WDEC 2025 at Berlin's cemeteries

Explore the program of events taking place at various cemeteries in Berlin during the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2025 and later on.

23-24 May 2025

Be the first bird - Bird listening at St. Elisabeth II

• About the event: A nature education program for families, including an overnight stay.
• Schedule: Friday, 23 May at 17:00 to Saturday, 24 May at 08:00
• Location: Cemetery Chapel of St. Elisabeth II
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

23 May 2025

JAMES TURRELL - Light Art Presentation

• About the event: An art exhibition accompanied by an introductory lecture in German and English, held from Friday to Sunday at sunset (start times vary).
• Schedule: Friday, 23 May at 20:45
• Location: Dorotheenstädt Cemetery I
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

24 May 2025

For all eternity - A tour of the Dorotheenstädt Cemetery

• About the event: A guided tour exploring the history and significance of one of Berlin’s most renowned cemeteries.
• Schedule: Saturday, 24 May from 11:00 to 13:00
• Location: Dorotheenstädt Cemetery I
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

30-31 May 2025

Be the first bird - Bird listening at St. Elisabeth II

• About the event: A nature education program for families, including an overnight stay.
• Schedule: Friday, 30 May at 17:00 to Saturday, 31 May at 08:00 
• Location: Cemetery Chapel of St. Elisabeth II
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

31 May 2025

JAMES TURRELL - Light Art Presentation

• About the event: An art exhibition accompanied by an introductory lecture in German and English, held from Friday to Sunday at sunset (start times vary).
• Schedule: Saturday, 31 May at 20:45
• Location: Dorotheenstädt Cemetery I
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

1 June 2025

Guided tour of the Dorotheenstädt Cemetery

• About the event: Discover the stories and resting places of notable figures on a guided tour through this historic cemetery.
• Schedule: Sunday, 1 June at 15:00
• Location: Dorotheenstädt Cemetery I
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

More to come

Additional events are published on the website of the Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center: https://evfbs.de.

1945-2025 Monuments and tombs tell the story of the Liberation

A digital itinerary featuring some of the notable Italian monuments and tombs that tell the story of the Liberation from Nazi-fascism.

This year, April 25th carries special significance. Not only because it's the 80th anniversary of Italy's Liberation from Nazi-fascism, but also because it's a symbolic date marking the end of the Second World War. Today, several armed conflicts are still ongoing, even not too far from our country, which oblige us to reflect on the Resistance, its protagonists, and the enduring meaning of the Liberation.

The 2025 project of the Working Group for the Historical-Artistic and Touristic Valorization of Italian Public Cemeteries of Utilitalia SEFIT, aims to highlight some of the monuments and tombs that tell the story of the Liberation inside and outside cemetery walls. This initiative is presented through a digital Google Maps itinerary titled "1945–2025: Monuments and Tombs Tell the Story of the Liberation", accessible HERE.

*Photo: Verano cemetery - Sepolcreto dei caduti nella lotta per la Liberazione, © Daniele.Brundu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

ASCE President at the International Conference in Nova Gorica

ASCE President, Mrs. Lidija Pliberšek, participated in the International Conference on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, held from April 14 to 16, 2025.

About the event

From April 14 to 16, 2025, the ASCE President, Mrs. Lidija Pliberšek, participated in the International Conference "Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe: Recognition and Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Cross-Border Regions", held in the cross-border towns of Gorizia (Italy), Nova Gorica, and Tolmin (Slovenia).

The event gathered representatives of the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes, cultural heritage experts, local community representatives, and partners of the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) to explore the role of Cultural Routes in fostering cross-border cooperation and preserving shared heritage.

Presentation of ASCE and European Cemeteries Route

As part of the official conference program, Mrs. Pliberšek presented the work of ASCE and the European Cemeteries Route, a certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. In her presentation, cemeteries were portrayed as complex cultural landscapes with multiple dimensions: spaces of remembrance and burial, carriers of cultural and historical narratives, and increasingly as destinations for respectful, value-based tourism.

ASCE President also highlighted several key ASCE projects and the Park of Remembrance in Maribor, Slovenia, opened as part of the European Capital of Culture 2012, as a cross-border symbol of shared memory of the victims of the First and Second World Wars and post-war killings – without divisions and without judgments of values.

