Two years after the Philadelphia Eagles were awarded the Beyond Sport award for Team of the Year, the city of Philadelphia will host the 2013 Beyond Sport Summit from September 9 to 11, Mayor Michael Nutter announced Wednesday at City Hall.
Beyond Sport defines itself as "a global organization that promotes, develops and supports the use of sports to create positive social change across the world." The Eagles were awarded the Team of the Year award in Cape Town, South Africa in 2011 for their commitment to addressing social issues in the community.
The summit in September will be held throughout Philadelphia and will include events at Lincoln Financial Field.
"I think we're the greatest sports town in the United States of America, and we know that sport has a tremendous impact, especially on our young people," said Nutter during the announcement, where he was joined by Eagles great Brian Dawkins and former Philadelphia 76er Dikembe Mutombo.
Eagles president Don Smolenski explained why the Eagles helped to bring this year's summit to Philadelphia.
Beyond Sport "asked if we would support and take a leadership role in bringing the parties together," he said. "Giving back to the community and being involved in the community is part of our DNA, as it is with the other sports teams in the area. We didn't hesitate to be involved because it showcases the cities. It showcases all the teams. It showcases all the great work done in our community."
