BETHLEHEM, Pa. — On Thursday, Oct. 17, Bethlehem’s Moravian settlements were officially inscribed as the first U.S. transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site at Moravian University in Foy Hall, along with sites in Gracehill, Northern Ireland; Herrnhut, Germany; and Christiansfeld, Denmark.
Moravian University president Bryon Grigsby began the ceremony in place of Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds, who could not attend due to illness.
Grigsby said, “I believe God is with us,” in reference to the continued appearance of the number 26.
After more than two decades of preparation and application, the World Heritage Committee voted on July 26 to officially recognize the designation.
When the vote was made, Grigsby was in attendance in New Delhi, India.
Grigsby also pointed out that the Moravian star is a 26-point polyhedron, the symbol of the Moravians and Moravian University.
The Bethlehem site is 10 acres in Downtown Bethlehem, including nine structures, four ruins, and God’s Acre Cemetery.
The other three sites in the designation share similar architectural qualities with a village structure.
Along with physical similarities, the Moravians made a similar cultural impact in each nation, with values of community, education, religion, and more.
Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure spoke on the Moravians’ history of escaping religious persecution and remaining resilient in the face of hardships.
“There are many real people who made real sacrifices that allowed us to get to this happy occasion,” McClure said.
Most speakers at the ceremony mentioned the importance of continuing to preserve and celebrate the Moravian culture and legacy through the continued partnership of the four sites.
They said this ceremony was the beginning of a long collaboration between the nations and sites.
“Now inscribed, we can look forward to many years of deepening ties between the settlements and also between our countries,” Gordon Lyons, minister of the Gracehill Moravian Church, said.
The international recognition of becoming a World Heritage Site is expected to drive tourism in Bethlehem.
Congresswoman Susan Wild expressed pride in the Lehigh Valley for achieving this designation and continuing to forge connections internationally.
This increased tourism will provide an economic boost to Bethlehem.
“Your presence today is what world heritage is all about,” Lazare Eloundou-Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, said, addressing the crowd. “The journey hasn’t ended, it is only starting.”
