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.