World Heritage City Movie Premiere: A Glimpse into Philadelphia’s Past, Present, & Future

By MacKenzie Bonner.

On Friday, May 6, over 100 guests congregated the at the AIA Center for Architecture and Design to celebrate Philadelphia’s increased momentum and recent designation as a World Heritage City. The event centered upon the Premiere of the World Heritage City Movie, a short film directed by the renowned Filmmaker, Sam Katz, and narrated by Dr. David Brownlee, Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. The film offered an exceptional glimpse into the deeply rooted history of art, culture, and innovation within Philadelphia and gave guests the chance to look forward to a bright future for the city.

Philadelphia is most widely known as the birthplace of American democracy, serving as a crucial hub during the quest for independence and development of the newly formed nation. In addition to the city’s immense contributions to the democratization of the country, the movie explores Philadelphia on a deeper level, discussing its leadership role in additional industries, such as art, transportation, and medicine, to name a few. The 30-minute film brought viewers on a unique tour through the formation and development of the city, heralding Philadelphia as an idea incubator, continually fueling innovation and progress throughout the country. The movie concluded with a discussion on Philadelphia’s new designation as a World Heritage City and the exciting implications that accompany this title.

Philadelphia became the first city in the United States to receive a World Heritage City designation in 2015, after immense efforts put forth by the Global Philadelphia Association in conjunction with the local and city government. There are 23 World Heritage Sites across the United States, but the title of World Heritage City signifies the entire region of Philadelphia as a culturally and historically significant urban area. The honor is much more than a title, as it is sure to bring increased international recognition to the the city, fostering economic growth, increased tourism and a strong source of local pride for those who call Philadelphia home. The movie premiere was an exceptional opportunity to showcase how far Philadelphia has come, and celebrate where the city is headed in the future.

For more information on the Philadelphia World Heritage Society and to support their mission, please visit the website here.

Click here for the Chinese subtitles or here for the Spanish subtitles.