Japanese Coloring Book (Global)

PHILADELPHIA, June 8, 2020 - Global Philadelphia Association’s Philadelphia World Heritage Coloring Book has been able to empower and enlighten students across the city to embrace the rich history of Philadelphia in a simple yet unique way as they color the modern culture and global connections that define their city.

Students follow Caleb and Olivia as they chase their kite and visit cultural and historical sites throughout Philadelphia, including Independence Hall, the Philadelphia Zoo, and the Johnson House.

“The coloring book is a wonderful vehicle to share our city's heritage with young minds and a great messaging tool for our World Heritage City,” Zabeth Teelucksingh, executive director of GPA said.

GPA and its partners recently chose to translate the Coloring Book into Japanese not only to represent Philadelphia’s wealth of Japanese heritage but to celebrate JapanPhilly2020. The event will be hosted by the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia and its partners.

As part of GPA’s mission to educate “global kids with roots,” the Coloring Book is able to provide students with the opportunity to engage with Philadelphia’s legacy and international initiatives in a fun and imaginative way.

In partnership with the Philadelphia International Airport, who also sponsored the Coloring Book,  GPA was able to translate the Coloring Book into Japanese and Spanish to further embody and showcase the international communities that form the cultural backbone of Philadelphia. GPA is currently seeking sponsors to help translate the Coloring Book into additional languages.

About the Philadelphia World Heritage Coloring Book

Philadelphia joined the Organization of World Heritage Cities in November 2015, becoming the first "World Heritage City" in the United States. The city was chosen for such a historic designation because it is regarded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has a rich array of historical buildings and cultural sites, including 67 national historical landmarks.

Since releasing the English version of the Coloring Book, GPA has been able to donate 5,000 copies of the book to students in the Philadelphia area. During the Wawa Welcome America Festivals in 2007 and through 2019, 3,000 copies of the book were given out during GPA’s 2018 World Heritage Day Celebration at the Philadelphia Zoo.

GPA  commissioned Michelle Dowd, a local writer, and illustrator, in 2017 to create the Coloring Book. The Coloring Book introduces children, ages 5 and up, to connect their pride in their community to their pride in themselves.

After the designation, GPA challenged itself with the ambitious goal to teach students across the city about the legacy and universal value of Philadelphia. GPA’s World Heritage City Project builds on the designation with a variety of different initiatives focused on four core missions: preserving and celebrating Philadelphia’s historical and cultural assets; building World Heritage City awareness and ownership; educating global kids with roots; and extending Philadelphia’s global reach.

The Philadelphia World Heritage Education Program was instituted in 2016 to fulfill the third  goal of the World Heritage City Project, to educate global kids with roots. This involves expanding students’ horizons to encompass the larger world, while at the same time providing them with an awareness of their own personal heritage and a good grounding in the history and culture of the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection.

The program consists of the development and promotion of Philadelphia heritage-related educational material that includes the Philadelphia World Heritage Coloring Book, a documentary film (now in twelve languages), lesson plans, and the LearnPhillyHeritage.org website.

Also included is direct programming for students and educators with a strong emphasis on teacher professional development. GPA focuses on serving low-income students as well as recent immigrants and English Language Learners, with several of the Project’s resources available in multiple languages.

An educational toolkit and teacher guide was also developed by GPA in order to assist educators across the city to incorporate the Coloring Book in their classrooms. GPA World Heritage Program Manager Melissa Stevens and Educational Consultant Sarah Sharp led Henry H. Houston Elementary School in Mt. Airy and St. Mary Interparochial School in piloting this program, donating 440 copies of the books to these schools.

The teacher guide includes suggestions for classroom activities; information on the best practices and core standards; and complementary resources related to the people, places, events, and themes covered in the Coloring Book. Like the Coloring Book, the teacher guide is available in Spanish.

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About Global Philadelphia Association

Global Philadelphia Association (GPA) consists of more than 200 internationally involved organizations, businesses, and individuals in Greater Philadelphia. It was created to assist – and to encourage greater interaction among – the many organizations and people who are engaged in international activity in the Greater Philadelphia Region, to promote the development of an international consciousness within the area, and to enhance Philadelphia’s global profile. Most recently, GPA released the Philadelphia Heritage Map in July, which created an online database and illustrated a print map of Philadelphia’s 67 National Historic Landmarks. Additionally, GPA has also released English and Spanish versions of the Philadelphia World Heritage Coloring Book. For more information, visit our website: globalphiladelphia.org

Global Philadelphia Association
Two Logan Square
100-120 N 18th St., Suite 530
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 215-563-2482
[email protected]