Her presentation emphasized the significance of cemeteries and the European Cemeteries Route in fostering cross-border cultural awareness and preserving Europe’s diverse heritage.

You can find the event program HERE.

Piran Cemetery (Piran, Slovenia)

A unique cultural landmark that reflects the town’s rich heritage, architectural elegance, and multicultural legacy.

About the cemetery

The old town cemetery was located near the parish church of St. George. Prominent Piran families arranged their tombs inside Piran’s churches. Some records suggest that as early as 1765, the Piran municipal assembly sought to relocate the cemetery outside the city walls, but actual preparations began only in the early 19th century. Based on plans of Pietro Gregoretti, the cemetery was completed in its current location in 1812.

By the 1860s, the cemetery had to be expanded. During this time, the cemetery church of St. Mohor and Fortunat and the entrance hall were built. The project was designed by Piran architect Giuseppe Moso. A memorial plaque indicates that the cemetery was consecrated by the Bishop of Trieste-Koper, Bartolomeo Legat, on September 27, 1862.

To store bones from abandoned and emptied graves, an ossuary (Ossario di Pirano) was built in the 1930s. It served its purpose for 24 years, from 1939 to 1963. Even today, the remains of hundreds of Piran residents are preserved there in wooden boxes, each labeled the deceased's name, surname, and in some cases a photograph. The Piran ossuary is the only example of its kind in Slovenian Istria.

As Piran’s population grew, burial spaces became scarce, leading to multiple cemetery expansions and renovations. In the 1960s, the cemetery gained its first mortuary chapels, designed by architect Edo Mihevc. Previously, the deceased were kept at home or in hospitals before burial. During the same period, the children’s section of the cemetery was expanded.

Further expansions followed over time. Unique features of the cemetery include a concrete tomb modeled after a similar structure in Trieste, as well as a commemorative monument for those whose ashes were scattered in the sea.

Today, the cemetery represents a significant cultural and artistic heritage site, showcasing a rich collection of historical tombstones, architectural details, and artistic elements that reflect the centuries-long history of Piran.

Important architectural and landscape design elements

The Piran Cemetery boasts rich architectural and artistic heritage. Key features include:

• the Entrance hall (Giuseppe Moso, 1860)
• the Chapel of St. Mohor and Fortunat
• the De Castro family tomb
• numerous obelisks and artistically designed tomb sculptures
• the historic ossuary, the only one in Slovenian Istria

The cemetery was designed following the Trieste model and influenced by Italian cemetery architecture, with a grand entrance and a central chapel. A notable feature is its terraced layout, enclosed by a fence, typical of the Tuscan style. The strong historical ties between Trieste and the Istrian Peninsula are reflected in the artistic influences and the presence of artists who lived and worked in both regions.

Like other Istrian cemeteries, Piran’s cemetery is distinguished by tall, pyramid-shaped cypress trees (Cupressus sempervirens), which line its pathways, visually dominating the space and enhancing the landscape design.

Historic significance of the cemetery

The Piran Cemetery is a significant historical testament to the city's multicultural past and the political changes that shaped its development. Over the centuries, Piran was governed by various regimes, each leaving its mark on the city and its cemetery, reflecting Istrian-Venetian, Austro-Hungarian, French, Italian, and Croatian influences. Due to Piran’s multicultural history, gravestones bear inscriptions in multiple languages, reflecting the diverse regimes and cultures that coexisted in the region.

The cemetery is also the final resting place of notable figures, including:

• Enrico Fonda (Italian painter)
• Antonio Sema (Italian historian and writer)
• František Čap (director, screenwriter, editor)
• Herman Pečarič (Slovenian painter)
• Zdravko Slamnik (writer, aka Pavle Zidar)
• Viktor Birsa (Slovenian painter)
• Diego de Castro (Italian historian and writer)
• Janez Lenassi (Slovenian sculptor)
• Zvest Apollonio (Slovenian painter)
• Rita Pierobon (Italian opera singer)
• Ulay – Frank Uwe Laysiepen (German artist)
• Vinci Vogue Anžlovar (Slovenian director, screenwriter, composer, editor, and actor).

Cemetery address

Fiesa 1,
6330 Piran,
Slovenia

Contacts

Javno podjetje OKOLJE Piran d.o.o.
Arze 1b, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
+386 5 617 50 00
info@okoljepiran.si

Basic data

Date of first burial: June 1st 1812
Cemetery area: 2ha
Approximate number of graves: 3700
Approximate number of yearly burials: 140

WDEC 2025 in Budapest

Discover the activities that will take place in Fiumei Road Cemetery as part of the WDEC 2025 and the Gardens of 80 project.

New Flower Bed

As part of this year's Week of Discovering European Cemeteries and the Gardens of 80 project, a new flower bed will be created at the World War II memorial, a frequently visited part of the Fiumei Road Cemetery. The composition, made of  flowers in two colors, will symbolize 80 years of peace following the end of World War II.

Live Image

On May 9, 2025, a special event will take place at Fiumei Road Cemetery, where students will come together to create a powerful visual message of unity and hope. Dressed in identical white T-shirts, they will form the word “PEACE” around the newly planted flower bed in a coordinated human formation flashmob. This formation will be recorded by a drone. The footage will be later enhanced with a musical background and shared publicly as a meaningful message of peace.

Message of Peace

Mr. Gábor Móczár, General Director of the Hungarian National Heritage Institute, will take a short walk through the newly planted tree alley at Fiumei Road Cemetery, which consists of nearly 80 trees, and will share his message of peace in a brief speech. The video will launch by May 9, 2025.

Guided Walk

A special guided walk entitled "The Struggle of Our Ancestors Is Transformed into Peace Through Remembrance" will take place at the Fiumei Road Cemetery, commemorating 80 years since the end of the Second World War. During the programme, we will explore life’s works of the writers, poets, and visual artists buried here, seeking to understand how the themes of war and peace appear in their creative legacy.

Highlights of the walk include:

• The Memorial to the Hungarian Victims of World War II
• Poets Mihály Babits and Miklós Radnóti
• Sculptor György Zala and painter Jenő Barcsay
• Composer Ferenc Erkel

The walk will take place on May 9, 2025, at 11 am and will last approximately 1.5 hours. It will be conducted in Hungarian.

Additional information

The exact schedule of events and further details will follow. For any questions, please contact István Kovács at istvan.kovacs@nori.gov.hu.

Spring events at Brussels Cemeteries 2025

Check out the latest issue of Epitaaf's publication Tafofiel and explore the events program taking place at Brussels' cemeteries this spring.

Cemeteries as cultural spaces

Cemeteries are transforming into vibrant cultural spaces that bring together history, heritage, and community. Far from being places of silence alone, they host a wide variety of public activities that invite reflection, discovery, and participation. These events reflect a growing awareness of the role cemeteries play not only as places of remembrance but also as shared cultural landscapes. They contribute to making heritage more accessible and meaningful to all generations.

Spring events at Brussels Cemeteries

This spring, cemeteries across Brussels are hosting a variety of events that highlight the significance of these spaces. Discover the full overview of activities in the latest edition of Tafofiel, the official publication of the Epitaaf association.

You can download Tafofiel 66 (in Dutch) HERE.

Appointment in the Garden 2025

APGI - Associazione Parchi e Giardini d'Italia invites you to join the Appointment in the Garden initiative, which will take place on the 7th and 8th of June 2025.

Cemeteries as gardens

Cemeteries are often overlooked as green spaces, yet, in many ways, they are gardens in their own right—places where nature, memory, and culture intertwine. Landscaped with care, shaped by history, and rich in symbolism, cemeteries form serene environments for reflection, remembrance, and discovery.

In this context, we are pleased to forward the invitation from APGI - Associazione Parchi e Giardini d'Italia to participate in the "Appuntamento in Giardino" initiative (English: Appointment in the Garden), which this year beautifully aligns with the ASCE Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, both in theme and timing.

About the "Appuntamento in Giardino" initiative

Designed as a garden celebration, the event invites the general public to rediscover Italy’s gardens as living cultural heritage through a variety of events and activities. Participation is open to all gardens, whether historic or contemporary, that have historical, artistic, landscape, or botanical significance.

Held in collaboration with Rendez-vous aux Jardins, this initiative will take place simultaneously in numerous European countries.

