PHILADELPHIA, May 22, 2000— The Liberty Bell will have a lot of company this summer. From July 26 through August 3, the 45,000 people participating in the Republican National Convention and attending other events in Philadelphia can honor the Liberty Bell, the nation’s symbol of freedom and can visit a convention of "Liberty Bells"—one from every state and territory in the nation. The states will create works of bell-shaped art from materials reflecting their unique cultures, products and pride.

The Convention of Bells is a component of PoliticalFest, an interactive multimedia celebration of American politics to be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center as part of Philadelphia’s plan to welcome delegates, guests and media to the Republican National Convention. The event is open to the public and will also be attended by tourists and local residents.

"We want to involve the whole country," says Amy Needle, producer of the Convention of Bells. "Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge personally invited all 50 states and the territories to display a bell. Fashion Designer Nicole Miller has created a bell out of her Philadelphia print scarves."

The Convention of Bells is an idea rooted in Philadelphia history. For the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, states created Liberty Bells made of materials representative of their state. "We’re anxious to see how the bells will differ 100 years later. In 1876 the bells were made from materials like wheat and sugar: this time we’re expecting microchips and other 21^st century materials," says Needle.