Philadelphia…The City of Brotherly Love, Birthplace of America, Home of Rocky and the Cheese-Steak, The Mural Capital of US.
And Now…
The First City in the United States to be named a World Heritage City by the XIII World Congress of the Organization of World Heritage Cities, or OWHC.
So what does this mean for the Philly we know and love?
- People….and by people we mean $$
First and foremost this designation has the potential to drive more people to visit, invest, dream, and build in the city of Philadelphia. People are slowly starting to catch on to the fact that Philly is on the movers and shakers list for 2016. With the influx of attention from the 2015 pope visit, the 2016 DNC, the upcoming Love Park and PMA renovations, and the ongoing growth from the music and food scene, Philly doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. With an increase in people, this means more money toward infrastructure and increasing Philadelphia’s presence on a global scale. All of this attention will hopefully lead to increased visibility of the interconnected diversity that makes Philly so special. According to a study commissioned by Global Philadelphia, global visitation could increase 10% to 15%, while domestic visitation has the potential to increase about 1% to 2%.
- Safeguarding Philly’s heritage
With this being said, money isn’t the whole driver behind this designation. By adding its name to a list that includes Rome, Paris, Cairo, and Quebec, Philadelphia is getting its time in the historical spotlight. One of the main goals of UNESCO, the governing body behind the selection of World Heritage Cities, is to provide the World Heritage City with “programs and projects, which aim to promote and support the maintenance, recognition and development of their world heritage.”[1] This could mean more support for Philadelphia’s historical sites that lie beyond Independence National Historical Park
- Bigger and Better Connections
By entering into the list of over 250 cities with the same distinction come very tangible opportunities for networking in the private and public sectors. Educational opportunities between universities and business deals between corporations are now on the table between parties that might not have spoken before. As the miles between countries grow shorter and shorter with every new technological development, these networks and partnerships will prove essential in the growing global economy.
While the effects of this designation, won’t be immediately felt, it is important to be aware of the opportunities that may arise. From the looks of it, Philadelphia is on the move, and doesn’t look like it’ll be slowing down anytime soon.
[1] http://www.ovpm.org/en/presentation