Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe: Turin

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22nd International Congress of the Danses Macabres d'Europe: Call for papers

The Association Danses Macabres d'Europe (DME) and the University of Turin invite you to the 22nd International Congress of the Danses Macabres d'Europe, taking place from 13 to 16 October 2027 in Turin, Italy.

About the Event

The Association Danses Macabres d'Europe (DME) and the Department of Humanities (StudiUm) of the University of Turin are pleased to launch the call for papers for the 22nd International Congress of the Danses Macabres d'Europe, organized within the framework of the inter-university study days “Virality and Death: Challenges and New Research Perspectives across Humanities, Science and Technology.”

The congress will take place at the Castello del Valentino in Turin (Italy) from 13 to 16 October 2027.

Under the title "Encounters with Death: Macabre Imagery and Symbolism across the Arts, Texts, and Cultural Traditions", the following areas are of particular interest:

Danse Macabre and iconographies of death between the Middle Ages and the early modern period
Death, memory, and ritual: texts, practices, and cultural traditions
The macabre in the visual, performative, and sonic arts
Circulation of models and intercultural dialogues
Methodologies and digital technologies

Call for papers

Researchers, heritage professionals, and academics in the fields of funerary monuments, sepulchral art, and historic cemeteries are strongly encouraged to submit paper proposals via the online submission form no later than 10 September 2026.

Proposals should not exceed 1.000 characters (including spaces) and can be submitted in English, German, or any Romance language. Presentations must not exceed 20 minutes in length.

The Scientific Committee will evaluate the proposals and notify applicants of the outcome by email between 30 September and 10 October 2026. Accepted papers will also undergo peer review and be published in an official proceedings volume prior to the congress.

Further information

For full details on thematic axes, submission instructions, and participant registration, please consult the official announcement on Calenda or visit Danses Macabres d'Europe and Memento Mori – Università di Torino.

For any additional questions, please contact:

DME Association: asso.dme@orange.fr
Antonella Amatuzzi: antonella.amatuzzi@unito.it
Laura Ramello: laura.ramello@unito.it

*Source: “Encounters with Death: Macabre Imagery and Symbolism across the Arts, Texts, and Cultural Traditions”, Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Thursday, April 23, 2026, https://doi.org/10.58079/164a7

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.

*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

Silent-Fit-area at Meidling Cemetery in Vienna

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.

WDEC 2026 Workshop at the Monumental Cemetery of Turin

On 30 May 2026, the "Ti porto con me" workshop will take place at the Turin Monumental Cemetery as part of WDEC 2026.

About the project

Ti porto con me nei-luoghi della memoria (“I’ll take you with me to places of remembrance”) is an artistic exploration developed with a focus on cultural welfare. The project, which made its debut at the Santa Maria della Scala Museum Complex in Siena, curated by Michela Eremita, evolves here into a collective experience in which forms of expression and well-being intertwine in a process of personal and collective discovery. Within the setting of the Monumental Cemetery of Turin — a site of memory and symbolic stratification — participants are guided through an experience that fosters concentration, regulation, and presence.

The workshop activates a dimension of listening and care through self-narration, writing, and relational embroidery, transforming a place of “absence” into a “temporary community” through shared activity. The heterogeneity of the group, based on gender diversity, enriches dialogue and emotional processing, acting as a catalyst for deep connections. The gentle sound of a harp provides the backdrop for the entire journey. The project culminates in the creation of a collective digital work, a visual synthesis of the process of healing and connection experienced by the group.

The research benefits from the scientific involvement of Catterina Seia, President of the CCW Cultural Welfare Centre. At the ASCE International Conference in June 2026, the results of this artistic research will be presented through a dedicated video presentation illustrating the evolution of the workshop and the collective power of shared memories. A QR code on a card will provide access to the digital outcome.

Event details

Type of activity: Artistic research workshop
Date: Saturday, 30 May 2026
Time: 16:30 – 18:30
Location: Monumental Cemetery of Turin (entrance at Via Varano 17/A)
Participation: Free of charge as part of WDEC – booking is required (maximum 30 participants)
Notes for participants: A materials kit will be provided by the artist. We recommend bringing something to sit on the grass, such as a yoga mat, towel, lightweight chair, or stool.

