Mayor Michael Nutter and other delegates left Sunday evening for Rome, where they will gather for final preparatory meetings ahead of the World Meeting of Families happening this fall in Philadelphia.
The delegation, which includes several civic and business leaders, as well as key officials from the City of Philadelphia, will spend June 22-25 in Rome for various planning meetings and events related to the papal visit in September.
“The City of Philadelphia is exceptionally experienced at hosting big events – from the Wawa Welcome America! and Made in America music festivals to sporting events such as the Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia International Cycling Classic and the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run. We know what we need to do to prepare for the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 and the visit from his Holiness, Pope Francis,” Nutter said in a statement.
“Part of that planning includes meeting with our Vatican counterparts because, as any business person will tell you, nothing can replace the value of meeting your partners face to face. With Archbishop Chaput, I am honored to help lead this delegation in Rome and share, on behalf of our City, just how ready we are to welcome the world. The World Meeting of Families will showcase Philadelphia and our well-deserved reputation as an excellent host City on the world stage come September.”
Nutter and the other delegates are expected to return Friday.