Invitation to NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow

Teatro delle Albe invites you to experience NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow, a headphone-guided walk that redefines how we contemplate life, death, and historical cemetery spaces.

About the experience

NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow is an immersive site-specific listening experience by Teatro delle Albe, conceived and directed by Alessandro Renda. Designed for small groups of participants, the project transforms the cemetery into a space for reflection, inviting visitors to explore themes of memory, grief, and the fragility of life through a silent, headphone-guided journey.

Moving among graves, monuments, sculptures, and hidden corners of the cemetery, participants are accompanied by a carefully crafted sound dramaturgy that weaves together personal stories, literary and philosophical reflections, and perspectives on death drawn from different cultures and traditions. The experience unfolds as a collective yet deeply personal journey, encouraging contemplation of the bonds between people, memory, and place.

Neither a guided tour nor a conventional theatre performance, NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow offers a unique way of engaging with cemetery heritage. As visitors walk through the site, the cemetery emerges as a threshold between past and present, life and death, revealing its role not only as a place of remembrance but also as a space for dialogue, reflection, and cultural encounter.

The title Nephesh comes from the Hebrew word that can mean “breath,” “soul,” “life,” or “living being,” reflecting the project's exploration of what remains after death and how memory continues to shape the lives of those who remain.

Summer Tour Dates 2026

➤ Bologna | Cimitero della Certosa

• May 26th, 2026 | 19:00
• June 9th, 11th, 16th, and 25th, 2026 | 19:15
• July 9th, 17th, and 23rd, 2026 | 19:15

In collaboration with Per Aspera Festival

➤ Gorizia | Cimitero Monumentale

• August 27th, 28th, and 29th, 2026 | 18:00

Festival In\Visible Cities - Contaminazioni Digitali

Further Information

For additional information, please contact Francesca Venturi at info@teatrodellealbe.com or +39 335 7173664.

Related links:

• Presentation (PDF)
• Official Website
• Official Trailer

*Photos source: www.teatrodellealbe.com

Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries 2026: Call for Papers

The Cemetery Research Group invites you to participate in the Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries, which will take place entirely online on 20 November 2026.

About the Colloquium

On Friday, 20 November 2026, the Cemetery Research Group will host a virtual colloquium via Zoom.

The event will focus on places and practices relating to the disposal of the dead, including burial, cremation, and other methods.

Tickets for the colloquium will be available on the CRG website from 9 October 2026.

Call for Papers

The colloquium invites scholars working in the social sciences and humanities, as well as postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to submit papers that combine theoretical insight with empirical research on the proposed theme.

Each presentation will be allocated a 30-minute slot, comprising approximately 20 minutes for the presentation followed by time for questions and discussion. The event is open to contributors from around the world, and panels will be scheduled to accommodate different time zones. All presentations must be delivered in English.

Abstracts may be submitted via this Google Form by 2 October 2026.

For any questions, please contact Dr Julie Rugg at julie.rugg@york.ac.uk.

WDEC 2026 at Italian Cemeteries

Explore SEFIT Utilitalia events and guided tours at Italian cemeteries during Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026.

19 May 2026 | Press Release from the Utilitalia SEFIT Enhancement Working Group

The Utilitalia SEFIT Cemeteries Historical, Artistic, and Touristic Enhancement Working Group is participating at the end of May in an interesting annual project by ASCE: the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC). This is a period, sometimes lasting just over a week, to highlight our cemeteries. The theme of this year's event relates to Sustainable Development Goal 4 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda: Quality Education.

Cemeteries are, in fact, places where it is possible to study history, learn about art, and generally delve into issues relating to local culture and society—valuable subjects for building a more sustainable future through knowledge.

With the participation of several member cities of the WG Valorizzazione (Promotion Working Group) in the WDEC project, we are fulfilling the commitments made in 2017 through the Memorandum of Understanding signed between SEFIT and ASCE for the mutual promotion of cultural activities.

