About the conference
This year, Varaždin (Croatia) will host the 1st international scientific and professional conference on cemeteries, which will be held on 14 and 15 September 2023, at the Hotel Turist. The event is organized by Parkovi d.o.o. from Varaždin and the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Sponsors are the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the City of Varaždin and the Association of Cities.
The conference will bring together experts from municipal companies, representatives of local self-government units, public institutions, scientists and suppliers of technology and public utility equipment.
The first thematic block will include a historical review of the city cemetery in Varaždin, which this year marks the 250th anniversary of the first burial at this cemetery. The following thematic blocks will focus on the improvement of the waste management system and protection of greenery at the cemetery (using the example of the Varaždin Cemetery), digitization of funeral services, artificial intelligence at cemeteries, computerization of cemetery management and other topics related to cemetery maintenance and funeral activities.
Additional activities
On the first day of the conference, in addition to the presentation part with the already mentioned topics, participants will also visit an exhibition that will mark the 250th anniversary of the first burial at the Varaždin Cemetery. The exhibition will be set up in a unique space in the crypt of the church of St. Nikola which has so far been mostly inaccessible and unknown to the public. The exhibition itself is divided into several thematic units: “Burials in the former cemeteries of Varaždin until the beginning of the use of the present-day City Cemetery”, “From the idea of a cemetery park to the present-day cemetery”, “Herman Haller and his predecessors and successors”, “Interesting landscape parts of the cemetery”, and “Customs of the people of Varaždin when burying their loved ones”. The exhibition is prepared by the Varaždin City Museum in cooperation with Parkovi d.o.o.
On the second day of the conference, the participants will visit two cultural monuments - the city cemetery in Varaždin and the Jewish cemetery. In addition, there will be a presentation of electric vehicles for the maintenance of cemeteries and public utility equipment.
In addition to being a cultural monument and a monument of park architecture, the Varaždin Cemetery is also known for its communal arrangement. Considering that Varaždin has been an example of horticultural arrangement for years, and the municipal company Parkovi is among the leaders in its activity, this will also be a great opportunity for conference participants to exchange experiences on the current challenges of managing municipal companies and performing public utility activities.
Event program and registration contact
You can find the preliminary program of the event HERE.
For all information about registration and accommodation options contact ivana@horizont-travel.hr.