The GP2 Partners pose at the official launch in the Mayor's Reception Room in

Philadelphia City Hall on February 9th. The day was proclaimed

"Greater Philadelphia Global Partners Day" by Mayor John F. Street.

Competing and succeeding takes on new meaning in a global environment. Regional competition must give way to regional cooperation as we look to expand the role of the Greater Philadelphia as a world-class business leader.

To help reach this goal, companies and organizations from around the Region have joined forces in an unprecedented partnership to work together towards a common goal. The Partners are committed to working together to organize local and regional resources and to develop collaborative strategies to ensure our mutual success in the coming decades.

Greater Philadelphia Global Partners (GP2) provides a forum through which businesses and organizations can reach out to one another, learn from one another, and work together to establish the Greater Philadelphia Region as an international leader in commerce. GP2 was created to coordinate and mobilize the resources in the Region to facilitate international trade; to identify opportunities for foreign trade investment; to encourage travel and tourism; to attract and retain talented students and skilled professionals; and to promote cultural and economic linkages with global partners.

Three initiatives have already been put into place.

The first, the International Resource Guide, provides a comprehensive resource guide, addressing the information gap for businesses seeking to access international markets and for international enterprises interested in doing business in our Region. The Global Conference Initiative will work to attract a diverse group of international players to the Region, including multilateral institutions, industry, government and academia. As these groups visit our Region, they will learn more about our strengths and extensive resources, enhancing our image and economic position on the international scene. The City of Philadelphia has already hosted a UN Forum and more conferences are being planned.

As a Region, we share many resources that contribute to the ease with which companies may participate in international commerce. But while the Region is home to many organizations seeking to develop and benefit from international trade, thus far, most have been doing so independently and without the benefit of a common road map. The Global Plan for Greater Philadelphia will join all of the international trade, economics, policy, marketing and tourism organizations in the Region to craft a shared strategy to achieve global interaction and outreach. The leadership of GP2 is comprised of many of the Region’s most active international and business organizations – all with missions dedicated to enhancing the international community.