Not a stranger to Philadelphia, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited the “City of Brotherly Love” with a few things on his agenda. Most importantly, Blair was recognized for his steadfast commitment to conflict resolution with the prestigious Liberty Medal award on Monday, September 13, 2010 at the National Constitution Center (NCC). Presenting him with this honor was former President Bill Clinton, chairman of the NCC and 2006 award recipient. The two former world leaders were kept quite busy during their few hours in Philadelphia. Kicking-off the day was an exclusive interview between Clinton and Blair, to which the BABC Executive Committee of the Board of Directors was invited to attend.
Established in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the US Constitution, the Liberty Medal is awarded annually to men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. The NCC awarded the 2010 Liberty Medal to Tony Blair, who served as Prime Minister for the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Blair has been praised for helping to end the conflict in Northern Ireland, working for peace in the Middle East, supporting the United States after the 9/11 attacks, and establishing the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which supports international charity work while opposing religious extremism.
The entire Board of Directors of the BABC of Greater Philadelphia was invited to sit in complimentary, reserved seats during the Liberty Medal Ceremony at the NCC on Monday, September 13, 2010. Joe Tarsavage, BABC Club Level Board Member from AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc. was interviewed by ABC right before the Liberty Medal program began. In addition to the NCC’s Liberty Medal Ceremony and a formal gala that concluded the evening, Blair spoke to an intimate gathering of guests in the early afternoon to discuss his memoir A Journey, a book about the nature and uses of political power that charts the ups and downs of his accomplished career thus far.
The BABC of Greater Philadelphia Board of Directors Executive Committee was invited to participate in this exclusive book event, featuring a conversation between Clinton and Blair. The Executive Committee heard firsthand accounts from the two world leaders about Northern Ireland, the Arab/Israeli conflict, global interdependence, the importance of partnership between nations, and the need to focus on and have faith in younger generations. The BABC group was among a very small number of attendees privileged enough to learn about global politics from the key players themselves. Clinton and Blair candidly discussed anecdotes from their tenure in office, brought the audience up-to-date on current policy in a live setting, and enabled attendees to meet and understand them as real people, with real lives, in an almost private venue.
