Association History

Bethlehem, PA and Murska Sobota, Slovenia are Sister Cities.  B/MSSCA takes great pride maintaining an active cultural partnership with our brothers and sisters in Murska Sobota and the surrounding areas of Slovenia.

Our journey began in 1995 as a dream of Stephan (Stefan) Antalics, our Founder, having grown into a Sister City membership approaching 200 members from all over the World.

Our organization is active in many ways including the:

• Student Exchange Program between Bethlehem and Murska Sobota;
• Book Purchase Program to purchase and ship necessary text books to Slovenian students;
• Spring (April) and Fall (November) Heritage Day programs include guest speakers;
• Independence Flag Raising celebration is held every June at Payrow Plaza followed with a luncheon and local musical entertainment in Bethlehem, PA;
• Fall Fund Raising Event (Sept/Oct) with luncheon and local musical entertainment;
• Arranging concerts and housing for Slovenian musicians/singers visiting Bethlehem;
• Assist with Banana Factory ArtsQuest Program in Bethlehem with the discovery and recognition of various Slovenian cultural contributions to people in America and Europe.

Our Mission is to maintain a cultural exchange program to promote our ethnic heritage within our communities.  B/MSSCA continues to explore ways to enlighten those seeking connections to their Slovenian heritage.  Our membership continues to grow into the 21st Century.