Representatives from the United States, Denmark, Northern Ireland/United Kingdom, and Germany Gather to Mark Historic Transnational UNESCO World Heritage Inscription of Moravian Church Settlements

BETHLEHEM, Pa., Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — On Thursday, the Bethlehem World Heritage Council and Commission along with the City of Bethlehem, Bethlehem Area Moravians, Central Moravian Church, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, and Moravian University celebrated the momentous transnational inscription of the Moravian Church Settlements to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Delegates from the United States; Christiansfeld, Denmark; Gracehill, Northern Ireland/U.K.; and Herrnhut, Germany gathered in Bethlehem for several days to take part in the official inscription ceremony and to reflect on the significance of this honor for the worldwide Moravian Church.

The celebrations included a worship service featuring the voices of the Moravian Church Settlements in addition to the official International Recognition of Inscription Ceremony followed by a press conference and delegates dinner featuring a performance from the Bach Choir.

“It is an extraordinary privilege to welcome our World Heritage friends and partners to Bethlehem for this long-anticipated inscription ceremony,” said Moravian University President Bryon L. Grigsby. “This recognition not only honors the rich cultural and historical significance of the Moravian Church Settlements but also places Bethlehem on the world stage as a guardian of our shared human heritage. Today, we celebrate a momentous milestone for the U.S., but also a shared global commitment along with our partners in Denmark, Northern Ireland, U.K., and Germany, to preserve the legacy and values of a community that has connected continents and cultures for centuries.”

Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem welcomed several high-ranking officials at the celebration including U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO Courtney O’Donnell, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma, and Director of the World Heritage Centre Lazare Eloundou-Assomo.

“Returning to Bethlehem for such a significant event is deeply meaningful,” said Deputy Secretary of State Richard R. Verma, a former Lehigh University graduate. “The inscription of the Moravian Church Settlements as a UNESCO World Heritage Site honors their cultural and historical significance. The United States is proud to play a key role in ensuring that World Heritage protects both natural and cultural sites of outstanding value, reflecting our commitment to preserving our rich heritage for generations to come.”

Representatives from the National Park Service were also in attendance to celebrate the historic moment and participate in the presentation of the Certificate of Inscription.

“Bethlehem joins a very select group of American places, including the Grand Canyon and Independence Hall, that have been named World Heritage sites because of their outstanding universal value,” said Pedro Ramos, acting National Park Service deputy director for Congressional and External Affairs. “The National Park Service, on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, is responsible for identifying and nominating U.S. sites to the World Heritage List. It was an honor to accept the Certificate of Inscription from UNESCO and present it to the City of Bethlehem for their dedication to safeguarding these treasures.”

Moravian Church Settlements is the first transnational, serial World Heritage Site in the U.S. and is the result of a decades-long effort among Bethlehem Area Moravians, Central Moravian Church, City of Bethlehem, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, Moravian University, and with the support of Northampton County and others. Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem is now the 26th World Heritage site in the United States and the third in Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit https://moravianchurchsettlements.org.

ABOUT MORAVIAN CHURCH SETTLEMENTS

Moravian Church Settlements is a transnational extension of Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement in Denmark founded in 1773 and inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2015. The Moravian Church is a Protestant denomination in the free church tradition centered in Herrnhut, Saxony, Germany. The extension includes three additional component parts:

Bethlehem (USA) was established in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1741. This highlights the early transatlantic dimension of the Moravian Church phenomenon during a prolific settlement-building decade and added the cultural dimension of the Moravians’ outreach to Native Americans.

Gracehill (U.K.) was founded in Northern Ireland in 1759. It represents the significance of the Moravian Church in the U.K. and exemplifies a unique series of ‘ideal’ urban plans that demonstrate a notable gender axis. This is showcased by the division of the town plan into a sisters’ side and a brothers’ side, which directly reflects the fundamental functional structure of Moravian society.

Herrnhut (Germany) is considered the ‘mother’ or ‘founding town’ of the Renewed Moravian Church. It was established in 1722 in Saxony and evolved in line with the development of Moravian theology and societal ideals. This town defined the principles of all Moravian Church settlements.

Media Contact

Craig Larimer, Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem, 610-360-0419, larimerc@moravianchurchsettlements.org

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SOURCE Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Soldout.com is thrilled to announce its partnership as the official ticket resale partner for eight NCAA Division 1 conferences, who’s exclusive sponsorship and marketing rights are represented by Van Wagner College.

This marks another significant milestone for Soldout.com as the company expands its reach in the collegiate sports arena.

