Birmingham, Alabama -- Birmingham city leaders, fresh off a visit from the Dalai Lama, are turning their attention to bringing Pope Francis here in 2015.

AL.com has learned Mayor William Bell sent an invitation to the Vatican, asking the worldwide Catholic leader to add Birmingham to his U.S. itinerary.

"We sent a letter to the Holy Father about a year ago inviting him to come to Birmingham because of the international recognition that Birmingham has as cradle of the civil rights movement," Bell said when contacted about the city's latest high-profile campaign. "We had not heard back from them until recently."

While the Vatican has yet to say yes or no, Bell said he was encouraged that city received a reply that expressed some interest.

"We're just excited about this opportunity to showcase Birmingham as an international city," he said.

The international Catholic event was founded in 1994 by Pope John Paul II. Francis in August said he planned to attend the Philadelphia event and possibly travel to Washington D.C. and New York.

Bell is lobbying to have Birmingham added to the list.

Like last week's Dalai Lama visit, Birmingham officials said a visit from the Pope would further underscore the city's significance in civil and human rights history and bring thousands of visitors.

"Pope Francis is a champion of human rights for all people," Bell said. "That's why we thought it would be a perfect fit for him to visit Birmingham."

Seminal moments in Birmingham during the 1960s, including Martin Luther King's

"Letter from Birmingham Jail," and the bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, have been cited as inspirations by global civil and human rights activists.

Bell said the visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader and Noble Peace Prize laureate proved to a larger audience that Birmingham is capable of hosting international figures.

"I've always known that we could," he said. "I always try to demonstrate to people that we do have the ability to do such things."

A papal visit could also help bolster Birmingham's forthcoming application to gain World Heritage Site designation for key civil rights sites here and across the state.