Highlights from AGM and Conference 2026

A look back at three inspiring days in Turin, shaped by education, heritage, innovation and memorable cultural experiences.

ASCE Annual General Meeting

From 18 to 20 June 2026, the ASCE AGM and Conference took place in Turin, Italy. The event opened with the Annual General Meeting on 18 June 2026, bringing together over 90 participants, including 47 members, who reviewed the Association’s activities and financial report, discussed current and future projects, and introduced new ASCE members and significant cemeteries.

The official AGM report and presentation are available HERE.
The digital volume of conference presentations is expected to be available in October 2026.

Life Lessons: Cemeteries as Educational Heritage

This year's conference focused on the theme "Life Lessons: Cemeteries as Educational Heritage", welcoming professionals from a wide range of disciplines to exchange ideas on how cemeteries can serve as places of learning, remembrance and cultural interpretation. Through inspiring presentations, participants explored innovative educational approaches, shared best practices and discussed new perspectives on communicating cemetery heritage to diverse audiences.

Interactive Workshops at the Cemetery

The conference extended beyond the lecture hall on the second day, when the Monumental Cemetery of Turin became an open-air learning environment. Instead of traditional sessions, participants joined practical workshops across the cemetery, experiencing it in a more interactive and engaging way. Following the workshops, a fleet of electric bicycles awaited participants, offering a sustainable and enjoyable journey back to Turin's city centre—an appreciated opportunity to experience the city from a different perspective while promoting environmentally friendly mobility.

Digital Innovation Meets Cultural Heritage

Innovation also played an important role throughout the event. Participants had a chance to explore the Monumental Cemetery of Turin using the ARTour mobile app, discovering remarkable historical figures through carefully designed self-guided (audio) routes while experiencing first-hand how digital technology can enhance heritage interpretation. This visit was further enriched by a moving live performance by students from the Liceo Coreutico Teatrale Germana Erba.

Networking Through Local Experiences

Alongside the official programme, the AGM and Conference offered several opportunities for informal networking and authentic local experiences. Participants could join a guided tour and beer tasting at the historic Metzger Brewery or enjoy a relaxed evening at the TONO Beer House. Vouchers were also provided for independent visits of some of Turin's historic cafés, each preserving its original atmosphere and period interiors. These relaxed social occasions created valuable opportunities to strengthen existing friendships, establish new professional connections and continue discussions beyond the conference walls.

An Unforgettable Gala Evening

One of the highlights of the social programme was the Gala Dinner, hosted in the remarkable surroundings of the Egyptian Museum of Turin. The evening was enriched with access to a special exhibition, providing participants with a unique cultural experience in one of Europe's most prestigious museums and creating an unforgettable setting for celebrating the ASCE community.

Discovering Turin and Its Cultural Heritage

The AGM and Conference 2026 concluded with a variety of optional cultural activities that allowed participants to further explore Turin according to their own interests. These included a guided walk through the city’s historic centre, themed heritage itineraries, and the opening concert of the Feast of St. John, featuring a symphonic performance of Beethoven’s music in the remarkable atmosphere of the Monumental Cemetery of Turin.

Three Days of Knowledge, Collaboration and Inspiration

Over three inspiring days, the AGM and Conference 2026, excellently organised by AFC Torino S.p.A., brought together over 200 participants from 26 countries and combined academic exchange, practical learning, cultural discovery and warm hospitality. The carefully designed programme created countless opportunities for dialogue, collaboration and shared experiences, leaving participants with new knowledge, stronger professional connections and lasting memories of Turin and the Piedmont region.

We would like to thank the organisers, participants, and all contributors who helped make this another outstanding and memorable event!

You can access all photos and videos at the link below.

➤ Photos & Videos

AGM 2026 report

On 18 June 2026, the ASCE Annual General Meeting took place in Turin, Italy, organized by AFC Torino S.p.A.

Over 90 participants joined the meeting, including 47 members, and the members' attendance quorum requirement was reached in the second call.

The AGM was presided by Mrs. Lidija Pliberšek, president of ASCE, and all steering committee members were present or gave proxy to other members. During the AGM several things were outlined and discussed:

1.Introduction

• Welcome speech by ASCE president, Mrs. Lidija Pliberšek.