“We are proud to partner with these eight conferences and expand our presence in the college sports landscape,” said Andrew Hentrich, President of Soldout.com. “This partnership offers us an exciting opportunity to engage with the dedicated college fanbase by providing them a secure, easy, and enjoyable ticketing experience.”

The conferences include the America East, Big South, The Big West, Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), Sun Belt, Southland, Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the West Coast Conference (WCC). Collectively, the eight conferences will allow Soldout.com to reach 87 colleges and almost 10 million alumni, in addition to thousands of fans and students.

“We look forward to providing Soldout.com with valuable hours of brand building exposure around our multiple conference basketball championships, in addition to a year-round national marketing platform to reach the college fanbase,” said Mark Massari, Vice President of Van Wagner College.

As the official ticket resale marketplace sponsor, Soldout.com will provide each of the eight conferences fans with a reliable platform to buy tickets during the regular season and during each conference’s championship, including their highly visible basketball tournaments each March. 

About Soldout.com
Soldout.com is a leading online ticket marketplace, led by founder and president Andrew Hentrich, a 40-year veteran in the ticketing industry. We are a trusted partner for venues, teams, and promoters by specializing in strategic partnerships that benefit both event organizers and fans. Whether it’s concerts, sports, theater, or festivals, Soldout.com connects people to the events they love. For more information, visit Soldout.com or follow us on social media

About Van Wagner 
Van Wagner is a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Wagner Group LLC that creates, advises, and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands, properties, and colleges. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and the highest levels of international soccer, sponsorships sales, premium ticketing, college multi-media rights, and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events. www.vanwagner.com.

Contact:
press@soldout.com

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SOURCE SoldOut.com

HANGZHOU, China, Oct. 18, 2024 /CNW/ — Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (“Hikvision”) announced that 16 of its LED display products received the Green Product Mark certification from TÜV Rheinland—the first in the LED display industry achieving this distinction. Based on the 2 PfG E 0052/06.2024 standard, this certification highlights compliance with stringent environmental criteria. TÜV Rheinland, with over 150 years of history, is a member of the UN Global Compact and the Global Ecolabelling Network, making its certifications widely recognized.

The certified products include the CW, BW, and other series, covering various mainstream packaging technologies. They passed comprehensive evaluations in product technical compliance, restricted substances control, carbon footprint, and recyclability. Recognized for outstanding environmental performance and sustainability, these products adhere to high green standards throughout.

Hikvision’s LED products strictly follow rigorous environmental standards in material selection and production. By using eco-friendly materials, optimizing designs, implementing intelligent manufacturing, and enforcing strict quality control, the products minimize environmental impact throughout their lifecycle. Notably, the casings are made with up to 90% recycled aluminum, and packaging cartons use 100% recycled materials, significantly reducing waste.

Moreover, the new generation of Hikvision’s LED products incorporates three energy-saving technologies: flip-chip packaging, common cathode driving, and intelligent power systems. These innovations significantly reduce carbon emissions, standing out among high-energy-consuming industrial products. They also achieve a remarkable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to environmental features, these LED products maintain industry-leading quality. They utilize proprietary display control systems for stability and safety. Dynamic energy-saving algorithms automatically recognize high-brightness image details and adjust local brightness seamlessly, providing a comfortable viewing experience while enhancing image quality and reducing energy consumption.

Earning the TÜV Rheinland Green Product Mark certification underscores Hikvision’s commitment to green and low-carbon production. The company has consistently invested in green innovation, integrating sustainable design concepts like automation, modularization, and recyclability into product development. By focusing on the entire product lifecycle—from raw materials to end-of-life—Hikvision ensures its products meet green requirements throughout.

Looking ahead, Hikvision will continue to embed sustainability into its operations, promoting social responsibility alongside business growth.

More about Hikvision’s LED Products

All raw materials of Hikvision’s LED products undergo strict inspections, including tests for photoelectric parameters, environmental adaptability, electrical properties, stability, dimensional accuracy, material characteristics, and appearance, ensuring quality before production.

By deploying intelligent manufacturing equipment—achieving automatic SMT, assembly, aging, packaging, and warehousing—the entire process is fully automated, effectively preventing quality issues. With bases in Hangzhou and Wuhan, and over 20 automated production lines, annual production of Hikvision LED display screens exceeds 500,000 square meters.

Hikvision operates seven laboratories covering EMC, environmental testing, safety regulations, electrical performance, and more, holding certifications such as CNAS, UL, and CCC. These facilities enable LED products to undergo rigorous tests for temperature impact, salt spray, vibration, dissipation, and waterproofing, ensuring stable and reliable operation in various environments.

For more details and updates, please visit the official website of Hikvision Commercial Displays.

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SOURCE Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.