Eagles veteran Brian Dawkins and Philadelphia 76ers icon Dikembe Mutombo have joined dignitaries from the Pennsylvanian city to welcome the announcement that it will be hosting the 2013 edition of the Beyond Sport Summit and Awards.
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Philadelphia Eagles President Don Smolenski, Eagles Youth Partnership President Christina Weiss Lurie and Beyond Sport founder Nick Keller joined the American footballer and basketball player to welcome the news that the city will be following in the footsteps of London and Cape Town to host the largest global sport gathering on September 9 until 11.
"Sports bring people together, and bringing people together is what the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection is all about," said Nutter.
"The reason Philadelphia and its professional sports franchises worked so hard to bring Beyond Sport here is our belief that athletics has a tremendously positive influence on communities, and we want to play a role in that.
"Philadelphia is honoured to be among some of the most vibrant cities in the world by playing host to this prestigious event."
The 2012 Beyond Sport Summit was held in London, just days before last summer's Olympic Games and saw sporting luminaries, such as Muhammad Ali, David Beckham, Michelle Kwan and Michael Johnson join teams, leagues and development projects from around the world to explore the positive impact sport can have on society.
Beyond Sport's Ambassadors include some of the biggest names in global sport, chaired by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and under the Patronage of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and it is backed by each of the major leagues – the National Hockey League (NHL), National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), NASCAR and Major League Soccer (MLS).
The Eagles, global Beyond Sport Award winners in 2011, have played a significant role in bringing the event to the city and Smolenski explained: "Winning a Beyond Sport Award was an incredible moment for the Eagles and we are thrilled to be bringing this event to Philadelphia.
"The Eagles as a team sit at the heart of the Philadelphia community and we are very proud of our work in the community. We look forward to showing it off on a global stage."
Beyond Sport Founder Nick Keller added: "We are incredibly excited to be bringing the Beyond Sport Summit and Awards to Philadelphia.
"This city places sport at the centre of its identity and has long experience of using sport to enrich the community."