2.Presidency and Steering Committee activities 2025 / 2026

• Steering Committee meetings and sessions addressing the following topics:
• Presidency and Steering Committee activities
• Charter Development 
• ASCE administration and ECR activities 
• Projects and Future Initiatives
• Review of New Members and Significant Cemetery Applications
• AGM Organisation, Planning, and Hosting Coordination
• AGM 2025 in Dresden, Germany (September 2025)
• Nordic conference in Stockholm, Sweden (September 2025)
• 14th Annual Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in Cappadocia, Turkey (October 2025)
• Seminar “Malta in the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe” in Fort St Angelo, Birgu, Malta (October 2025)
• Publication of the book "Conoscere per ricordare. L'Antico Cimitero di San Pietro. Pagine della nostra storia" in Aviggliana, Turin, Italy (December 2025)
• National coordination meeting of Cultural Routes crossing Germany in Lübeck, Germany (January 2026)  
• Expanding Networks: ASCE Participation in the Women Writers Route Annual Meeting in Oslo, Norway (March 2026)
• V. Meeting of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in Huelva, Spain (March 2026)
• Seminar The Republic of Moldova in the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in Chișinău, Moldova (April 2026)
• Meeting of the SEFIT Cemetery Cultural and Tourism Enhancement Group and visit to TANEXPO in Bologna, Italy (May 2026)
• Site-specific listening experience NEPHESH – Protecting the Shadow in Ravenna and Bologna, Italy (May 2026)
• 13th Training Academy of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in Pécs, Hungary and Osijek, Croatia (June 2026)
• Project NECROMANTICO - cemetery cultural center in Umbria, Italy (June 2026, work in progress)
• Digital meeting Baltic-Nordic Cultural Routes Seminar 2026 (June 2026)

3. Financial report and budget

4. ASCE administration, European Cemeteries Route activities 2025 / 2026

• Administration and presidency work overview
• IT maintainance and development:
• Improving communications channels
• Updating members data
• Development of marketing materials
• Managing social media and other communication channels
• AGMs and Conference support
• 25 years of ASCE
• European Cemeteries Route reevaluation in 2027
• Projects support
• Cultural routes cooperation

5. ARtour platform and app development

• Platform overview and purpose
• Scale and reach
• User access and mobile app functionality
• Advanced audio and AI content integration

6. Projects and activities

• Significant cemeteries for sustainable Europe:
• 2024: Sustainable cities and communities
• 2025: Peace, justice and strong institutions
• 2026: Quality education
• 2027: Climate action
• Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026: Quality education
• Schools on cemeteries
• Peace tree
• Scientific work
• Communications

7. New members and significant cemeteries

8. AGMs and conferences overview

9. SEFIT Italia memorandum of understanding signing

10. AGM 2027

• Evaluation of candidate applications, with the announcement of the AGM and conference 2027 host expected in September 2026.

10. Conclusions

• Members engaged in various debates on topics during and after the AGM, confirming the report and plans for the future work of ASCE. 

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*AGM materials

• AGM presentation
• AGM and conference photos and videos
• Conference volume (The digital volume of conference presentations is expected to be available in October 2026.)

WDEC 2026 tour and performance at the Monumental Cemetery of Turin

Highlights of the WDEC 2026 guided tour and live student performance honoring civilian war victims at the Monumental Cemetery of Turin on 5 June 2026.

About the event

On Friday, 5 June 2026, the Monumental Cemetery of Turin hosted a special event as part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC) 2026 and Archivissima 2026. The event was organised by AFC Torino S.p.A. in collaboration with the National Association of Civilian War Victims (ANVCG) and the Historical Archive and Cultural Heritage Office of the Waldensian Board.

Guided Tour

Starting at 5:30 PM, the programme featured a guided tour titled “La ______ mancante. Perdite e lacune nelle storie delle vittime civili di guerra” (“The Missing ______. Losses and gaps in the stories of civilian war victims”). Led by Federica Tammarazio, a prominent art historian and archivist, the tour explored themes of memory, archival gaps and the stories of civilian victims of war, in line with Archivissima’s 2026 core topic, “Quello che non c’è” (“What is not there”).

Live Performance

The historical exploration concluded with a powerful emotional impact at the Campo della Gloria (Field of Glory). Students from the Liceo Coreutico Teatrale Germana Erba delivered a moving live performance. Using the universal languages of dance and theater, the young artists brought the archival narratives to life, giving voice to those who could no longer speak and transforming historical memory into a vibrant call for peace.

You can watch the full performance in the video below.

Meidling Cemetery's new walk, fit, and nature areas

The Meidling Cemetery in Vienna, Austria, now offers more nature, greater biodiversity, and more space for relaxation and wellbeing.

A space for remembrance, reflection, and active recreation

Vienna’s cemeteries have long been more than just places of remembrance. In Meidling Cemetery, a range of new offerings has now been introduced, placing a particular focus on physical activity, biodiversity, and nature-oriented burial practices. The recreational aspect is also being strengthened – not only for visitors, but also for wildlife and plant life.

New activities and more social interaction

Following the Silent-Run-route at the Central Cemetery, Meidling Cemetery now offers an 800-meter Silent-Walk-path as well as a Silent-Fit-area equipped with inclusive training devices. These are specially adapted for older people and are designed to improve balance, mobility, and muscle strength.

Those who prefer not to exercise but simply want to avoid loneliness can sit on one of three new chat-benches, inviting visitors to start a conversation.

Environment and wildlife

A total of 140 newly planted trees contribute to the new usage concept at Meidling Cemetery. It has long been known that cemeteries help relieve sewer systems, as their soils allow water to infiltrate. Temperatures there are also lower than in other urban areas. A 2023 study by the Austrian Institute of Technology demonstrated the scale of this effect: cemeteries can create a cooling impact of up to 0.8 degrees Celsius, which also extends to surrounding areas. Locally, ambient temperatures can even drop by up to three degrees.

A new natural burial site is expected to contribute, alongside the growing popularity of eco-friendly burial methods. On 50 m2 in Meidling, a shrub-grave-area for up to 120 urns has been created. Nearby are black steles where names can be engraved, as well as a hedge, which serves as a habitat for various animal species.

Among them is the strictly protected European hamster. Vienna’s cemeteries are among its last remaining refuges. Additional hamster islands – with shrubs, hideouts and water points – provide the animals with suitable habitats.

Whether through silent discos, open-air concerts, or new running routes, Vienna’s cemeteries have, for some time now, been offering a wide range of activities for the city’s residents. These innovative concepts will continue to be pursued in the future and are setting new benchmarks.

WDEC 2026 in Slovenia

The Chamber of Public Utilities of Slovenia (ZKGS), in cooperation with ASCE, launched a new nationwide initiative – the Slovenian Cemeteries Route project.

About the Slovenian Cemeteries Route project

The 2026 Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC) centered its activities on the theme of Quality Education, aligning with Goal 4 of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Within this framework, the Chamber of Public Utilities of Slovenia (ZKGS), in cooperation with ASCE, launched a new nationwide initiative – the Slovenian Cemeteries Route Project.

Inspired by the internationally recognised European Cemeteries Route, the project aims to connect Slovenian cemeteries into a unique cultural and tourist network that preserves memory, promotes heritage, and opens cemetery spaces to a wider public. By bringing together sites from across the country, the route creates a single platform for discovering and learning about Slovenia’s cultural, historical, and funerary heritage.

As part of the initiative, cemetery managers across Slovenia were invited to identify three key points of cultural or historical significance at their cemeteries. This collaborative effort brought together more than 40 points of interest across the country, showcasing notable individuals, unique monuments, and distinctive landscape features of Slovenian cemeteries.

The Slovenian Cemeteries Route app

The Slovenian Cemeteries Route has been fully integrated into a dedicated mobile application hosted on the ARTOUR platform, a network that also supports the European Cemeteries Route. The digital platform allows visitors to explore the nationwide heritage map dynamically.

To enhance the educational experience, the application incorporates innovative features, including:

• Interactive map navigation: Providing optimized routes and real-time navigation across the mapped locations.
• AI-powered interaction: An integrated AI system allows users to engage in virtual dialogues to learn more about specific historical figures and monuments.
• Customized audio descriptions: Tailored audio narratives allow visitors to listen to local history seamlessly while walking through the physical sites rather than relying solely on screen reading.

