BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Moravian University is preparing to kick off a series of community conversations about Moravian history and the founding of America, as the country celebrates its 250th birthday this year.
The Institute for Moravian History and World Heritage at Moravian University announced the launch of “Revolutionary Conversations: Founding Ideals and America’s 250th Anniversary in Moravian Bethlehem.”
The university said the discussion series, which is produced in collaboration with PBS39 and Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, will help mark the nation’s historic milestone while exploring the Moravian community’s contributions.
The project includes a series of five community conversations around themes that engage the public with Moravian history and the founding of America, and a podcast series highlighting the themes explored in the community conversations, according to a news release from the university.
Presentations will take place on the Moravian University campus and at locations within Moravian Church Settlements—Bethlehem’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, according to the news release.
The university said attendees will also receive discounted admission to Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites exhibitions and tours exploring the role Moravian Bethlehem played in the American Revolution.
The series kicks off at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21 at Moravian University’s Payne Gallery (346 Main Street, Bethlehem.)
What Makes a Place World Heritage? Moravian Bethlehem’s Global Significance will discuss what it means to be a World Heritage site in the greater context of Bethlehem’s connection to the American Revolution and the country’s 250th anniversary, according to the university.
Charlene Donchez Mowers, former President of Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites, will facilitate the event.
The university said Donchez Mowers is among the key leaders behind Bethlehem’s successful UNESCO World Heritage designation.
“Revolutionary Conversations offers our community a unique opportunity to explore how the Moravian commitment to faith, community, and service shaped America’s founding era while strengthening our capacity for meaningful civic dialogue today,” says Dr. Katherine Faull, executive director of the Institute for Moravian History and World Heritage and Bethlehem’s World Heritage Site Manager.
“As we mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, this five-part, artifact-based series transforms spaces within the Moravian Church Settlements into places of sustained engagement where participants can examine complex historical questions together.”
“The Moravian Archives holds extraordinary documentation of daily life in 18th-century Bethlehem — from economic records to personal diaries — that reveals how this community navigated the Revolutionary period while maintaining their distinctive values,” said Dr. Paul Peucker, director of Moravian Archives.
“These primary sources offer invaluable insights into how ordinary people experienced and contributed to America’s founding, perspectives often missing from traditional historical narratives.”
“Moravian University is proud to host Revolutionary Conversations as we commemorate America’s semiquincentennial,” said Bryon Grigsby, president of Moravian University.
“This initiative reflects our institution’s ongoing commitment to civic engagement and public scholarship. By bringing together scholars, community members, and diverse voices to explore our shared heritage, we’re fostering the kind of thoughtful, respectful dialogue that our democracy needs, both in reflecting on our past and in shaping our future.”
For more information about Revolutionary Conversations and to register to attend, people can visit moravian.edu/institute-moravian-worldheritage/events.