The Verano in Rome, the Monumental Cemetery in Turin, the Certosa of Bologna, the Staglieno in Genoa, the Monumental Cemetery in Milan, the Certosa di Ferrara, the Monumental Cemetery in Trento, and the Monumental Cemetery in Verona are among the historic and significant Italian cemeteries that are members of the Utilitalia SEFIT WG and are participating in WDEC 2026 with various cultural activities, events, and themed guided tours. These activities are listed in the booklet, which can be viewed and downloaded from the following link:

• https://heyzine.com/flip-book/2479ba316f.html

Liberation Day in the cemeteries of SEFIT Utilitalia in Italy

As part of the Italian Cemeteries Enhancement Activities, the ‘Monuments and Headstones Tell the Story of the Liberation’ project honors the Italian Resistance during World War II.

About the project

April 25 marks the anniversary of Italy's Liberation, marking the end of the Nazi occupation and the fall of the Fascist regime in 1945. The Italian public cemeteries of Utilitalia Sefit's Historical, Artistic, and Tourism Enhancement Working Group (WG) tell, through their headstones and monuments, the stories of many partisans, civilian victims, and all those who fell for Freedom within and beyond their walls.

In this year's project, the WG for the Enhancement of Cemeteries uses the red poppy as a symbol of remembrance as the underlying theme in the short video. Indeed, the National Association of Italian Partisans (ANPI) recognizes the red poppy as the symbol of the partisan. But it is also the symbol of the fallen in war, for the red color of the blood spilled on the battlefields, and it is the symbol of the strength of nature and of the Resistance because it is a spontaneous flower that blooms even among the rubble.

It doesn't have many images and captions, but by scanning the QR code included for each city, you can access more detailed information on the headstones, tombs, ceremonies, and events.

With this eight-and-a-half-minute video, we share the social energy of our work online.

Video of Europe’s Cultural Routes in Italy

The Italian Ministry of Culture has released a new one-hour video showcasing, for the first time, the 36 Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe that cross Italian territory.

About the project

The video highlights several major European itineraries that are part of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and pass through Italy, such as the Camino de Santiago, the Via Francigena, the Route of Aeneas, Leonardo da Vinci’s Routes, ATRIUM, Iter Vitis, the Phoenicians’ Route, the Way of St. Francis, and others. The Cultural Routes are presented thematically, illustrating Europe’s shared heritage across history, architecture, religion, landscapes, and cultural traditions, while also promoting sustainable tourism and cooperation between institutions and local stakeholders.

European Cemeteries Route

Among the routes featured in the video is also the European Cemeteries Route, certified in 2010 and coordinated by the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe. The European Cemeteries Route connects historic cemeteries across Europe as cultural landscapes that reflect European history, art, and collective memory. In the video, it is illustrated with images of several Italian cemeteries, including:

• the Monumental Cemetery of Lavagna,
• the Monumental Cemetery of Mantua,
• the Certosa Monumental Cemetery in Bologna,
• the Monumental Cemetery of Verona,
• the Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome,
• andthe Verano Monumental Cemetery in Rome.

The video

The European Cemeteries Route is featured from 31:38 onwards.

ASCE Conference 2026: Call for papers

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

*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:

1. An abstract of no more than 250 words
2. A brief CV (maximum one page)
3. 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

Further information

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

Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries 2025: Program and Registration

Registration is now open for the Cemetery Research Group’s Virtual Colloquium on Cemeteries, taking place on 21 November 2025.

About the Colloquium

On Friday, 21 November 2025, a free of charge virtual colloquium organized by the Cemetery Research Group will take place via Zoom.

The event will focus on places and practices relating to the disposal of the dead, including burial, cremation, and other methods. This year’s keynote speaker is Ruth E. Toulson (Maryland Institute College of Art), who will deliver a presentation titled “The Last Cemetery: Shifting Deathscapes in Contemporary Singapore”.

