Throughout the month of June, Philadelphia celebrates Immigrant Heritage Month!
All month long, the Office of Immigrant Affairs joins Welcome.us, a
non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating a United States that is fueled by immigrants from around the world, to celebrate!
The goal of the month is to encourage every American to tell the story of how they first felt welcomed to the American experience. We’ll celebrate stories of individuals, families and communities who have contributed to the unique social fabric of a country and our great city — whose greatness is fueled by its diversity!
“Here in Philadelphia, we welcome and embrace our immigrant community. Our city will continue working to do our part to make sure every Philadelphian feels they are equal and have the opportunity to succeed here.” – Mayor Jim Kenney
In 2015, a national partnership network of 238 nonprofit organizations, ethnic groups, cultural institutions, and individuals hosted events, published blogs and stories, and shared social media content throughout all of June, each component contributing to Immigrant Heritage Month’s successful celebration of our nation’s rich immigrant heritage.
This year, the tradition continues. Building on the past two years’ success, local partners for Immigrant Heritage Month 2016 will help us amplify Philadelphia’s diversity and celebrate our immigrant heritage as a source of pride. This year’s celebration, the third annual, will kick off in June.
Be sure to follow OIA on Twitter and Facebook to stay updated on events — if you’re participating in Immigration Heritage Month, let us know using the hashtags #ImmigrantHeritagePHL and #IHM2016.
Scheduled Events
June 1 – June 29, 2016 —Passport to Southeast Asia. Gather your passports! We are embarking on a journey to taste authentic Southeast Asian food in South Philly! Each time you dine at one of the participating restaurants you will receive a stamp! Collect all three and join us June 30th with a night of more food, cultural performances, a lottery, and a special appearance from Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. Bring your food passport with your stamps to enter our lottery of fun prizes!
Visit our page, and print your own passport now!
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
12:00pm #ImmigrantHeritagePHL Kickoff and Philadelphia International Unity Cup Draw
Where: The Diamond Club, Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, Pa. 19148
Description: Immigrant Heritage Month in Philadelphia kicks off with the Philadelphia International Unity Cup team draw. The 32 teams in the tournament will find out who they will play in the group stages of the soccer tournament. Mayor Kenney will be there to officially declare June Immigrant Heritage Month. The Philadelphia International Unity Cup is a soccer tournament being held in Philadelphia from September through November. For more information, visit PIUC’s website.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
5:30pm – 7:30pm CDI – Special First Thursday with German American Chamber
Where: Brauhaus Schmitz, 718 South St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19147
Description: Citizen Diplomacy International. A monthly opportunity to welcome guests to the U.S. and Philadelphia. Practice language skills, make new local friends who share international interests and stay in touch with what’s happening internationally. It’s the easiest way to practice Citizen Diplomacy without leaving Philadelphia.
Monday, June 6 – Monday, June 12, 2016
All Week ODUNDE Festival
Where: Multiple Locations, Street Festival at 23rd and South Street
Description: The annual Odunde Street Festival brings a genuine taste of Africa to South Street and one of Philadelphia’s oldest, historically African-American neighborhoods. Now in its 41st year, the enormous festival will take over a 12-block radius in Graduate Hospital on June 12, gathering hundreds of vendors from around the world.
Schedule Breakdown with Locations: June 4-5, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, African Day, Please Touch Museum; June 7, 5:00 pm, I Am Bumi t-shirt giveaway; June 8, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, African Pottery Class, The Expressive Hand; June 9, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, African Business Roundtable, Philadelphia Museum of Art; June 10, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, VIP/Dignitary Reception, City Hall; June 11, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Global African Tourism Semi, African American Museum; June 12, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm, ODUNDE Festival, 23rd and South Street.
Description: The annual Odunde Street Festival brings a genuine taste of Africa to South Street and one of Philadelphia’s oldest, historically African-American neighborhoods. Now in its 41st year, the enormous festival will take over a 12-block radius in Graduate Hospital on June 12, gathering hundreds of vendors from around the world.
Contact: http://odundefestival.org/
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
1:00 pm – 8:00 pm Irish Festival.
Where: Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, 101 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, United States
Description: Celebrate all of Ireland’s cultural gems, from music to dancing to food. Enjoy performances from notable Irish musicians, famous dance schools, bagpipers, and of course, traditional foods like shepherd’s-pie and bangers and mash. Browse the outdoor shops for authentic and traditional Irish goods.
1:30pm – 4:30pm Dental and Eye health 101 for refugee and immigrant communities
Where: Whitman Library (2nd and Snyder)
Description: A workshop for immigrants and refugees on dental and eye health.
7:00pm – 9:00pm Kamikaze 89
Where: International House – 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Description: Dir. Wolf Gremm, Germany, 1982, DCP, 106 mins. color, German w/ English subtitles. In his last film role, legendary director Rainer Werner Fassbinder plays Jansen, an expert cop living in a dystopic future where a mysterious organization known as The Combine controls all media. After The Combine’s headquarters receives several bomb threats, Jansen is tasked with infiltrating the nefarious conglomerate.
Friday, June 10, 2016 – Saturday, June 11, 2016
7:00 pm Latino Film Festival
Where: The Caplan Recital Hall, 211 S Broad St, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107
Description: The Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (PHLAFF) was established in 2012 and has become the Greater Philadelphia region’s only festival showcasing the extraordinary and innovative work of emerging and established Latin American and Latino filmmakers. Each year, the Festival includes screenings of groundbreaking works from all genres. Festival programs attract a diverse audience, developing a new space in the Philadelphia region where filmmakers, actors, and producers can meet with other artists, engage with audiences, and present and discuss innovative work. Visit http://www.phlaff.org for more information.
Friday, June 10, 2016
5:00pm – 7:30pm Somi
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, Pa. 19130
Description: East African vocalist Somi takes inspiration from her travels through Nigeria to straddle the worlds of African jazz, soul, and pop.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
2:00pm – 5:00pm Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Where: 3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
Description: Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 1984, DCP, 116 mins. color in English The debut film from Hayao Miyazaki, Nausicaä is considered by many to be his masterwork — and there are few films, animated or otherwise, of such sweeping scope and grandeur. Set in a devastated future world decimated by atmospheric poisons and swarming with gigantic insects. Nausicaä is the story of a young princess, both brave and innocent, whose love for all living things and passionate determination to understand the processes of nature lead her into terrible danger, sacrifice, and eventual triumph. Like most Studio Ghibli films, there is neither good nor evil, but conflicting viewpoints, weaknesses, and power struggles. Throughout the film, Miyazaki’s animation is awe-inspiring; the depiction of the poisoned forest, in particular, is a thing of transcendent beauty. Once the hallucinogenic strangeness of shape and color has been accepted, there is light, growth and life everywhere. Huge dragonfly-like creatures are accompanied by wonderful evocative sounds of flight and movement. The lethal fungus plants glow shimmer and shed spores like silent gleaming snowfalls. This is a film not to be missed.
1:00pm All Around This World: Morris Dancing
Where: International House 3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
Description: Interactive Morris dancing workshop for kids and their families. Leslie Tallon of the Friendly Folk Dancers and Renegade Morris will introduce participants to the playful, participatory form of British traditional dance.
Monday, June 13, 2016
2:00pm – 8:00pm Islamic Heritage Festival.
Where: Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, 101 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, United States
Description: The Islamic Heritage Festival and Parade begins with the Unity in Diversity Parade
which starts at 1 p.m. at 5th and Market streets and winds through the city to the end point at Penn’s Landing. Following the parade, the 22nd Annual Islamic Heritage Festival will commence, featuring family-friendly games, speakers, a health & wellness fair free giveaways, entertainment and a global open market bazaar.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
5:00pm – 7:00pm Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance
Where: 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
Description: Meiko Kaji returns in Toshiya Fujita’s invigorating sequel to his own cult hit Lady
Snowblood. Our furious heroine is captured by the authorities and sentenced to death for the various killings she has committed; however, she is offered a chance of escape—if she carries out dangerous orders for the government. More politically minded than the original, Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance is full of exciting plot turns and ingenious action sequences.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
6:00pm – 8:00pm: World Refugee Crisis Panel Discussion
Where: Montgomery McCracken Law Firm, 123 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107
Description: PA Action Reconciliation for Peace and HIAS PA are sponsoring a panel discussion regarding the world refugee crisis. The panel is free and open to the public and will kick-off a bike ride from Philadelphia to Washington to bring attention to the world refugee crisis organized by Action Reconciliation for Peace.
Contact: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/refugees-then-and-now-what-has-changed-tickets-25698086669
8:00pm-10:00pm Spinning Immigrant June 15th – June 18th
Where: 140 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106
Description: Spinning Immigrant by Emmanuelle Delpech. Poetry of the Exiled. Immigrant: noun – A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.
Performer and immigrant Emmanuelle Delpech brings audiences into the lives of immigrants in Philadelphia. Through audio interviews, she reveals the secrets, regrets, and joys of those who are from somewhere else. Set up as DJ Babtoue, Delpech mixes her own views as an outsider with their stories: all have come to Philadelphia, but for different reasons. All navigate new waters, grow new roots, find new values and a new home, and spin about endless dilemmas in a search of belonging.
Exuberant, funny, a master yarn and deejay-spinner, Delpech invites you to be a witness to intimate encounters between foreigners. Here, voices that are never heard are given the stage. And as some migrations are borne of dreams, Delpech also appears as her childhood hero, Wonder Woman.
Created by performer Emmanuelle Delpech and director Guillame Servely with sound design by Jorge Cousineau. Buy tickets here.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
7:00pm – 9:00pm Cityscapes: The Vienna That Never Was
Where: 3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
Description: “The Vienna that never was is the greatest city in the world” – Orson Welles
Vienna in the cinema has most often been represented as a fantasy based on the imperial city it was in the era of the ‘fin desiècle’ when traditional social, moral, and artistic values were all in transition. This series will attempt to explore the city of Vienna as a city both real and mythic within the history of cinema. The series ‘The Vienna that never was …’ will feature works representing the late 19th to the early 21st centuries, from the historical and romanticized images of Vienna to a noir-tinged Cold War narrative, to the present-day artistic experimentation within the avant-garde, cinematic masterworks, to rediscoveries of old fictions and nonfiction, as well as a rich selection of newsreels, actualities, and home movies.
Friday, June 17, 2016
5:00pm – 8:45pm Rogê
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, Pa. 19130
Monday, June 20, 2016
10:00 am U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Ceremony for National Refugee Day
Where: Jewish National Museum, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106
Description: Sozie Tulante, City Solicitor, will be the Keynote Speaker
1:00 pm World Refugee Day Press Conference
Where: Philadelphia City Hall Room 202
Description: World Refugee Day, international observance observed June 20th each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
All day Portuguese festival.
Where: Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, 101 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106
Description: Celebrate Portuguese culture, with PECO’s multicultural series of events.
8:00am – 8:00pm Quebec Day
Where: Multiple Locations – Center City Philadelphia
Description: Day of celebration in Quebec and other areas of French Canada. Saint Jean Baptiste Day is also known as “la Saint-Jean”, “St John the Baptist Day”, “Fête nationale du Québec” and “Quebec’s National Holiday.” RSVPs kindly requested online.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Lunch Block Party!
Where: 1500 Block of Locust Street
Description: Celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month and local small businesses with a block party in the heart of Center City! Soccer, food trucks, and music highlight this event sponsored by the City, the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, AARP, Santander, Starfinder, Ardent Credit Union, Actualidad Informativa, and Hispanic Media.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
9:00am – 4:00pm International Yoga Day
Where: Dilworth Park, City Hall
Description: Philadelphia’s Indian immigrant community celebrates International Yoga Day! Its aim is to promote health, wellness and peace. It’s a full day event and easily accessible by public transit thanks to its location at Dilworth Park — and all are welcome! For more info, visit the event’s website.
Monday, June 27, 2016
10:00am – 11:00 am U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Ceremony
Where: 30 S 41st St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
Description: Nina Ahmad, Deputy Mayor for Public Engagement will be the Keynote Speaker
Thursday, June 30, 2016
10:00am – 12:00pm Welcoming Center, Student Graduation.
Where: 1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
Description: WCNP is having Participant Recognition Ceremony – Where WCNP recognizes achievements of clients.
5:00pm-7:00pm South Asia Night
Where: United Health Care Multicultural Center, 1900 S. Broad, Philadelphia, Pa. 19145
Description: Have a toast with Mayor Jim Kenney as we celebrate the special place immigrant businesses play in building our local economy. It’s a night where we celebrate the diverse taste of Southeast Asia, with food demonstration and a lottery.