About the artist

Sara Conforti Hòfer (Turin, 1973) is a relational artist and researcher. She works in the field of cultural welfare with an approach focused on designing artistic practices that promote health and well-being. She trained at the CCW (Cultural Welfare Centre) in Turin, where she completed two specialist Master’s degrees. Her research explores the intersection between poetic vision and bio-psychosocial well-being.

The artist develops participatory processes that combine ethnographic methods and collective narratives, giving form to choral works and contemporary rituals aimed at redefining social bonds. Her practice is supported by a solid network of collaborations with public bodies, museums, and national and international institutions. Key partnerships include major banking foundations such as Compagnia di San Paolo, Cariplo, and CRT, as well as leading centres for contemporary art, including Castello di Rivoli, PAV – Parco Arte Vivente, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, and Palazzo Ducale in Genoa.

Her work has been presented in internationally significant contexts, including the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the One World Trade Center in New York in collaboration with the Moleskine Foundation, and the Florence Biennale, where she received the Lorenzo il Magnifico Lifetime Achievement Award.

More at: saraconfortihofer.com

Video of the workshop

WDEC 2026 Programme at the Monumental Cemetery of Turin

From 23 May to 6 June, several guided tours and other cultural activities will take place in Turin, Italy, as part of WDEC 2026.

Programme

➤ Saturday, May 23 | 4:00 PM
Musical Reading "From the Cantacronache to the Songwriters" by Federico Sirianni

Location: Monumental Cemetery of Turin (Field of Glory)
Organized by: AFC Torino SpA
Contact: arte-storia@cimiteritorino.it

➤ Sunday, May 24 | 10:00 AM
Festival of Greenery - Historical walk among cedars and cypresses

Location: Monumental Cemetery of Turin (start at visitor entrance)
Organized by: AFC Torino SpA
Contact: arte-storia@cimiteritorino.it

➤ Sunday, May 24 | 10:30 AM
Stories, famous figures, and curiosities at the Monumental Cemetery

Location: Monumental Cemetery of Turin (start at visitor entrance)
Organized by: CULTURALWAY
Contact: info@culturalway.it or 3393885984

➤ Saturday, May 30 | 4:30 PM
Workshop "I TAKE YOU WITH ME". In the places of memory.

Location: Monumental Cemetery of Turin (start at the entrance via Varano 17/A, fifth expansion)
Organized by: Events Office
Contact: arte-storia@cimiteritorino.it

Details about the event are available HERE.

➤ Friday, June 5 | 10:00 AM
Inaugural ceremony for the reopening of the Sacrarium of the Gran Madre

Location: Church of the Gran Madre di Dio in Turin
Organized by: AFC Torino SpA
Contact: arte-storia@cimiteritorino.it

➤ Friday, June 5 | 5:30 PM
Event for the Night of the Archives and Archivissima 2026

Location: Monumental Cemetery of Turin (start at the entrance Regio Parco 80)
Organized by: AFC Torino SpA
Contact: arte-storia@cimiteritorino.it.

➤ Saturday, June 6 | 2:30 PM
OPEN HOUSE TURIN: The Monumental Cemetery

Location: Monumental Cemetery of Turin (visitor entrance)
Organized by: OPEN HOUSE TURIN
Contact: team@openhousetorino.it or 3471789154

➤ Saturday, June 6 | 4:30 PM
OPEN HOUSE TURIN: The Monumental Cemetery

Location: Monumental Cemetery of Tuirn (visitor entrance)
Organized by: OPEN HOUSE TURIN
Contact: team@openhousetorino.it or 3471789154

Additional information

Details about the events in Turin during the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026 are available at www.cimiteritorino.it/wdec-2026/

AGM 2026: Sign up

It's time to sign up for the Annual General Meeting and Conference 2026, taking place from 18 to 20 June in Turin, Italy.

About the AGM and Conference 2026

The AGM and Conference 2026 will be held from 18 to 20 June in Turin, Italy, at multiple locations, featuring captivating presentations, interactive workshops, cultural insights, and numerous networking opportunities.

You can find the entire programme HERE.

The event is beeing organised by AFC Torino S.p.A.

