Miloslav Stašek, ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States, during a recent visit to Moravian University. Photo by Nick Chismar ’20
BETHLEHEM, PA, May 14, 2026: Leaders from the City of Bethlehem, Moravian Church Settlements—Bethlehem, Moravian University, Central Moravian Church, Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites (HBMS) and Northampton County welcomed Miloslav Stašek, ambassador of the Czech Republic, to the United States, for a historic visit on Tuesday, May 5. The visit served to strengthen the cultural and historical ties between the Czech Republic and the Moravian Church Settlements—Bethlehem, part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage site that includes Gracehill, Northern Ireland/UK; and Herrnhut, Germany, joined Christiansfeld, Denmark, as a single World Heritage site that represents the outstanding universal value of these historic settlements and the worldwide influence of the Moravian Church.
Accompanied by city, county, university, and church leadership, Ambassador Stašek and Markéta Vohralíková, head of public diplomacy of the Czech embassy in Washington, DC, toured the Moravian Church Settlements—Bethlehem, the Moravian University campus, and the Moravian Archives. The delegation explored the deep roots of the Moravian Church, which originated in the ancient Czech lands of Moravia and Bohemia before the 18th-century settlement was established in Pennsylvania.
“Our Moravian ancestors have made an everlasting footprint on America’s history and contributed to the educational, religious, architectural and cultural foundation of Pennsylvania,” Stašek said. “We were honored to visit Bethlehem, the site of the only Czech inspired UNESCO World Heritage in the United States and the place where the principles and beliefs of the Moravia Church and great teacher Jan Amos Komenský (John Amos Comenius) thrive to this day.”
A primary focus of the visit was to visit the Moravian buildings in the Moravian Church Settlements—Bethlehem World Heritage Site. The Ambassador visited the Old Chapel, where distinguished figures in America’s history, including George and Martha Washington, John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, and the Marquis de Lafayette, were known to have worshipped.
“It was an honor to host Ambassador Stašek and share the story of how our university and city were shaped by Czech-Moravian traditions,” said Bryon Grigsby ’90, P’22, P’26, P’29, president of Moravian University. “As we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States, it is vital to remember that the foundations of Bethlehem were built on a global vision of education and community. This visit reaffirms our commitment to preserving that legacy for the next 250 years.”
Moravian University student Karolina Zakova, a native of the Czech Republic, had the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Stašek as well and discuss her journey to the United States and Bethlehem.
The last visit of the day provided the ambassador with the opportunity to visit the Moravian Archives and Paul Peucker, archivist of the Moravian Church in America, Northern Province. Peucker showed the 1588 Kralice Bible and some rare documents about the American support for the Moravian Church in Czech lands. He also showed maps of the Bethlehem settlement from the 1740s.
The Ambassador’s visit is one more milestone in a significant year for the City of Bethlehem and Moravian Church Settlements—Bethlehem celebrating the nation’s 250th Anniversary with events and educational opportunities offered throughout the year.
Media contact(s):
Moravian University
Michael Corr
corrm@moravian.edu
Tel: +1 610.861.1365
Embassy of the Czech Republic
Andrea Pohl
Public Relations Specialist
Washington, DC 20008 – USA
andrea.pohl@mzv.gov.cz
tel.: +1 202 274-9129
About Moravian University
Moravian University, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is the nation’s sixth-oldest university and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates. For more than 280 years, Moravian University’s education has been preparing each individual for a reflective life, fulfilling careers and transformative leadership in a world of change. Moravian University is a member of The New American Colleges and Universities (NACU), a national consortium of private comprehensive colleges and universities working together to graduate extraordinary professionals for a global workforce and society.
In 2024, Moravian University became part of a World Heritage designation when Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem, Gracehill (Northern Ireland, UK), and Herrnhut (Saxony, Germany) joined Christiansfeld (Denmark) as a single World Heritage Site—Moravian Church Settlements. Moravian is just the second university in the United States to be part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation and only the eighth university in the world to have this recognition.
Visit moravian.edu to learn more about how Moravian University prepares its students for lifelong success.