Program and registration

Papers will be delivered in four sessions throughout the day. You can find the entire program HERE.

To attend, please use this Google Form to register for the sessions you wish to join. You will receive invitations to your selected sessions a few days before the conference.

Registration deadline: 14 November 2025

For any questions, please contact Dr. Julie Rugg at julie.rugg@york.ac.uk.

Lisbon's 4th Cultural Week in Cemeteries

From 18 to 26 October 2025, guided tours, thematic walks, night visits, educational workshops, and other engaging activities will take place at Lisbon's cemeteries.

About the event

From 18 to 26 October 2025, Lisbon will host the 4th Cultural Week in Cemeteries, reaffirming the city’s cemeteries as vibrant spaces of memory, heritage, and cultural exchange. Organised by the Lisbon Municipal Cemeteries Division, the initiative combines tradition with innovation, offering the public a unique program of activities.

Event program and partners

Over nine days, visitors will discover the cemeteries of Lisbon—Prazeres, Alto de São João, Olivais, Carnide, and Lumiar—through guided tours, thematic walks, night visits, and the popular "open mausolea afternoons", organised in partnership with Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa. The program also includes educational activities, such as a philosophy workshop for children and families, encouraging younger generations to reflect creatively on life and death.

In Lisbon, the Cultural Week further includes visits to the British Cemetery, the German Cemetery, the National Pantheon, and the Church of São Roque. Beyond the capital, new partners join this year: the Cemitério da Lapa in Porto and the Museu Funerário Fernando Oliveira in Aveiro, together with a wide network of municipalities across the country. In 2025, the program will involve the cities of Setúbal, Palmela, Vila Franca de Xira, Barreiro, Caldas da Rainha, Figueira da Foz, Santarém, and Torres Vedras, highlighting the richness and diversity of Portuguese funerary heritage.

1st Interdisciplinary Conference on Cemeteries

On 24 October 2025, the program will feature the 1st Interdisciplinary Conference on Cemeteries, a landmark event bringing together academics, researchers, and heritage professionals in Lisbon for a day of dialogue and reflection, open to the wider community.

Additional information and registration

All activities are free of charge, subject to prior registration at cemiterios.visitas@cm-lisboa.pt.

For more information visit www.informacao.lisboa.pt

Invitation to the Virtual Colloquium on cemeteries 2025

The Cemetery Research Group invites you to participate in the Virtual Colloquium on cemeteries, taking place entirely online on 21 November 2025.

About the Colloquium

On Friday, 21 November 2025, a virtual colloquium organized by the Cemetery Research Group will take place via Zoom.

The event will focus on places and practices relating to the disposal of the dead, including burial, cremation, and other methods. This year’s keynote speaker is Ruth E. Toulson (Maryland Institute College of Art), who will deliver a presentation titled “The Last Cemetery: Shifting Deathscapes in Contemporary Singapore”.

Tickets for the colloquium will be available on the CRG website starting 11 October 2025.

Call for Papers

The colloquium invites researchers from the social sciences and humanities, as well as postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to submit papers that combine theoretical insight with empirical research on the proposed theme.

Each presentation will have a thirty-minute slot, allowing roughly twenty minutes for the talk and time for questions. The event is open to contributors from around the world, with panels arranged to accommodate different time zones. All presentations must be in English.

Abstracts can be submitted via this Google Form by 1 October 2025.

For any questions please contact Dr Julie Rugg at julie.rugg@york.ac.uk.

New book series

In related publishing news, Routledge has launched a new book series titled “Accommodating the Dead: Materialities, Rituals and Technologies”. The series explores the evolving and multi-faceted study of the dead body and the diverse ways humans engage with it, with an international and interdisciplinary scope.

WDEC 2025 in Berlin

Explore the program of events taking place at various cemeteries in Berlin during the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2025 and later on.