In collaboration with:

Conference theme

This year’s Conference, themed "Life Lessons: Cemeteries as Educational Heritage", explores how cemeteries can serve as dynamic educational heritage sites, prompting reflection on how we preserve, interpret, and pass on knowledge across generations.

Details about the conference theme are available at this LINK.

How to register for the event

Closed Registration Status

*Registrations are closed.

Applications for the AGM and Conference 2026 are now open. You can sign up by using the following sign up form.

➤ SIGN UP FORM

Application deadline: 23. 5. 2026

If you wish to register more than one person, the form must be completed for each person separately.

Note that some event activities have limited capacity, so we recommend registering for your preferred sessions as soon as possible. Once the spots are filled, additional registrations will no longer be possible.

For any questions, please contact Mrs. Renata Santoro at renata.santoro@cimiteritorino.it.

AGM 2026: Programme and accommodation

The draft programme and accommodation suggestions for the Annual General Meeting and Conference 2026, taking place from 18 to 20 June in Turin, Italy.

Basic information

The AGM and Conference 2026 will be held from 18 to 20 June in Turin, Italy, at multiple locations shown on the map above.

The Conference is themed "Life Lessons: Cemeteries as Educational Heritage" and will explore how cemeteries can function as vital heritage sites for education, inviting reflection on how we preserve, interpret, and transmit knowledge across generations. More details can be found HERE.

The event is beeing organised by AFC Torino S.p.A.

In collaboration with:

Accommodation suggestions

Participants are responsible for their own accommodation arrangements. At the following links, you can find some recommended hotels near the event venues. Direct reservations can also be made through these links.

➤ Accommodation details and booking (English)
➤ Accommodation details and booking (Italian)

Please note that it is not necessary to book a room at one of the listed hotels. You may also use booking apps to find alternative accommodations that better suit your needs.

AGM and Conference programme

The programme presented is a draft version and may be subject to changes or additions. Please consult our website regularly for the latest information.

You can view the details of individual parts of the programme by clicking on the part that interests you.

You can click on this link (iCal) to add the programme to your personal calendar.

Expand programme view

Calendar view

Document view

ASCE Conference 2026: Call for papers

Students at Pobrežje Cemetery in Maribor

The theme of the ASCE Conference 2026 is "Life Lessons: Cemeteries as Educational Heritage".

Conference dates and venue

The next ASCE’s annual Conference will be held earlier than usual, this time on 18 and 19 June 2026 in Turin, Italy.

The conference will take place in Turin’s historic centre, close to the city’s Monumental Cemetery. Exact venues will be announced soon.

Conference theme: "Life Lessons: Cemeteries as Educational Heritage"

Cemeteries engage all the senses and offer rich opportunities for learning. From sculptural and architectural heritage to the textures of weathered stone, the presence of vegetation and wildlife, and the stories embedded in family histories, these sites possess profound educational potential.

This learning, understanding and recognising the values of the past to shape our future, forms a foundation of our humanity. Yet in contemporary society, the lessons cemeteries offer risk being overlooked or dismissed as irrelevant.

This year’s conference explores how cemeteries can function as vital heritage sites for education, inviting reflection on how we preserve, interpret, and transmit knowledge across generations.

Topics

We welcome papers addressing (but not limited to):

educational programmes in cemetery settings,
cemeteries in formal and informal education,
heritage interpretation and visitor engagement,
digital technologies and heritage learning,
training and professional development for cemetery staff and volunteers,
community participation and knowledge exchange,
schools and universities working with cemetery heritage.

Submissions

Closed Subbmission Status

*Subbmissions are closed.

Individual presentations (15-20 minutes) and panel discussions (30-45 minutes, maximum four participants) are welcome.

Please submit via the form below:

An abstract of no more than 250 words
A brief CV (maximum one page)
For panel proposals, names and affiliations of all participants

The conference language is English.

Deadline for submissions: 31 January 2026
Notification of acceptance: 28 February 2026

➤ ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FORM

Editorial board

Andreea Pop, phd
Esterino Adami, phd
Ian Dungavell, phd
Ioanna Paraskevopoulou, phd
Renata Santoro, phd
Silvia Beltramo, phd