communities of greater Philadelphia and was Chairman of the Mayor’s Commission of African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs under former mayor John F. Street. Mr. Straughter has also held positions such as Chairman, African and Caribbean Business Council of Greater Philadelphia; Chairman of the Board, UNESCO Center for Global Education; and Member of the Board of Directors, Constituency for Africa.

On Tuesday, March 19, Global Philadelphia Association’s Executive Director Zabeth Teelucksingh attended an internationally-focused lecture at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI). The lecture, entitled, “Who Will Feed India?,” was given by Dr. Ashok Gulati, the current Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER).