From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!
Philadelphia’s recent turn in the international spotlight could translate into long-term economic gains — if the United States remains engaged abroad, according to local political, business and military leaders.
Just days after the city hosted the nation’s principal semiquincentennial celebrations, FIFA World Cup matches and the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Mayor Cherelle Parker and U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Phil., spoke to a U.S. Global Leadership Coalition gathering Monday.
The mayor pointed to the city’s FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill, which drew more than 500,000 visitors over 39 days, as an example of how international events can reshape perceptions of Philadelphia.
“They came for soccer, but they stayed for Philadelphia,” Parker said. “They experienced the warmth of our neighborhoods, the pride of our people and the unmistakable spirit of our city. They came to experience our history, but they left believing in our future.”
Jennifer Siler, U.S. head of corporate government affairs for GSK, speaks at the USGLC event Monday while USGLC Executive Director Jason Gross, U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle and retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas Trask listen. (Carmen Russell-Sluchansky/WHYY)
Such soft diplomacy, she said, helps build the city’s reputation and can foster financial benefits.
“When people experience Philadelphia, they begin investing in Philadelphia,” Parker said, pointing to recent investments from companies including Bonduelle, Hanwha and TerraPower.
Boyle, however, added that the nation’s current foreign policy of tariffs, protectionism and isolationism threatens decades of diplomacy and peaceful engagement with the rest of the world, resulting in “consequences, some of which we are seeing play out right now on the world stage.”
“For the last 80 years, we have lived in the world that we have built,” he said, joining a panel discussion. “We created, with our partners, NATO. We created the World Bank. We created the IMF and we led the creation of the United Nations. Now after eight decades, this whole world infrastructure we created is being challenged, and it’s mostly being challenged from within.”
U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle speaks at the USGLC event Monday, July 20, 2026. (Carmen Russell-Sluchansky/WHYY)
Also on the panel were Jennifer Siler, U.S. head of corporate government affairs for GSK, and retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas Trask.