23-24 May 2025

Be the first bird - Bird listening at St. Elisabeth II

• About the event: A nature education program for families, including an overnight stay.
• Schedule: Friday, 23 May at 17:00 to Saturday, 24 May at 08:00
• Location: Cemetery Chapel of St. Elisabeth II
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

23 May 2025

JAMES TURRELL - Light Art Presentation

• About the event: An art exhibition accompanied by an introductory lecture in German and English, held from Friday to Sunday at sunset (start times vary).
• Schedule: Friday, 23 May at 20:45
• Location: Dorotheenstädt Cemetery I
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

24 May 2025

For all eternity - A tour of the Dorotheenstädt Cemetery

• About the event: A guided tour exploring the history and significance of one of Berlin’s most renowned cemeteries.
• Schedule: Saturday, 24 May from 11:00 to 13:00
• Location: Dorotheenstädt Cemetery I
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

30-31 May 2025

Be the first bird - Bird listening at St. Elisabeth II

• About the event: A nature education program for families, including an overnight stay.
• Schedule: Friday, 30 May at 17:00 to Saturday, 31 May at 08:00 
• Location: Cemetery Chapel of St. Elisabeth II
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

31 May 2025

JAMES TURRELL - Light Art Presentation

• About the event: An art exhibition accompanied by an introductory lecture in German and English, held from Friday to Sunday at sunset (start times vary).
• Schedule: Saturday, 31 May at 20:45
• Location: Dorotheenstädt Cemetery I
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

1 June 2025

Guided tour of the Dorotheenstädt Cemetery

• About the event: Discover the stories and resting places of notable figures on a guided tour through this historic cemetery.
• Schedule: Sunday, 1 June at 15:00
• Location: Dorotheenstädt Cemetery I
• Organizer: Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center
• More information: https://evfbs.de/

More to come

Additional events are published on the website of the Evangelical Cemetery Association of Berlin City Center: https://evfbs.de.

1945-2025 Monuments and tombs tell the story of the Liberation

A digital itinerary featuring some of the notable Italian monuments and tombs that tell the story of the Liberation from Nazi-fascism.

This year, April 25th carries special significance. Not only because it's the 80th anniversary of Italy's Liberation from Nazi-fascism, but also because it's a symbolic date marking the end of the Second World War. Today, several armed conflicts are still ongoing, even not too far from our country, which oblige us to reflect on the Resistance, its protagonists, and the enduring meaning of the Liberation.

The 2025 project of the Working Group for the Historical-Artistic and Touristic Valorization of Italian Public Cemeteries of Utilitalia SEFIT, aims to highlight some of the monuments and tombs that tell the story of the Liberation inside and outside cemetery walls. This initiative is presented through a digital Google Maps itinerary titled "1945–2025: Monuments and Tombs Tell the Story of the Liberation", accessible HERE.

*Photo: Verano cemetery - Sepolcreto dei caduti nella lotta per la Liberazione, © Daniele.Brundu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Appointment in the Garden 2025

APGI - Associazione Parchi e Giardini d'Italia invites you to join the Appointment in the Garden initiative, which will take place on the 7th and 8th of June 2025.

Cemeteries as gardens

Cemeteries are often overlooked as green spaces, yet, in many ways, they are gardens in their own right—places where nature, memory, and culture intertwine. Landscaped with care, shaped by history, and rich in symbolism, cemeteries form serene environments for reflection, remembrance, and discovery.

In this context, we are pleased to forward the invitation from APGI - Associazione Parchi e Giardini d'Italia to participate in the "Appuntamento in Giardino" initiative (English: Appointment in the Garden), which this year beautifully aligns with the ASCE Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, both in theme and timing.

About the "Appuntamento in Giardino" initiative

Designed as a garden celebration, the event invites the general public to rediscover Italy’s gardens as living cultural heritage through a variety of events and activities. Participation is open to all gardens, whether historic or contemporary, that have historical, artistic, landscape, or botanical significance.

Held in collaboration with Rendez-vous aux Jardins, this initiative will take place simultaneously in numerous European countries.

