FREE tickets available To 2012 Liberty Medal Ceremony at National Constitution Center

2012 LIBERTY MEDAL CEREMONY TICKETS AVAILABLE

ON AUGUST 14, 2012

Muhammad Ali to be Honored

Philadelphia, PA (July 23, 2012) – Tickets to the 2012 Liberty Medal ceremony, honoring Muhammad Ali, will be available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 14, 2012.  Tickets are free (processing fees apply) and can be ordered from Ticketmaster at 866.492.6326.  Callers are limited to two tickets per household.  National Constitution Center members can call on Monday, August 13, 2012, beginning at 10:00 a.m. to order tickets (no service charge will apply).  Ticket availability is limited. 

This year’s Liberty Medal ceremony will serve as the centerpiece of the nationwide celebration of the U.S. Constitution’s 225^th anniversary.  The public event will take place rain or shine on Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at the National Constitution Center in Historic Philadelphia.  The event will be broadcast live on WPVI-TV/6abc and webcast live on http://www.6abc.com/.

The 2012 Liberty Medal recognizes Muhammad Ali as a champion of freedom and a living embodiment of the Constitution who exemplifies everything the award was established to honor: individuals of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe.

Ali has long served as an icon of constitutional ideals and the realization of the American dream – all the while challenging and expanding the very definition of “We the People.”  The Olympic gold medalist and boxing legend has been an outspoken fighter for religious and civil rights; a conscientious objector who took his battle to the Supreme Court and won; an ambassador for peace and justice worldwide; and a tireless humanitarian and philanthropist.  Even as he celebrated his 70^th birthday this year, Ali has continued to break new ground as an advocate for those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, a disease he has battled since 1982. 

The Liberty Medal was established in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution.  Given annually, the medal honors men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. 

National Constitution Center Board member Ira Lubert of Independence Capital Partners will sponsor the Liberty Medal award in 2012, as he has for the past six years.  Citizens Bank is underwriting the VIP Reception for the 2012 Liberty Medal.  Citizens Bank has supported the Liberty Medal at the National Constitution Center since 2006.  Hublot, the luxury Swiss brand that brings the "Art of Fusion" to watchmaking, will celebrate the 225^th anniversary of the Constitution with a limited edition "U.S. Liberty Bang" timepiece.

The City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania also support the Liberty Medal. 

The National Constitution Center is the first and only nonprofit, nonpartisan institution devoted to the most powerful vision of freedom ever expressed: the U.S. Constitution.  Located on Independence Mall in Historic Philadelphia, the birthplace of American freedom, the Center illuminates constitutional ideals and inspires active citizenship through a state-of-the-art museum experience, including hundreds of interactive exhibits, films and rare artifacts; must-see feature exhibitions; the internationally acclaimed, 360-degree theatrical production Freedom Rising; and the iconic Signers' Hall, where visitors can sign the Constitution alongside 42 life-size, bronze statues of the Founding Fathers.  As America's forum for constitutional dialogue, the Center engages diverse, distinguished leaders of government, public policy, journalism and scholarship in timely public discussions and debates.  The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, the national hub for constitutional education, which offers cutting-edge civic learning resources both onsite and online.  Freedom is calling.  Answer it at the National Constitution Center.  For more information, call 215.409.6700 or visit http://www.constitutioncenter.org/.