You can access the Slovenian Cemeteries Route app HERE.

Slovenian Cemeteries Route as a long-term initiative

The Slovenian Cemeteries Route Project does not conclude with this year’s edition. Instead, it lays the foundation for a long-term initiative. Through the mobile application, cemetery managers will be able to continue adding new content in the future, presenting important individuals, monuments, and memorials, developing thematic routes, and bringing visitors closer to stories that reflect the history, culture, and identity of local cemeteries.

By linking individual contributions into a shared national system, the project strengthens cross-border visibility and facilitates integration into broader European heritage initiatives. It also creates opportunities for professional exchange among public utility providers and cemetery managers, supporting the sharing of methodologies in heritage interpretation and digital documentation.

Through this collaborative model, the Slovenian Cemeteries Route is positioned to expand steadily, deepening its role as a reference point for cultural memory and reinforcing the long-term preservation and interpretation of cemetery heritage in Slovenia.

WDEC 2026 at Pobrežje Cemetery

As part of WDEC 2026, Pogrebno podjetje Maribor, the presiding member of ASCE, has prepared several educational and socially important activities at Pobrežje Cemetery in Maribor, Slovenia.

Cultural Days for Elementary School Students

On 18 May, a cultural day was held at Pobrežje Cemetery for pupils of OŠ Ludvika Pliberška Maribor, followed by a second cultural day on 26 May for pupils of OŠ Toneta Čufarja Maribor. Both events offered students an alternative learning environment in which they explored the history of the city and its inhabitants through commemorative narratives and heritage interpretation, with the help of the mobile app Artour.

The activities enabled pupils to engage with Maribor’s past in a direct and experiential way. They strengthened understanding of cultural heritage, fostered respectful attitudes towards memorial spaces, and encouraged reflection on memory, tradition, and intergenerational connection. The cemetery was presented as a place of learning, calm, and cultural diversity, reinforcing its role within the city’s historical identity.

Bereavement Support Project

On 26 May, the first group meeting within the project “Grief does not heal in isolation; together it is easier to bear” was held in the multipurpose hall of Pogrebno podjetje Maribor at Pobrežje Cemetery, marking the launch of a new series of monthly bereavement support sessions.

The initiative addressed the continuing need for structured support for individuals coping with the loss of a loved one, extending care beyond the funeral period when grief often becomes most intense. It was emphasized that grief should not be understood as something to be “fixed,” but rather as a natural process requiring time, understanding, and a supportive environment.

The programme created a safe space for sharing experiences and emotions and promoted a more open societal understanding of bereavement. The sessions were facilitated by internationally accredited coach and mentor Ana Kordeš, who highlighted the importance of time, space, and compassionate presence in the grieving process.

Slovenian Cemeteries Route Project

The WDEC 2026 focused on the theme Quality Education, in alignment with Goal 4 of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Within this framework, the Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe, under the presidency of Lidija Pliberšek, Director of Pogrebno podjetje Maribor, together with the Chamber of Public Utilities of Slovenia (ZKGS), launched a joint initiative – the Slovenian Cemeteries Route project.

Inspired by the internationally recognised European Cemeteries Route, the project aims to connect Slovenian cemeteries into a unique cultural and tourist network that preserves memory, promotes heritage, and opens cemetery spaces to a wider public.

As part of the initiative, cemetery managers across Slovenia were invited to identify three key points of cultural or historical significance at each site, including notable individuals, monuments, or distinctive landscape features. The collected contributions will form the basis for a nationwide map of cemeteries interpreted through cultural and historical heritage.

You can find more information about the Slovenian Cemeteries Route project HERE or explore the route through the dedicated application.

Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery (Cēsis, Latvia)

The Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery is a living archive of regional heritage and collective memory, reflecting centuries of cultural diversity in its multi-faith resting grounds.

About the cemetery

The Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery was established in 1773 following a decree issued by the Senate of the Russian Empire that prohibited burials within urban churches and churchyards. Until then, the residents of Cēsis had primarily been buried beside St John’s Church in the centre of town. The creation of a new cemetery beyond the urban boundary marked a significant change in burial traditions and transformed the role of burial grounds within the urban landscape.