For more information about the initiative, click HERE or visit the website www.apgi.it.

Theme: Gardens of stones, stones of the garden

Year after year, the chosen theme invites the public to rediscover the universe of the garden through a new perspective. This year’s theme for the "Appuntamento in Giardino" initiative is Gardens of Stones, Stones of the Garden.

Please note that aligning with the proposed theme is not mandatory for the design of proposed activities. You can animate the days with a wide variety of events, including guided tours, conferences, meetings with owners, gardeners, and botanists, gardening lessons, workshops for children, demonstrations, concerts, performances, exhibitions, tastings, night openings, and more.

How to participate

Each garden can choose one or more days to participate in the initiative (Saturday, 7 June; Sunday, 8 June; or both days).

Registrations will be open until the 1st of May 2025. You can sign up your garden HERE.

For any questions, please contact appuntamentoingiardino@apgi.it.

Book: "Cementerios y migraciones"

A fascinating book by Celeste Castiglione about migration, memory, and burial spaces in Buenos Aires.

About the book

The book "Cementerios y migraciones: Memorias, espacios funerarios y otras historias de la provincia de Buenos Aires" by Celeste Castiglione delves into the history of migration in the province of Buenos Aires by examining the experience of death far from one’s homeland. 

Through the lens of cemeteries, she explores these spaces as unique sites where memory, identity, and cultural influences converge. These burial grounds serve as witnesses to social dynamics, revealing patterns, ruptures, and continuities that shape collective history.

Find out more at www.edunpaz.unpaz.edu.ar

XIth City and Book Conference: Call for papers

The Aureo Anello Association invites you to participate in the XIth City and Book International Conference, taking place on 26 April 2025 in Florence, Italy, and via Zoom.

About the event

The Accademia delle Arti del Disegno (Via Orsanmichele 4, 50123 Firenze, Italy) will host the XIth City and Book International Conference on Saturday, 26 April 2025.

The event will be conducted both in person and via Zoom, ensuring accessibility for a global audience.

Call for papers

For more information, including guidelines for presentation submissions and registration details, please contact Julia Bolton Holloway, president of the Aureo Anello Association, at juliananchoress@gmail.com.

As customary, the proceedings will be published on the Aureo Anello Association website.

*Photo source: www.florin.ms

Book: "Cimiteri e dintorni. Uno spazio di dialogo tra generazioni"

A book on contemporary perception of cemeteries and their potential as spaces for intergenerational dialogue, memory, and life.

A collection of presentations

"Cimiteri e dintorni. Uno spazio di dialogo tra generazioni" is a newly published book, developed through the collaboration of ASCE members from Turin and the University of Turin.

The book was created following the international conference "Around Cemeteries: a space of dialogue across generations and cultures," which was held in Turin on May 30 and 31, 2023. The conference brought together scholars, professionals, and researchers from various fields to discuss cemeteries as places of cultural exchange, historical reflection, and intergenerational dialogue. The presentations from this event have now been compiled into this volume, offering valuable insights into the role of cemeteries in our societies.

Contents of the book

Cimiteri e dintorni explores cemeteries not just as places of remembrance but also as spaces that foster dialogue between generations and cultures. It examines how cemeteries can serve as educational tools, heritage sites, and venues for public engagement. By addressing topics such as memory, identity, artistic expression, and social transformation, the book provides a comprehensive perspective on the significance of cemeteries in contemporary society.

Book purchase

The book was edited by Esterino Adami, Antonella Amatuzzi, and Laura Ramello and published by Neos Edizioni. It is available in Italian and can be purchased on Amazon Italy.

Call for book chapters

Julie Rugg (University of York) and David Ocón (Singapore Management University) invite you to contribute your insights and expertise on cemeteries as heritage sites, the impacts of cemetery tourism, and sustainable practices in cemetery management.

About the book

Julie Rugg (University of York) and David Ocón (Singapore Management University) are co-editing a text for Boydell and Brewer’s  "Heritage Matters" series and are issuing a call for chapter proposals. 

