Bridging Blocks | 250 Years of Democracy: What’s your vision for the future?

This year, Philadelphia and the country are commemorating the 250th year anniversary of our democracy. It is an optimal time to come together as a community and share perspectives on our progress and our future. 

Democracy traces its origins to 500 BCE, when the Greeks adopted Demokratia, or ‘rule by the people’. Ancient Athenians practiced direct democracy, where citizens voted and enacted laws themselves. In the United States, we live in a representative democracy, governed by elected officials. The phrase “We the People,” enshrined in the Constitution, aspires to balance power and ensure that the government serves everyone.

It begs the question: have we evolved as a nation? Is democracy still the most effective form of governance? How do you think this 3,000-year-old concept can evolve to meet the needs of modern society? 

Join us in a community conversation to discuss and explore the future of our nation’s version of democracy. At this event, you will have the opportunity to step into a recording booth and create a message to address and speak to the past, present, and future of the United States. 

Light refreshments provided. The event is free. To help ensure everyone is accommodated, registration is encouraged. 
 

Join WHYY News Community & Engagement team for Bridging Blocks, a civic dialogue series in partnership with The Free Library of Philadelphia.

Host - Tony Cuffie Senior Manager Community & Engagement, WHYY News

Moderator - Brisa Luzzi Castro Community Convener, WHYY News

Bridging Blocks, a partnership between The Free Library of Philadelphia and WHYY, is made possible by a generous grant from Fred and Barbara Sutherland

Featured Tour Guide: Charlene Mires

Charlene Mires is a historian and certified guide affiliated with the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides. She is the author of Independence Hall in American Memory, republished this year with a new preface, and one of the founding editors of The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. She is co-editor of one of the three new books derived from the encyclopedia, Greater Philadelphia and the Nation. 
 

Tour description: How do landmarks help us remember—or forget—the nation's early history? Explore this question on a one-hour walking of Independence Hall, Independence Square, and the President's House site and memorial. These walking tours will take place at 1:15 PM & 2:30 PM.