Dare to Declare challenges Philadelphians to take bold action for the collective good so that everyone can fully realize their rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. PHILADELPHIA250 is developing a set of activities that will encourage conversation and debate about the contemporary meanings of the Declaration of Independence – and inspire people to take action to ensure these ideas are made real.
These activities form a Declaration Station, a flexible, multifaceted civic engagement toolkit made up of digital and physical elements that connect to one another. Each hands-on activity in the Declaration Station is designed to generate awareness of the upcoming 250th, get people thinking about how they want to mark this milestone anniversary, and encourage meaningful civic participation to improve the quality of life in all of our communities.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”
Read all 1,337 words in our founding document and you will see that it marked a revolutionary shift in how people viewed their leaders. It called for a new system of government of, by and for the people.
Think about the aspirations of the Continental Congress, the authors and signers of the Declaration. Pay attention to the grievances against King George III — experiences that drove the colonists to take action. And consider the people who were not included in this vision for a free and independent United States.
Fun and thought-provoking questions inspired by the four themes of PHILADELPHIA250 are combined with fresh artwork from emerging Philadelphia artists. Find out where you can get a deck and start declaring with your friends and colleagues. Contact us here to learn more.