The themes can include:

• the cemetery as a locale for tangible and intangible funeral heritage;
• the principles of cemetery interpretation;
• the emotional, social and economic impact of cemetery tourism;
• contested sites, where the site’s purpose desire for preservation is compromised by the site’s purpose; and
• the interaction between funeral heritage and sustainable development.

A fuller rationale for the text sits below.

Funerary Heritage

Funerary heritage comprises tangible and intangible evidence of ways in which past societies have come to an accommodation with mortality. This text focuses on the considerable funeral heritage associated with cemeteries and other places of interment. 

Over the past thirty years, interest in such sites as heritage assets has expanded substantially, provoking similar substantial growth in cemetery tourism. Cemeteries draw local, national and even international audiences, creating demand for interpretative elements: tours, signage, apps and websites. However, literature making a case for the heritagization of cemeteries pays very little attention to the inherent contradictions and tensions that lie within that process. This text seeks to reframe cemetery heritage as a critical field of study, addressing its multifaceted dimensions, including the intersection of preservation, interpretation, and sustainable development. 

This text will draw together chapters from an international array of scholars, defining critical issues for cemetery heritage, and, in doing so, reframe this area of academic study as a more vibrant arena for critical analysis.

The book will explore five substantive and interconnected themes mentioned above.

Chapter proposals

Please submit a 250-word abstract by November 30th, 2024.

The deadline for completed chapters is September 2025. The chapters will have an 8.000-word limit and will be blind peer reviewed. The text will include academic contributions from across the globe, and all submissions must be in English.

Send abstracts to: julie.rugg@york.ac.uk or davidocon@smu.edu.sg.

You can find the original call for chapters HERE.

Invitation to the 3rd Virtual Colloquium on cemeteries

The Cemetery Research Group invites you to participate in the 3rd Virtual Colloquium on cemeteries, taking place on 15th November 2024 via Zoom.

About the event

On Friday, 15th November 2024, a virtual colloquium organized by the Cemetery Research Group will take place via the Zoom platform.

The main theme is cemeteries and death practices, focusing on how burial and commemoration customs intersect with social, cultural, and political changes across different countries and historical periods. Speakers from around the world will address a range of subjects, including the transformation of funeral practices, the architectural and legal aspects of cemeteries, and the evolving role of cemeteries in urban settings.

This year's keynote speaker is professor Andrew Kipnis, who has written extensively on funeral practices in China. His presentation, titled "Ghosts, Urbanization, and Strangers in China and Hong Kong", will offer insightful perspectives on these themes.

The full programme with the list of speakers and their topics is available HERE.

Registration details

Attendance at the virtual colloquium is free of charge, but registration is required to secure your spot and receive Zoom invitations to the sessions you wish to attend.

To register, please complete the form at this LINK. Deadline for registration is 8th November 2023.

For any additional questions, please contact Dr. Julie Rugg at julierugg36@gmail.com.

*Photo source: https://www.cemeteryresearch.org/events/

Study day and book presentation of Memento Mori III: The Sustainable Cemetery

You are cordially invited to the study day and book presentation of Memento Mori III, which will take place on October 24, 2024, in Nossegem, Belgium.

Study day and book presentation

The Memento Mori III project managers invite you to participate in a study day and the presentation of the book Memento Mori III: The Sustainable Cemetery. The event will take place on October 24, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 5 PM in Nossegem, Belgium.

Participation is free of charge, but due to limited seating, registration is required. Please register by emailing boekvoorstelling@memento-mori.be.

You can find the event program and additional information HERE.

About the book

Memento Mori III: The Sustainable Cemetery, edited by Tamara Ingels and Joeri Mertens, is the latest book in the Memento Mori series.