For more information about the initiative, click HERE or visit the website www.apgi.it.

Theme: Gardens of stones, stones of the garden

Year after year, the chosen theme invites the public to rediscover the universe of the garden through a new perspective. This year’s theme for the "Appuntamento in Giardino" initiative is Gardens of Stones, Stones of the Garden.

Please note that aligning with the proposed theme is not mandatory for the design of proposed activities. You can animate the days with a wide variety of events, including guided tours, conferences, meetings with owners, gardeners, and botanists, gardening lessons, workshops for children, demonstrations, concerts, performances, exhibitions, tastings, night openings, and more.

How to participate

Each garden can choose one or more days to participate in the initiative (Saturday, 7 June; Sunday, 8 June; or both days).

Registrations will be open until the 1st of May 2025. You can sign up your garden HERE.

For any questions, please contact appuntamentoingiardino@apgi.it.

AGM 2025: Accommodation in Dresden

Accommodation options for the AGM 2025, taking place in Dresden, Germany, from 4 to 6 September.

Event date and locations

This year's AGM and Conference will take place from 4 to 6 September 2025 in Dresden, Germany.

The event will take place in the Kulturrathaus – a cultural center located at Königstraße 15, 01097 Dresden, Germany.

Conference theme

This year ASCE’s annual conference will focus on the theme "Future through Remembrance". Against the background of the end of World War II we want to focus on communication and interaction. You can find all the details HERE.

Accommodation suggestions

Participants are responsible for arranging their own accommodation for the AGM. To make this process as easy as possible, we have prepared a list of recommended hotels near the event venue. The list is available at the link below, where you can also make your reservation.

Nonetheless, staying at one of these hotels is not required. You are free to use booking platforms to find other accommodation options that better suit your needs.

➤ MAKE YOUR RESERVATION

ASCE Conference 2025: Call for papers

The theme of this year's conference is "Future through Remembrance". Presentation abstracts should be submitted by May 5, 2025.

Conference theme: Future through Remembrance

This year ASCE’s annual conference will focus on the theme "Future through Remembrance", a challenging subject for all the participants in the cemetery's heritage field. Against the background of the end of World War II we want to focus on communication and interaction.

• Get started transforming stories from your cemetery.
• Get your cemetery story told.
• Use IT and social media.
• Not get lost in your cemetery story archive.
• Find partners for your storytelling project.
• Finance your cemetery art or film project.
• Be strong in realizing your cemetery story project against all odds.

For more information about the content and about proposed ideas for the authors please find attached the link to a project on the victims of violence and war in Dresden’s cemeteries that has just been published by rhetorical City of Dresden: https://www.dresdner-friedhoefe.de.

Conference dates and location

The Conference will take place on Friday and Saturday, September 5-6, 2025, in Dresden, Germany.
The venue and event program will be released in the following weeks.

Proposals

Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words summarising your intended paper no later than Monday, May 5, 2025, by using the following form.

FORM FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS

Accepted authors will be notified by June 15, 2025.

Conference papers

Presentations should last no longer than 15 minutes, excluding questions.

We are seeking speakers with practical knowledge or experience who can communicate interesting and diverse presentations to the international audience.

The conference language is English. 

Editorial board

• Prof. Thomas Kübler, phd
• Ian Dungavell, phd
• Andreea Pop, phd
• Ioanna Paraskevopoulou, phd

Further information

For any questions, please contact Andreea Pop at andreea@significantcemeteries.org.

Feriköy Protestant Cemetery, Istanbul: New website, new bulletin

The Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative has updated its website, which includes the latest edition of the bulletin The Ledger.

The Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative has updated its website with fresh content about the cemetery and the Initiative’s efforts to preserve and promote it for more than half a decade. Besides presenting six years of activities and outreach, the site contains publications and other resources about the cemetery. 

Included among the items is the latest edition of the Initiative’s bulletin, The Ledger, published in December 2024. Entering its fifth year in 2025, the bulletin not only reports current happenings but also features articles about the cemetery's inhabitants and history, highlighting new information as it comes to light.

Inquiries about the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative and its projects can be sent to info@ferikoycemetery.org. Correspondence about The Ledger can be addressed to the editor bdjohnson62@gmail.com.

Book: "Cementerios y migraciones"

A fascinating book by Celeste Castiglione about migration, memory, and burial spaces in Buenos Aires.

About the book

The book "Cementerios y migraciones: Memorias, espacios funerarios y otras historias de la provincia de Buenos Aires" by Celeste Castiglione delves into the history of migration in the province of Buenos Aires by examining the experience of death far from one’s homeland. 

Through the lens of cemeteries, she explores these spaces as unique sites where memory, identity, and cultural influences converge. These burial grounds serve as witnesses to social dynamics, revealing patterns, ruptures, and continuities that shape collective history.

Find out more at www.edunpaz.unpaz.edu.ar

New book release: “Florence's English Cemetery, 1827-1877: Thunders of White Silence”

An overview of all the tombs at the English Cemetery in Florence and insight into its restoration.

About the book

We are pleased to announce the publication of a comprehensive new work, Florence's English Cemetery, 1827-1877: Thunders of White Silence, by Julia Bolton Holloway, the custodian of the English Cemetery in Florence for over two decades.

This 927-page volume, with a 53-page index, meticulously catalogs all existing and lost tombs of the English Cemetery in Florence (which is part of the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe), drawing from extensive archival records. The final chapter details the restoration of the cemetery and its beautiful iris garden—Florence's lily—a project carried out by Romanian Roma in Florence, who were taught literacy skills and the art of incising inscriptions on marble.

Book purchase

The book is available through Cambridge University Press, with a 25% discount for registered users. All royalties from the book will support the ongoing preservation of the cemetery.

XIth City and Book Conference: Call for papers

The Aureo Anello Association invites you to participate in the XIth City and Book International Conference, taking place on 26 April 2025 in Florence, Italy, and via Zoom.

About the event

The Accademia delle Arti del Disegno (Via Orsanmichele 4, 50123 Firenze, Italy) will host the XIth City and Book International Conference on Saturday, 26 April 2025.

The event will be conducted both in person and via Zoom, ensuring accessibility for a global audience.

Call for papers

For more information, including guidelines for presentation submissions and registration details, please contact Julia Bolton Holloway, president of the Aureo Anello Association, at juliananchoress@gmail.com.

As customary, the proceedings will be published on the Aureo Anello Association website.

*Photo source: www.florin.ms

New book release: "Cimiteri e dintorni. Uno spazio di dialogo tra generazioni"

A book on contemporary perception of cemeteries and their potential as spaces for intergenerational dialogue, memory, and life.

A collection of presentations

"Cimiteri e dintorni. Uno spazio di dialogo tra generazioni" is a newly published book, developed through the collaboration of ASCE members from Turin and the University of Turin.

The book was created following the international conference "Around Cemeteries: a space of dialogue across generations and cultures," which was held in Turin on May 30 and 31, 2023. The conference brought together scholars, professionals, and researchers from various fields to discuss cemeteries as places of cultural exchange, historical reflection, and intergenerational dialogue. The presentations from this event have now been compiled into this volume, offering valuable insights into the role of cemeteries in our societies.

Contents of the book

Cimiteri e dintorni explores cemeteries not just as places of remembrance but also as spaces that foster dialogue between generations and cultures. It examines how cemeteries can serve as educational tools, heritage sites, and venues for public engagement. By addressing topics such as memory, identity, artistic expression, and social transformation, the book provides a comprehensive perspective on the significance of cemeteries in contemporary society.

Book purchase

The book was edited by Esterino Adami, Antonella Amatuzzi, and Laura Ramello and published by Neos Edizioni. It is available in Italian and can be purchased on Amazon Italy.

26th Cemeteries Colloquium: Call for papers

The Cemetery Research Group invites you to participate in the 26th Cemeteries Colloquium, taking place on the 23rd May 2025 in York, UK.

About the event

On the 23rd of May 2025, the 26th Cemeteries Colloquium will take place as a live meeting in York, United Kingdom.

The Colloquium, organized by the Cemetery Research Group (CRG), has developed into an essential forum for the discussion of new and emerging cemetery scholarship and is multi-disciplinary, accepting papers from across the humanities and social sciences. The event has a strong emphasis on discussion, and its international and interdisciplinary nature makes the meeting particularly thought-provoking.

