Communities Minister Visits Historic Gracehill After UNESCO Recognition

Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, has visited the Moravian village of Gracehill in County Antrim to celebrate its recent designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gracehill has now joined the Moravian Church Villages World Heritage Site, alongside Herrnhut in Germany, Christiansfeld in Denmark and Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, USA.

Minister Lyons met with members of the Gracehill Trust and representatives from Mid and East Antrim Council to tour the 18th-century village, which is the only intact Moravian settlement on the island of Ireland, to explore its unique features.

Following the visit, Minister Lyons said: "This is very much a community here in Gracehill and I’m pleased my Department was able to fund the transformation of the Old Post Office into a community hub through the Village Catalyst programme.

"My department has also supported the restoration of listed buildings in the village since the 1970s and it is great to see historic buildings like the Old Schoolhouse being brought back to life. Since the US formally decided to proceed with UNESCO designation in 2021, we have also contributed to some of the nomination costs. This recognition of a small village on the world stage is a great endorsement for Northern Ireland, reminding us all that our heritage is well worth celebrating."

Gracehill was Northern Ireland's first Conservation Area in 1974 and the landmark World Heritage status means Gracehill now joins iconic sites such as the Giants Causeway, Taj Mahal and the Sydney Opera House.

Dr David Johnston, Chair of Gracehill Trust stated: "The prize of a World Heritage listing is a huge good news story, something that we hope will echo around the whole of Northern Ireland for the benefit of everyone.

"The community vision, local collaboration and international networks have been essential in realising our UNESCO world heritage goal and we are grateful to everyone involved. There is a rich heritage across Northern Ireland and we hope this accolade will do much to help realise its importance and to promote it both now and for generations to come."