WDEC 2026 at the City cemetery "Pri Sv. Duhu"

City Cemetery “Pri Sv. Duhu” in Koprivnica, Croatia, marked WDEC 2026 with an educational walk for high school students and a new promotional video.

City cemetery promotional video

As part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC), held from 22 to 31 May 2026 and organized by the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe (ASCE), the City Cemetery “Pri Sv. Duhu” in Koprivnica, managed by Komunalac LLC, once again took part in this significant annual event. As a member of ASCE, the Koprivnica cemetery promotes the value of cemeteries as places of cultural heritage, history, art, and memory through its activities.

On this occasion, a new promotional video about the city cemetery was produced. Cemeteries are much more than places of remembrance – they are open-air museums and guardians of local history, architecture, and cultural heritage. Through this video, Komunalac LLC invites visitors to take a walk through the cemetery and discover its peace, artistic value, and the stories of notable individuals who have shaped our city. You can watch the video HERE.

Educational walk for students

This year’s event theme focuses on knowledge and quality education for young people, with the aim of introducing them to cultural heritage, history and important people through an interesting and student-friendly approach.

As part of the program, an educational walk through the city cemetery was held on May 28, 2026, with the participation of first-grade students from the “Fran Galović” General High School, accompanied by their class teacher Mišela Lokotar and history teacher Maja Maček Trešcec. The educational tour was led by cemetery manager Josipa Loinjak and horticultural engineer Nataša Njegovec along a pre-planned route designed for high school students.

Learning about heritage and sustainability

During the tour, the students learned about the history of the cemetery and its significance for the local community, as well as interesting facts about notable individuals and important historical events. They also explored the cemetery’s landscape, horticultural, and architectural values. Special emphasis was placed on raising awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage and respecting spaces of memory.

In addition to the educational content, the students had the opportunity to learn about the cemetery’s new, more advanced waste separation system, which helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and increases the share of recyclable materials.

WDEC 2025 in Koprivnica, Croatia

As part of the WDEC 2025, Komunalac LLC Koprivnica has joined the international "Peace Tree Project", which encourages the planting of "trees of peace" in European cemeteries.

About the event

The ASCE "Peace Tree Project" stands out as a symbol of European solidarity and a shared commitment to preserving spaces of memory and peace. The purpose of the project is to plant a "peace tree" in as many different European cemeteries as possible.

On May 29, 2025, a plane tree was planted at the City Cemetery of Koprivnica, as a symbol of life and growth, which over the years will provide shelter, shade, and silence to all who come in peace, memory and respect.

The planting was attended by Dubravka Horvat, a member of the Komunalac Management Board; Tanja Vukušić, Director of the Sector of Green Areas, Cemeteries and Markets; and Robertina Zdjelar, Director of the Finance, Accounting, Controlling and EU Project Sector, who was joined by her colleagues. Together, they symbolically contributed to the message of peace and unity that this tree conveys.

The plane tree was chosen for its symbolism of longevity, strength, and togetherness. Beside the seedling, a plaque was placed bearing the universal message of the project: “Live in peace to rest in peace!” This powerful message reminds us of the importance of peace, tolerance and reconciliation in everyday life, and encourages us to reflect on the values we pass on to future generations.

As part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2025, Komunalac LLC has also created a digital information brochure to mark the occasion. It can be accessed via the link below.

➤ Digital brochure - WDEC 2025

WDEC 2025 in Rijeka

As part of WDEC 2025 in Rijeka, the photo exhibition “Mayors of Rijeka and Sušak” and guided tours explored the legacy of 15 former city leaders buried at Kozala and Trsat cemeteries.

About the event

On Monday, May 26, 2025, at 18:00, Kozala Cemetery hosted the opening of the photo exhibition “The City and Mayors of Rijeka and Sušak” by Petar Fabijan, marking the start of this year’s Week of Discovering European Cemeteries in Rijeka. The exhibition showcases the grave sites of 15 mayors and chiefs of Rijeka and Sušak buried in the Kozala and Trsat cemeteries.

The event featured a musical performance by students from the Ivan Matetić Ronjgov Music School and was officially opened by Nives Torbarina, Director of KD Kozala d.o.o., and Zvonimir Bačić, Head of Technical Affairs at KD Kozala d.o.o. Attendees then joined an educational cemetery walk led by art historian Daina Glavočić and Professor of Fine Arts Theodor de Canziani.

The program continued at Trsat Cemetery on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 18:00.

Visitors can also explore the featured gravesites independently using the ARtour mobile app or by downloading the PDF brochure available at the following links:

• English brochure
• Croatian brochure

Highlights from Kozala Cemetery

Highlights from Trsat Cemetery

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.

WDEC 2024 at the Dubovac Catholic Cemetery

As part of WDEC 2024, high school students attended a guided tour at the Dubovac Catholic Cemetery in Karlovac, Croatia.

About the event

In Karlovac, as part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, the company Zelenilo organized a free tour of the Dubovac Catholic Cemetery, led by expert tourist guide Ivančica Šebalj.

This year's tour of the Dubovac Cemetery, which has been a member of ASCE since 2014, was attended by students from the high school of forestry and woodworking in Karlovac. They listened intently to the interesting and instructive stories shared by Ivančica Šebalj.

The students also planted a cypress tree at the cemetery, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability and the fight against climate change.

WDEC 2024 at the Drenova Cemetery

The Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2024 in Rijeka, held from May 14 to 31, was dedicated to the horticulture at Rijeka's largest cemetery, Drenova.

Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change

The theme of this year's Week of Discovering European Cemeteries was "Environmental sustainability and climate change".

Members of ASCE and other European cemeteries are determined allies in the collective fight against climate change. For years, they have been working on mitigating its effects through a wide range of actions and initiatives that demonstrate a strong commitment to the environment. Their activities include responsible use of fossil fuels and water, integrating renewable energy sources, respecting the biological diversity of cemetery plants and fauna, improving native vegetation, responsible waste management, and electrifying their vehicle fleets.

This year's WDEC aimed to raise awareness about the importance of addressing climate change through various events and activities, showcasing different ways in which cemeteries and their visitors can contribute to reducing the negative impact on the environment.

Week of Discovering European Cemeteries in Rijeka

The Week of Discovering European Cemeteries in Rijeka was celebrated from May 14th to May 31st.

The program began on Monday, May 14th, with the grand opening of an exhibition displayed on pedestals along Korzo. The exhibition introduced residents and visitors to the rich horticulture of Rijeka's largest cemetery, Drenova, highlighting its connection to the natural environment.

Horticulture is a valuable aspect of every cemetery, receiving special attention in maintenance, landscaping, and enhancement. Our cemeteries serve as urban parks. The diverse horticultural species, carefully planned and arranged, invite visitors to enjoy relaxing walks. These spaces create intimate areas enriched with vibrant colors, shapes, and scents, as well as numerous geometric forms of plants that intertwine and complement the diverse terrain, creating an extraordinary natural dynamic within the cemetery.

The program continued on Monday, May 27th, at 6:00 PM with a tour of the Drenova Cemetery, accompanied by musical performances by students of the Ivan Matetić Ronjov Music School under the guidance of their mentors. The event also featured a display of photographs of plant species and an educational walk led by Mr. Goran Huljenić, mag.ing.silv., from Urbani šumari d.o.o. Novo Čiče.

The remaining days were reserved for individual visits and cemetery tours, assisted either by the ARTOUR  mobile application or the brochure available at the following links:

• English brochure
• Croatian brochure

Event photos: