WDEC 2024: Environmental sustainability and climate change

This year's WDEC will focus on cemeteries' dedication to environmental sustainability and fight against climate change.

Climate change is the consequence of global warming of the Earth and the overall increase in temperature caused by the toxic emissions generated in human activities.

European cemeteries are determined allies in the common fight against climate change. They have been working for years on its mitigation through a wide range of actions and initiatives that demonstrate a strong commitment to the environment. Common measures to reduce environmental impact include:

• responsible use of fossil energies and water,
• progressive incorporation of renewable energy sources,
• respect for the plant and fauna biodiversity of our enclosures,
• enhancement of native vegetation,
• responsible waste management,
• progressive electrification of vehicle fleets.

This year's Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, scheduled from 24 May to 2 June, will try to highlight the important issue of climate change through various events and activities and showcase different ways in which cemeteries and their visitors can contribute to reducing environmental impact.

Share your activities

We invite you to send programs, photos and other materials of your planned activities during WDEC 2024 to admin@significantcemeteries.org. We will be happy to publish them on the ASCE website and our social networks.

WDEC 2022: Schools on Cemeteries

We strongly believe that schools on cemeteries are one of the best ways to preserve and promote cultural heritage so this is the theme of this year's WDEC.

Importance of youth involvement

Schools require various programs to help children learn about society and culture, and cemeteries can offer an unexpected yet powerful experience. Since the future of cemeteries depends on the attitude that these children will develop, experiencing cemeteries as cultural heritage of their city may change their perspective so that they will be keener to support the preservation of cemeteries and other relevant projects.

For this reason, the main theme of this year's Week of Discovering European Cemeteries is “Schools on Cemeteries”.

Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2022

This year's WDEC will take place from May 30th to June 5th with the central theme being "Schools on Cemeteries". The goal is to highlight the historical, artistic, architectural, and educational richness that these spaces have.

Instead of traditional classes in school, students can have cemeteries as their classrooms, and enjoy a cultural week of activities which involves listening, learning, and interacting with history in a different and interesting way. The experience of walking through a cemetery and discovering the diversity of stories and meanings behind the graves and tombstones, is a stimulating, creative, challenging, and intriguing activity that can take students to another level of critical thinking and reflection on cultural heritage and their lives.

Schools on Cemeteries project

Schools on cemeteries is not a new idea. European cemeteries Route (CEMR), which was created under the auspices of ASCE, started this project years ago and many European cemeteries have already started to implement such projects in collaboration with local schools. You can read more about it HERE. Furthermore, you can see some best practices of European Cemeteries Route working with schools in the video below.

Since we strongly believe that schools on cemeteries are one of the best ways to preserve and promote cultural heritage, this will be an area of focus which will be intensively developed during the year and beyond.

WDEC 2019 in Rijeka

This year's WDEC in Rijeka (Croatia) will take place from May 24 to June 2, 2019, and will be dedicated to military graves and memorials at the Kozala Cemetery.

In accordance with the main event theme, KD Kozala prepared a brochure entitled "Military Graves at the Kozala Cemetery" which can be obtained at the entrance of the cemetery. Furthermore, a separate brochure was prepared for the smaller Rijeka cemeteries: Zamet, Gornja and Donja Drenova, Draga and Sveti Kuzam.

In addition to the brochures, visitors can get special postcards to send “Greetings from European Cemeteries Route".

Programme

Monday, May 27, 2019

18:00

• opening ceremony and presentation of the cemeteries Zamet, Gornja and Donja Drenova, Draga, Sveti Kuzam and military graves at the Kozala Cemetery
• music accompaniment
• photos exhibition of military graves at Kozala Cemetery

18:30

• educational walk and learning about military graves and memorials at Kozala Cemetery 

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

18:00

• presentation of the cemeteries Zamet, Gornja and Donja Drenova, Draga, Sveti Kuzam and military graves at the Kozala Cemetery
• music accompaniment
• photos exhibition of military graves at Kozala Cemetery

18:30

• educational walk and learning about military graves and memorials at Kozala Cemetery

Other days

• individual visits to the cemetery
• photos exhibition of military graves at Kozala Cemetery 

Details about the event can be read HERE.

WDEC 2019 in Krakow

Join us on a guided walk at the Old Cemetery of Podgorze in Krakow (Poland) on Tuesday, May 28th, 2019.

Association PODGORZE.PL invites you to a guided walk by Jaroslaw Zolciak entitled “Introduction to the Old Cemetery of Podgorze (Stary Cmentarz Podgorski)”.

Our guides will present us the story of this oldest municipal cemetery in Krakow, established at the end of XVIII century, and show us the graves of famous people buried there. Also, we will see unique images of graves lost during the construction of the nearby road in 1976 and graves recently renovated.

The guided walk will start at 6pm. In case of rain the lecture will be held in the Museum of Podgorze - opposite the cemetery (Limanowskiego Street, 51).

For more information, check out our website or Facebook page.

WDEC 2019 in Maribor, Slovenia

This year WDEC in Maribor will be marked by two important anniversaries.

In 2019, Pogrebno podjetje Maribor (the presiding member of ASCE) is celebrating two important anniversaries - 150 years of company operation and 140 years of Pobrežje cemetery. Through all year, many events and activities will take place at cemeteries in Maribor,  some of them within the Week of discovering European cemeteries.

Main event: “Memory of peace”

The main event of WDEC is also the main event of the 150/140 year anniversary and it will take place on May 28th, 2019 at Pobrežje cemetery. The purpose is to recall the memory of members of numerous cultures and countries that lost their lives in the two world wars in Maribor. The event keynote speaker will be the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor.

Guided tour and classical music concert

On June 11th, 2019, a guided tour at Pobrežje cemetery will take place under the guidance of Mr. Tone Partljič, an expert on Maribor`s culture, slang, people and their nature. At the end of the tour there will be a short concert of classical music in front of the Czeike's arcades, located at the cemetery.

Photo exhibition: “Memorial Parks of Europe”

Pogrebno podjetje Maribor prepared a special photo exhibition entitled "Memorial Parks of Europe" that is on display from April 25th, 2019 in front of the farewell facility at Dobrava cemetery in Maribor. The photos represent some of the significant cemeteries in Europe that are special for their green areas and their park shape.

WDEC2016 in the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno in Genoa (Italy)

Discover the programme of  WDEC 2016 in Genoa (Italy).

WDEC2015 -The Monumental Cemetery of Turin: in five days 20 guided tours.

In the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, the Monumental cemetery of Turin, together to the associations and tourist agencies in the country, promotes the beauty and history of the cemetery with a very good program of guided tours.

WDEC 2014 in Certosa, Bologna Monumental Cemetery

Get ready to visit Bologna.

Week of discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC)

1 week. Hundreds of events.