Steering Committee meeting 2024 in Oslo

In the picturesque landscapes of Oslo, Norway, on the 14th and 15th of March 2024, the ASCE Steering Committee convened, igniting a beacon of progress in the realm of sustainability and community engagement.

Meeting agenda and main outcomes:

• Membership: The meeting covered membership concerns, including economic, technical, and administrative issues, and adapting invoice procedures for each member. Strategies for resolving various membership statuses accordingly to the charter were set up.
• ASCE operations: Proposals were made regarding changes to the charter and redefining member status. Furthermore, discussions on the vision and other organizational aspects of ASCE's future operations were conducted. In doing so, both the usefulness of the changes and legal aspects were taken into account. Plans for upgrading the website and further development of an effective CRM system were also presented.
• AGM 2024-2027: The Steering Committee checked and discussed the AGM 2024 program and conference theme. The date of this year's event was confirmed, and the communication plan was established. A call for hosting AGM 2025 to 2027 will be released soon.
• WDEC: Proposals were made for this year's and future WDEC, focusing on utilizing cemeteries as communication areas for sustainability. This involves leveraging United Nations promotional materials, creating exhibitions, sharing stories of important people in sustainability, educating on water-efficient plants, preserving heritage through sustainable initiatives, etc.
• European Cemeteries Route: The future of the European Cemeteries Route is also oriented towards sustainability. The work of the Sustainability group will continue. Training academies were recognized as very beneficial, and decisions were pending on participation for the current year. The Stories project will as well focus on sustainability by addressing themes outlined by the United Nations. Furthermore, it was noted that ARtour would soon provide custom applications for European Cemeteries Route members.
• Future plans and projects: Among other things, the debate took place on possible ways to ensure the accessibility of cemeteries to disabled people. Ideas regarding activities in 2025, when we will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, were presented. Participation in the European Heritage Days project has been discussed.

Conclusions

Overall the refreshed Steering Committee held a successful and very productive meeting.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Cemeteries Administration of the City of Oslo for their warm hospitality and impeccable organization.

More details on the individual topics discussed at the meeting will follow in further communications.

AGM and Conference 2022 overview

The unexpected, joyful, unravelling, friendly and above all multicultural days in Belgrade seeded new seeds into ASCE.

Steering committee of ASCE met on Wednesday to discuss the current state and activities. Looking into various options on how to continue far beyond 2022. Why, where and how do members want to continue working on our mission.

Online and offline, discussion was fruitful and rewarding, opening new frontiers.

Many new and old ASCE AGM participants saluted each other at the welcome drink. Warmly engaging into the discussions about the past. Noting the first colours of the future.

The usual rush of the morning AGM registrations was quickly disappearing in the relaxed atmosphere of our hosting city.

AGM schedule was loose enough to allow proper presentation of the important topics while leaving enough time for debates.

After the lunch conference presentations delved participants into the Cemeteries for Everybody theme through various presentations.

Evening walk through the New cemetery of Belgrade served us in many ways. From immense space to the multicultural diversity, our hosting city main cemetery finely contributed to the conference theme and even more to the discussions on the future.

An amazing day ended with a unique gala dinner in the most bohemian restaurant “Tri šešira” of the bohemian quartier Skadarlija.

Singing and even dancing through the poems and songs for everybody concluded a splendid first official day of our annual meetings.

Day two continued on the conference theme, bringing together even those who could not be with us in person.

Thoughtful presentations engaged several comments and discussions that went out through the day until the evening farewell drink.

Unfortunately due to the weather we just missed the visit to the Zemun cemetery.

Above all however the AGM in Belgrade seeded new seeds as expected.

Steering committee and participants agreed that our network must grow and build even stronger relationships in the future. Taking our beautiful history and turning it into a valuable resource for the future.

You can find the official AGM report HERE.

Steering Committee meeting 2022

On 4th and 5th May 2022 the second part of the first ASCE Steering Committee meeting of the year took place in Neimënster, Luxembourg.

Meeting agenda and main outcomes

• Financial situation: Steering Committee took note and confirmed the balance sheet for the year 2021.
• Membership work: The Presidency presented the new reports system that shows the current status of the membership and will become a valuable tool for the future management of membership
• New members:Steering Committee confirmed new members to the association:
• La Maquinilla Association - Saint George`s Cemetery (including the French cemetery), Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo (Córdoba), Spain
• Alma Finalis APS, Finale Emilia - Italy
• Diplomatic Governing Board of the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery of Istanbul, Istanbul - Turkey

• AGM 2022 and 2023: The Steering Committee checked and discussed the AGM 2022 program and conference theme. A call for AGM 2023 will be released in May 2022.
• European Cemeteries Route reevaluation: A very good assessment report of the European Cemeteries Route was presented to the SC members. Report was created by the Institute of the cultural routes as part of a regular 3-years reevaluation.
• Cultural routes cooperation and Training Academy: The 9th Training Academy for Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe will be held from 31st May to 3rd June 2022 in Fontainebleau (France). The SC board decided that 2 ASCE representatives will join the academy: Andreea Pop and Ioanna Paraskevopoulou.

Conclusions

Altogether, the meeting was successful and very productive. In addition to addressing the above points, the SC members set clear plans for the work of the association in the future. Details of the individual topics discussed at the meeting will follow in future communications.