Call for papers

Anyone who would like to participate is invited to submit their presentation abstract of no more than 250 words by using the submission portal at the Cemetery Research Group website.

The deadline for abstract submission is 2nd May 2025.

For any additional questions please contact Dr Julie Rugg at julie.rugg@york.ac.uk.

Note: In addition to the in-person meeting in May, the Cemetery Research Group will also host a second, entirely online event in November. A separate call for papers for this event will be issued later this year.

Updates and publications

The Cemetery Research Group bibliography has been updated with new material from 2024, including additional references to older sources.

Routledge has also released the latest edition in the Routledge International Focus on Death and Funeral Practices series. Listen to Hannah Gould discuss Death and Funeral Practices in Japan on the New Books Network podcast.

*Photo source: www.cemeteryresearch.org

AGM 2025: Save the date

This year's AGM and Conference will take place from 4 to 6 September 2025 in Dresden, Germany.

About the AGM and Conference

Each year, the Annual General Meeting attracts over 100 cemetery academics, artists and professionals from all over Europe. It generates a lot of public attention and through the conference helps expose important topics on cemetery's history, art, architecture, cultural heritage, sustainability, management, and future trends.

AGM 2025 in Dresden

After 20 years, the ASCE Annual General Meeting and Conference will once again be held in Germany, this time in the historic and vibrant city of Dresden.

Mark your calendars from 4 to 6 September 2025, and join us for an inspiring program filled with engaging discussions, cultural highlights, and meaningful networking opportunities.

A call for papers, as well as all the details about the event program, accommodation, and other logistics, will be released in the coming months, so don't forget to check our website for updates.

We look forward to seeing you in September, at the AGM 2025.

ASCE presidency

Discover Dresden

Embracing peace and preserving cemetery heritage

In 2025, let us unite to promote peace, justice, and the vital role cemeteries play in preserving our shared heritage.

Dear friends and colleagues, cemetery travellers.

You know how time stops when you visit the cemetery. All the rush of the outside world and conflicting thoughts become distant. Monuments reveal the stories of human love, devotion and dedication to enjoy life together. Cemetery traveller is a peaceful traveller. One that will always be careful about where she walks, what he eats and how she talks. Thoughtful about nature and all living beings. Mindful about the importance of preserving the heritage resting in cemeteries.

This is why we have to keep our initiative of Significant cemeteries for sustainable Europe. That is why in 2025 our focus will be on United nations goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions.

Because humanity needs peace to sustain. More than ever it will be important for all our members and partners to join efforts. Invite people to cemeteries. Let them experience the feelings when time stops. When all the rush of the outside world and conflicting thoughts become distant.

Convince humanity to become cemetery travellers. Preserve and protect the heritage of humanity resting in cemeteries.

The ASCE presidency wishes you peaceful holidays and 2025.

3rd memorial evening at Eastern Cemetery in Innsbruck

In October 2024, the third event of the "Quo Vadis Fundamentum" series took place at the Eastern Cemetery in Innsbruck, Austria.

Memorial evening for Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

The "Quo Vadis Fundamentum" initiative, launched in 2022, aims to commemorate remarkable individuals who made significant contributions to humanity through memorial evenings at the Eastern Cemetery in Innsbruck.

Following the successful memorial evenings for Edith Stein in 2022 and Charlie Chaplin in 2023, this year's event honored the renowned writer Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach.

The evening attracted many attendees, who were captivated by the performances of actresses Bernadette Abendstein and Petra Knoflach. They brought Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach's words to life through powerful readings of her works. The readings were beautifully enhanced by Michael Cede's flute performance, which created an atmosphere of inspiration and reflection.

Some of Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach's quotes shared during the event included:

• "If everyone would help each other, everyone would be helped."
• "Know, those who preach you hate will not save you."
• "A judgement is easier to refute, a prejudice never."
• "The right of the stronger is the greatest wrong."
• "You can’t inspire the mindless, but you can fantasize them."
• "You have to do good so that it will be in the world."

Photos of the event

Renewal of the Quality Seal for educational activities

Cementiris de Barcelona renewed its Quality Seal for educational activities with an Educational Project that was reviewed and approved by the Technical Secretariat of the Pedagogical Innovation Council (CIP).

Cemeteries as learning spaces

Cemeteries represent a historical and artistic legacy that is fundamental for understanding the social and cultural evolution of the populations that preceded us. At the same time, they allow us to better understand the present that surrounds us and help students develop a critical perspective on the world around them.

The social value of cemeteries lies in their representation of the collective memory that unites us as a society and in the understanding of death as a natural part of life. Likewise, aware of the link that cemeteries have with the territory that surrounds them and the people who live there, Cementiris de Barcelona collaborates with schools and districts to nurture a sense of neighbourhood belonging and respect for its heritage.

About the Educational Project

The Educational Project considers the various skills outlined in the school curriculum, aiming to provide pupils and teachers with additional tools to share knowledge and understand different situations from both the past and the present. To effectively address the needs of the curriculum, it focuses on specific competencies that Barcelona Cemeteries, as an organisation, is capable of contributing.

Firstly, the six vectors of Barcelona’s new basic education curriculum have been taken into account. These vectors are designed to foster a society that is critical, sustainable, digital, more equitable, feminist, and democratic. For this reason, three of the six vectors have been considered as the fundamental basis of the Educational Project: competency learning, gender perspective, and global awareness combined with emotional well-being.

On the other hand, the transversal competences of the new curriculum have also been taken into account, particularly civic competence, entrepreneurial competence, personal, social and learning to learn competence and digital competence. Of these, Cementiris de Barcelona's Educational Project includes citizenship competence and personal, social and learning to learn competence.

Guided tour “In the Embrace of Silence”

On November 7, 2024, the Dubovac Catholic Cemetery hosted a guided tour titled "In the Embrace of Silence", part of the Karlovac Fog Festival.

About the event

An invitation to a tourist walk through the Catholic Cemetery Dubovac, under the title "In the Embrace of Silence", might typically evoke expectations of historical and cultural monuments and stories told along the cemetery paths. However, when this walk is held during the week of the Fog Festival, in one of Croatia's foggiest cities, it is clear that it won’t be an ordinary event.

Katzler Pavilion, in collaboration with the Karlovac Tourist Board and the Karlovac County Tourist Guides Association "Bastion", with the support of the Karlovac company "Zelenilo", included a cemetery tour in the Festival program, starting at dusk, when darkness had already taken hold and the cemetery is rarely visited. The goal was to evoke in and around the visitors a mood of silence and peace, free from daytime distractions, while opening their eyes wide to see not only what is there but also what might not be visible, yet is possible.

Although one might think that darkness in an unlit cemetery would be an obstacle, in this case, it became a unifying force, connecting everyone in a mystical story rooted in the real lives of those who rest there forever. Every story matters, regardless of how "significant" someone was in life. And when these stories are wrapped in the foggy veil nature gifted us that evening, all our senses become more attuned, receiving stimuli we are otherwise unaware of.

The walk itself, through the cemetery in the evening hours, was mysterious enough. Visits to the All Saints Chapel and the Vranyczany-Dobrinović Mausoleum, made possible by "Zelenilo" and the mausoleum’s caretakers, added extra value to the entire tour. Many participants recognized this and left with smiles and satisfaction after the 90-minute journey.

We can confidently say that the mission, vision, purpose, and goals of the Fog Festival—increasing the visibility of Karlovac on the world tourist map through education, competition, connecting all tourism stakeholders in the city, raising awareness among Karlovac residents about the potential of their city, revitalizing the post-season, pushing boundaries and breaking the framework of established events—were successfully achieved. And all thanks to the great enthusiasm of the organizers, who back in 2018 launched the first jar of "Karlovac Fog", a souvenir of a guerrilla marketing campaign whose goal was the same as the goal of the Fog Festival - to increase the visibility of Karlovac. Back then, Morana Rožman, introducing the jar of Karlovac fog, warned everyone to be careful. If the jar was carelessly opened, the fog would spread and envelop us all. Clearly, someone did just that, and now we belong to it—foggy and mysterious. And we fear nothing—not even an evening walk through the cemetery.

Text by Ivančica Šebalj
Photos by Demjan Rožman

*The original text in Croatian can be found HERE.