This book offers insights into historical research, heritage, green cemeteries, and the funerary landscape, all while aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The authors share knowledge and practical experiences, providing sustainable tips for readers. Memento Mori III seeks to engage readers in the sustainability debate surrounding cemeteries, fostering ongoing growth, development, and reflection on these critical topics.

The book will be available for purchase at the event, or you can order it online. More details about the book project can be found at this LINK.

Lisbon's 3rd Cultural Week in Cemeteries

Between October 5th and 13th, 2024, guided tours, concerts, workshops, virtual talks, and other activities will take place at Lisbon's cemeteries.

About the event

From October 5th to October 13th, 2024, the city of Lisbon will host the 3rd Cultural Week in Cemeteries, an initiative dedicated to valuing and promoting Portugal's rich cemetery heritage. This unique event features a diverse program of guided tours, workshops, and special activities designed to engage the public with the historical and cultural significance of cemeteries.

Program

This year's program includes a series of new guided tours that will take place in Lisbon's cemeteries, as well as at the Museum of Lisbon and the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, where special tours focused on the themes of burials and cemeteries are planned.

To commemorate the Proclamation of the Portuguese Republic Day on October 5th, the Municipal Newspaper Archive will conduct a tour that explores the legacy of Portugal's First Republic and honors the Republicans laid to rest at the Alto de São João Cemetery.

The British Cemetery and the German Cemetery will also participate in the event, providing both guided and self-guided tours. A special "Open Day" at Prazeres Cemetery, in collaboration with the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, will allow visitors to explore several mausoleums and appreciate their interiors, featuring stained-glass windows, altars, old photographs, memento mori, and beautifully carved coffins.

A highlight of the week will be a concert-guided tour within the Palmela Mausoleum, recognized as Europe’s largest private mausoleum. Attendees will enjoy musical compositions from the 19th century, contemporary to the life of the First Duke of Palmela, the mausoleum's architect.

The program also includes a Philosophy for Children workshop, inviting families to engage in thoughtful discussions about death, and a Death Cafe where participants can converse openly about mortality while enjoying tea, coffee, and cakes.

Furthermore, several municipalities surrounding Lisbon, including Loures, Palmela, Setúbal, and Vila Franca de Xira, are once again contributing to the event with guided tours, musical moments, and virtual talks.

Additional information and registration

All events and tours are free of charge, but registration is required. To register, please send an email to cemiterios.visitas@cm-lisboa.pt.

For the full program and additional information, visit the organizer's website.

.

Rise in bronze thefts at cemeteries in Belgium

Belgian cemeteries are facing a surge in bronze thefts, leading to urgent warnings for increased security measures as the threat is expected to spread across Europe.

Warning to European Cemeteries

The Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe has become aware of an alarming surge in brazen bronze thefts targeting cemeteries in Belgium. This disturbing trend has affected several cemeteries since July 2024, including those in Antwerp, Hasselt, and Mechelen, where thieves have plundered significant funerary heritage and caused considerable damage to tombstones.

You can see some of the stolen pieces HERE.

Although these thefts are currently concentrated in Flanders, there is a high probability that they could spread across Europe. Evidence suggests the possibility of organized crime activity with international reach, meaning other ASCE-member cemeteries could soon become targets.

Recommended security measures

To safeguard your cemetery and its cultural heritage, we urge all managers to take the following precautions:

• Lock cemeteries after hours to limit unauthorized access.
• Install surveillance cameras to monitor suspicious activity.
• Engage local authorities for regular patrols or contract security services.
• Catalogue important heritage items with detailed descriptions and photographs.

Collaboration request

If your cemetery has experienced similar thefts, we kindly ask for your cooperation. We aim to understand if there are commonalities in the thefts and whether stolen pieces have been recovered. Please share your experiences, specifically:

• Were any stolen items recovered? If so, how?
• Was there a recurrent pattern or method to the thefts?
• What measures were effective in preventing future thefts?

If you have any information or questions, please contact Martijn.VanGroningen@antwerpen.be or admin@significantcemeteries.org.

*Photo attribution: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons