Recognizing and celebrating the announcement of the inaugural "Sister Cities Friendly" soccer match between the Philadelphia Union and Germany's Eintracht Frankfurt professional soccer team. A portion of the proceeds raised will assist Philadelphia students to travel to our Sister and Partnership Cities.

WHEREAS, Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt is a professional soccer club in Germany's top flight Bundesliga Soccer league and winners of this year's German Cup Trophy. The International "friendly" soccer match will take place on Saturday, July 14th at 7 pm at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, home of the Philadelphia Union; and

WHEREAS, A portion of the proceeds of City related agency ticket sales to this inaugural event will benefit Philadelphia's "Sister Cities" Program, which links Philadelphia to the world by creating special relationships with the ten Sister and Partnership cities, one of which is Frankfurt, Germany; and

WHEREAS, Soccer - or football, as it's known outside the U.S. - is the world's most popular sport. One need only look at the crowded youth soccer fields across America to see how the sport has taken hold here. With soccer's soaring popularity, the FIFA World Cup just getting underway, and the arrival of the German Cup Champion Eintracht Frankfurt club to take on our beloved Philadelphia Union, the timing couldn't be better for the staging of the inaugural 'Sister Cities Friendly,' an event we hope to turn into another beloved tradition in the City; and

WHEREAS, A portion of the proceeds sold by City related agencies for this inaugural sporting event will benefit Philadelphia's "Sister Cities" program, which promotes international cooperation, tourism, trade and relationships. At the heart of the Sister Cities program is an agreement signed by the mayors of each city confirming their commitment, and that of their successors, to the program. Each Sister City agrees to send and receive delegations of political and business leaders, arts and cultural representatives, educators, technical experts and students; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia, Hereby recognize and celebrate the inaugural “Sister Cities Friendly” soccer match between the Philadelphia Union and Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt professional soccer team coming this July 14, 2018.

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