We strongly encourage our members to be active on our common issues and projects since this is the only way we can accomplish our mission - to preserve and protect the heritage resting in our cemeteries.
At the same time, each activity brings us closer to our vision: to get every European citizen in touch with European heritage resting in cemeteries.
For these reasons we have prepared the following list of rights and obligations of our members. And at the same time more deep explanation of various membership options.
Rights and Obligations
Membership types explanations
Due to different interests in the work and projects of ASCE we have established various types of membership:
Research organizations
Many museums, universities and other non-profit organizations find interest in cemeteries. And we gain much added value in cooperation from research to sharing best practice or participating in EU projects. Yet research organizations usually do not have possibility to manage cemeteries. Therefore it is important that they represent different membership as to our next type of membership.
Cemetery Management Organizations
Organizations which own (City councils), manage the cemeteries (Cemetery management companies), or work with the cemetery in active projects (guided tours,... - Friends of cemetery...) have the most important impact on cemeteries preservations. Therefore they represent type of members with most rights and obligations.
Rights explanations
Administration priority response
Due to much interest into ASCE work, our secretariat needs to take priorities in responding to different emails and requests. Members have special priority and may gain more attention on specific requests (need for some search on databases, archive access, other special requests for letters,...).
AGM and conference participation
Each year ASCE holds an Annual General Meeting which is public, yet seats are reserved and free for members only. Any other person who wishes to attend must pay special fee.
EU projects involvement
Members of ASCE who apply for EU tenders to gain funding have special priority within ASCE. They can get in touch with our large network to get new partners or receive other important support. More explanations in EU projects section.
ASCE insignia at the office
Each member may use the ASCE insignia at their office. It is an membership insignia (plaque) that members receive upon becoming members. This is not an insignia marking the Significant Cemetery.
Voting
Important issues in our Association are voted at Annual General Meetings. Every 4 years there are presidency and steering committee elections. Only members which are Cemetery Management Organizations have the voting rights.
Propose Steering Committee members
As well, only CMO have the right to propose Steering Committee members. They may however propose other members, not only themselves.
Propose president
CMOs have the right to propose president of the ASCE (including themselves).
Propose Significant Cemeteries
Only CMOs have the right to propose Significant Cemeteries. Along with the process this is more deeply explained at Propose Significant Cemeteries page.
Obligations explanations
Annual fee payment
ASCE is a non-profit organization that engages in many activities and projects. Hundreds of hours annually are spent in communications, website management, emailing, cooperation with other institutions (Cultural institute, European Commission). There are many other travel and organizational costs involved in managing all activities.
Therefore it is really mandatory for all the members to help with contributions. Fees are being prepared very individually depending on the type of member and their demographic status.
Annual fee payment is a condition to maintain all the rights of a member. When the fee is not paid, the process of excluding member begins.
Research and Restoration project involvements
In order to preserve our cemeteries, research and restoration projects are essential. Therefore we keep motivating our members to be included in such projects in any possible way. However small, these contributions are important to our mission. So they present a mandatory activity for our members.
Active administrative contact available
ASCE is an international association with members from 22 European countries, speaking more than 22 languages. In order to have all activities well managed it is important that each member provides at least 1 English speaking and responsive contact. This contact will:
- receive all important emails from ASCE, especially requests for projects participation or providing different sets of data
- answer all emails that affect this member within 14 days or as requested in the email itself
ASCE promotion activities
Each CMO is obliged to participate in promotional activities of ASCE:
- exposing the ASCE insignia and (in case of managing a Significant Cemetery) exposing the ASCE Significant Cemetery insignia;
- expose ASCE flyers, leaflets or other materials in their offices or customer end points;
- have the ASCE logo at their website and linked to ASCE website;
ASCE projects participation
There are several regular (yearly) projects as well as ad-hoc projects that ASCE prepares, manages or maintains. Each CMO is required to take part in at least one of these projects. Most members already participate at WDEC as an example.
Members VS Significant Cemeteries
Membership is often confused with Significant Cemeteries list. It is therefore important to note that membership does not automatically provide rights to present a cemetery as significant. Only Cemetery Management Organizations who are in charge of a cemetery may propose a Significant cemetery to be recognized and exposed. You can read more about this on the Propose new Significant Cemetery page.