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 Istanbul

The Feriköy Protestant Cemetery, Istanbul’s main international burial ground, celebrated WDEC 2025 on May 28 with a guided tour, speeches, and the planting of a “peace tree.”

About the Event

To mark WDEC 2025 and highlight the spirit of international understanding and unity that has characterized the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery since its founding in 1859, an olive tree (a symbol of peace since ancient times) was planted in front of the chapel on May 28, 2025. Embodying the motto of ASCE’s Peace Tree Project, “Live in peace to rest in peace,” the tree is now a permanent reminder for cemetery visitors of the need for empathy and accord to counter aggression and foster just, harmonious societies that bind humanity rather than divide it. This was the first time the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery participated in WDEC, and the tree planting made it especially meaningful and memorable.

The event began with a guided tour of the cemetery lead by Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative members Fokke Gerritsen (Netherlands Institute in Turkey) and Brian Johnson (American Research Institute in Turkey). Speeches by Consul General of The Netherlands Arjen Uijterlinde and President of the Governing Board of the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Sebastiaan Kuipers followed, after which the tree was ceremoniously planted. A dedication plaque will be added later. The celebration concluded with a refreshments for the roughly forty guests, including members of the foreign diplomatic corps and cemetery friends and supporters.

Brian Johnson describes the gravestones of Monument Row, some of the oldest in the cemetery, which date from the early 1600s to the mid 1800s

Fokke Gerritsen speaks about some of the prominent people commemorated on the Dutch Memorial, whose names testify to the historic presence of the Netherlands in the Ottoman Empire from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries

2025 Governing Board President Sebastiaan Kuipers officially dedicates the Peace Tree (left)

Consul General of The Netherlands Arjen Uijterlinde addresses the audience by the Peace Tree

2024 Governing Board President Marc Seemann (Vice-Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany) shovels the first soil on the Peace Tree

The Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Peace Tree

About the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery

Founded in 1859, the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery is the principal burial place for Istanbul’s foreign Protestant and otherwise non-Catholic or Orthodox dead. It is managed by a governing board comprised of the consulates-general of Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Switzerland, and the USA. The board is assisted in its administrative task by the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative, a scholarly working group affiliated with six Turkey-based international research centers, including the American Research Institute in Turkey, the Netherlands Institute in Turkey, the Orient-Institut Istanbul, the Hungarian Cultural Center, the Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, and the British Institute at Ankara.

Additional information

Further details about the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery and its history and administration can be found on its ASCE webpage and on the website of the Feriköy Protestant Cemetery Initiative. Inquiries about the Initiative and its projects can be sent to info@ferikoycemetery.org.

The growing peace tree at Lister Lane Cemetery

A year after it was planted, the peace tree continues to adorn Lister Lane Cemetery, supporting local wildlife and reminding us of the importance of peace.

Importance of the peace tree

On 12th November 2023, a Hawthorn tree was planted at Lister Lane Cemetery in Halifax, United Kingdom, as part of the ASCE Peace Tree Project. The project encourages the planting of trees at cemeteries worldwide as a living reminder to "Live in peace to rest in peace".

The Hawthorn, chosen for its longevity and significance to local wildlife, is now thriving in the cemetery. Its beautiful blossoms provide food for bees, and the berries attract birds, contributing to the delicate ecosystem of the cemetery grounds.

This tree is not just a symbol of remembrance but also of growth, renewal, and the importance of fostering peace in our daily lives. As it grows, so too does our hope for a peaceful future.

Planting a peace tree at Lister Lane Cemetery

On 12 November 2023, a peace tree was planted at Lister Lane Cemetery in Halifax, United Kingdom.

About the Peace Tree Project

The ASCE Peace Tree Project aims to encourage ASCE members to plant a tree at their cemeteries as a symbolic reminder of the importance of peace, not only after death but also during life. In doing so, the central message of the project is spread: “Live in peace to rest in peace!”.

The planting of the first tree and thereby the official start of the project took place at Pobrežje Cemetery in Maribor, Slovenia, on 25 May 2023.

You can find more details about the project HERE.

Peace Tree at Lister Lane Cemetery

On 12 November 2023, the United Kingdom Remembrance Sunday, a peace tree was planted at Lister Lane Cemetery in Halifax.

The tree is a Hawthorn which is a long living native tree whith many flowers and berries. This is particularly important since the flowers are needed for the bees and berries for the birds living in the cemetery.

Insignia unveiling and peace tree planting at Kifissia Cemetery

From 6 to 8 September 2023, a series of special events that took place at the Municipal Cemetery of Kifissia, Greece.

About the events

The Municipality of Kifissia (Greece) organised a series of special events that took place from 6 to 8 September 2023 to celebrate the inclusion of the Municipal Cemetery of Kifissia in the European Cemeteries Route and joining the Peace tree project.

One of the main events was the ceremonial inauguration of the ASCE and European Cemeteries Route insignia at the cemetery's entrance. ASCE President, Lidija Pliberšek, and the Mayor of Kifissia, Georgios Thomakos, jointly unveiled the insignias, in the presence of esteemed dignitaries and key representatives of the city and the cemetery. This act symbolically marked the inclusion of the Municipal Cemetery of Kifissia in the European Cemeteries Route and highlighted the town's dedication to preserving the cemetery's rich cultural heritage and historical legacy.

In addition, the Peace Tree Project, which started during the Week of  Discovering European Cemeteries 2023, took another step forward. Following the successful planting of peace trees in Maribor and Budapest, the Municipal Cemetery of Kifissia became the proud home of the third peace tree. The purpose of the project is to plant a "peace tree" in as many different European cemeteries as possible, serving as a reminder of the importance of peace and reconciliation, while spreading the message “Live in peace to rest in peace!”.

Photos from the events:

Planting a peace tree in Budapest

On 26 May 2023, a tree was planted at the Fiumei Road Cemetery in Budapest as part of the ASCE Peace Tree Project.

The Peace Tree Project

The ASCE Peace Tree Project aims to encourage ASCE members to plant a tree at their cemeteries as a symbolic reminder of the importance of peace, not only after death but also during life. In doing so, the central message of the project is spread: “Live in peace to rest in peace!”.

The planting of the first tree and thereby the official start of the project took place at Pobrežje Cemetery in Maribor, Slovenia, on 25 May 2023.

The second peace tree was planted a day after that, on 26 May 2023, in the Fiumei Road Cemetery in Budapest, Hungary.

You can find more details about the project HERE.

WDEC 2023 at the Pobrežje Cemetery

At the Pobrežje Cemetery in Maribor, Slovenia, the beginning of this year's Week of Discovering European Cemeteries was marked by a special event.

Peace tree project

On Thursday, 25 May 2023, at 11am, the president of ASCE, Mrs Lidija Pliberšek, and the director of Budapest cemeteries, Mr Móczár Gábor Attila, planted a tree and placed a memorial board next to the peace monument at Pobrežje Cemetery.

The event represented not only the opening of the WDEC, but also the start of a new international project "Peace tree". As part of this project, ASCE members will plant trees in their cemeteries and set up memorials to emphasize the significance of peace in life, under the slogan "Live in peace to rest in peace!". The first tree of this project was thus planted in Maribor.

More details about the project are available HERE.

Cultural day for students

Also on 25 May 2023, a cultural day for students of the elementary school Tone Čufar from Maribor was held at Pobrežje Cemetery. As part of the event, students learned about the cultural heritage of European cemeteries, history, and geography at the cemetery and in the city with the help of information technologies. Similar events are regularly held at the Pobrežje Cemetery as part of the project Schools on Cemeteries.

Exhibition of mourning floristry

From 25 to 27 May 2023, the traditional exhibition of contemporary mourning floristry was on display in front of the flower shop at the entrance to the Pobrežje Cemetery, which the florists prepare each year as part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries. This year's theme of the exhibition was "Green days of floristry" with the emphasis on the importance of sustainability in the production of mourning floristry.

Tour of the cemetery with ARtour

An activity that is always available to visitors is an independent tour of the Pobrežje Cemetery with the help of the mobile guide ARtour. ARtour is a free mobile application which provides visitors with an interactive and educational experience and takes them along the different paths of the Pobrežje Cemetery, where they learn about historical monuments, important personalities, sports and medical legends, and more.