Philadelphia is celebrating six years as a World Heritage City with a week of free, virtual festivities for the whole family! 

The week’s featured event is a Virtual World Heritage Week Quizzo hosted by KYW Newsradio’s Denise Nakano. Attendees will test their knowledge of Philadelphia’s history and global heritages and compete for prizes during the virtual event on Tuesday, May 25th. The event is free with advance registration and space is limited.

World Heritage Week will also feature a video of Amanda Gorman – the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history – performing the poem she composed for the 2020 Philadelphia World Heritage City Celebration; a video on the fascinating history of Pepperpot Soup by Emmy Award winning TV host and culinary historian Chef Walter Staib; a special episode of Heritage Storytime exploring global culinary traditions with a kid-friendly cooking demo; a message from City Representative Sheila Hess; and much more.

Visit http://www.globalphiladelphia.org/wh-week-2021 for details.

Time: All Day (check participating sites' details)

Location: Virtual & In-Person Events Throughout City

We’re celebrating the International Day for Monuments and Sites on April 18th by welcoming visitors back to the region’s National Historic Landmarks. Over 20 participating historic sites will offer tours for visitors, virtual programs, special events, discounts & prizes, and much more!

Plan ahead by learning about the city’s National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) on this interactive NHL map. You can also purchase a beautifully illustrated map of the Landmarks by visiting globalphiladelphia.org/heritage-map.

Time: 1:00-1:40 PM

Location: Virtual

Cost: FREE

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

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.

Learn more about the Heritage Storytime program HERE.

Time: 1:00-1:40 PM

Location: Virtual

Cost: FREE

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

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.

Learn more about the Heritage Storytime program HERE.

Time: 1:00-1:30 PM

Location: Virtual

Cost: FREE

Audience: Grades K-5, teachers, families 

Join coloring book characters Caleb and Olivia for this special interactive episode of Heritage Storytime! Marilyn Russell of WOGL FM will be reading the Philadelphia World Heritage Coloring Book, which features Caleb and Olivia visiting important cultural and historic sites all over Philadelphia. Then we'll do a fun coloring activity from the book before getting up and showing off our Keith Haring mural inspired dance moves! We'll also learn how local students have used the Coloring Book to create their own heritage projects, many of which you can do yourself. Additional teaching resources and ideas for exploring the episode’s themes will be included, too.

**Wait! There's more! After this episode, we will show videos of the Coloring Book being read in Spanish and Japanese.

• 1:30 PM - Spanish read by Jennifer Rodríguez (Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce)
• 1:45 PM - Japanese read by Yuka Yokoyama (Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia)

Learn more about the Heritage Storytime program HERE.

Time: 1:00-1:40 PM

Location: Virtual

Cost: FREE

Audience: Grades 4-5, teachers, families 

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.

Learn more about the Heritage Storytime program HERE.