Located along the historic road to Riga, the site became the main burial ground for the local Lutheran parish. It grew steadily alongside Cēsis throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. To accommodate this growth, the Lutheran section was extended westward in 1876 and redesigned with a more structured, regular layout—reflecting the evolving urban planning and design trends of the era.

Over the years, the cemetery evolved into a shared resting place for multiple religious communities. The Orthodox Cemetery was consecrated in 1869 and the Old Jewish Cemetery developed nearby during the latter half of the 19th century. Together, these distinct sections serve as a unique historical record of the diverse cultures that shaped the social, economic, and cultural fabric of Cēsis.

Landscape and architecture

The Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery is valued not only for the people buried there, but also for its distinctive landscape and surviving architectural features. The oldest Lutheran section lies close to the main entrance on Rīgas iela, where visitors enter a space that has served as a place of remembrance for more than 250 years.

The cemetery’s layout still reveals different stages of its historical development. The older areas evolved more organically, while the 1876 extension introduced a network of straight paths and a more formal arrangement of burial plots. These contrasting sections allow visitors to understand how the cemetery grew together with the town.

The most prominent surviving building within the cemetery is the Orthodox chapel, constructed in the 1880s by local builder Wilhelm Hoppe. Its distinctive domed silhouette remains an important landmark and a reminder of the Orthodox community's presence in Cēsis. Throughout the cemetery, visitors can also find historic gravestones, memorial fragments, family plots and monuments that illustrate changing artistic styles, craftsmanship and commemorative traditions over more than two centuries.

Although many monuments were damaged, removed or vandalised during the Soviet period, the cemetery retains a strong sense of authenticity. Surviving pathways, mature trees, historic spatial relationships and hundreds of preserved monuments continue to convey the atmosphere of a historic burial landscape shaped by generations of local residents.

Cemetery significance

The cemetery reflects more than two centuries of urban, social and cultural history. It is the resting place of merchants, craftsmen, teachers, physicians, clergy, military officers, public officials and families whose lives helped shape the development of Cēsis and the wider Vidzeme region.

Many notable individuals connected with education, medicine, architecture, publishing, photography and public life are buried here. Their monuments and inscriptions provide valuable insight into the town’s past and the people who contributed to its growth and prosperity.

The cemetery also tells a broader story about the changing fortunes of Latvia and its communities. The departure of many Baltic Germans in 1939, the destruction of the Jewish community during the Second World War, and the Soviet occupation after 1944 all left profound marks on the site. During the Soviet era, the cemetery suffered decades of neglect and repeated vandalism. Numerous graves connected with Baltic German families, Jewish residents, clergy, civic leaders and other groups that did not fit the official historical narrative were damaged or abandoned.

As a result, the cemetery has become an important place for understanding not only local history, but also the ways in which political regimes can shape public memory. The surviving monuments and fragments offer tangible evidence of both loss and resilience, preserving stories that might otherwise have disappeared.

Conservation, research and community engagement

Today, the Historic Cēsis Town Cemetery is undergoing a process of rediscovery and renewal. Since 2023, systematic documentation, conservation and public interpretation have been carried out to better understand and protect the site's heritage. More than 800 surviving monuments and monument fragments have been inventoried, while information about hundreds of individuals buried in the cemetery has been researched and made accessible to the public.

Conservation efforts focus on preserving the authenticity of the cemetery rather than recreating an idealised version of the past. Damaged monuments, historic trees, surviving pathways and even traces of loss form an essential part of the site's historical character and significance.

The cemetery has also become an increasingly important place for public education and community involvement. Guided tours, monument restoration workshops, heritage programmes and nature-focused events encourage visitors to explore the site's many layers of history. Since 2025, the annual Cemetery Festival has brought together music, poetry, heritage interpretation and conservation activities, helping to reconnect local residents with a place that was long neglected and misunderstood.

Cemetery address

Rīgas iela 58
LV4101 Cēsis
Latvia

Website

https://kapseta.cesis.lv/

Basic data

Year of first burial: 1785
Year of last burial: 1959
Cemetery area: 3 ha
Approximate number of graves: 4.000