Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe

In memory of Professor Franco Sborgi

October 31 2014 marks the first anniversary of the passing of Franco Sborgi, Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Genova, Italy.

On October 2nd, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) took place. This time in Barcelona, Spain.

With 120 participants from 17 countries at the meeting and conference, the event was an unprecedented success. In 3 days we held the AGM, workshops, visited 2 significant cemeteries and experienced Barcelona extraordinary architecture, life and diversity.

Thanks to presidency, steering committee and exceptional organizational efforts of our host, Cementiris de Barcelona, all the participants could have developed new ideas.

AGM was guided by president of ASCE, Ms Lidija Pliberšek and all steering committee members were present or forwarded their votes to other members. During the AGM, several things were outlined and discussed:

1. Financial Report

Financial report for 2013. A very well balanced finances statement provides secure future for general work of ASCE.

2. Charter Changes

Notes of significant charter changes in past years were outlined once more to remind members of new addresses and arranged ASCE legal status.

3. Membership Criteria & Evaluations

ASCE members right and obligations document draft was presented.
The difference between membership and Significant cemetery was outlined.
A new form for proposing Significant cemeteries was presented.
Significant cemetery re-evaluation tests were presented. With these tests which will start to be performed in 2015 we will make sure that ASCE's list of cemeteries as well as membership databases are updated and maintained.

4. ASCE Promotional Activities

ASCE promotional activities were presented. Constant growth in website visitors and email subscribers is noticed.

Strong emphasize was put on delivering the emails through spam filters which can be done by support of all members. We have advised everyone to make sure with the help of IT professionals the emails from ASCE are delivered to the inbox of their email client. ASCE is doing everything to lower the chances of having emails in spam folders, nevertheless filters are very varied by their nature.

New significant website sections were presented: researchers network, bibliography and EU projects. Especially the latter provides many new possibilities for members to use the strength and infrastructure of association in approaching new project ideas.

Project Rest in peace memories was exposed as an example of good practice that can help members achieve much publicity in local and regional media and public. ASCE provides big database of professional photos that can be used by members to expose cemeteries from other European regions in our own local community. This brings important contrast to the minds of local people, helping them understand why their own cemetery is significant as well. We strongly advice members to take note of this approach and create new exhibitions with multilateral cooperation with other members of ASCE.

5. European Cemeteries Route

European Cemeteries route is one of the ASCE main projects. While aiming at opening cemeteries to tourists it is strongly connected to many other activities of ASCE members who participate in this.

In past year, new website of the Route was built. It is particularly different to the ASCE site since it is intended for tourists and end users, not for professionals or researchers who look at the cemeteries from other perspectives

Website is created in a way that the content about cemeteries is directly presented from the ASCE website. Members who decide for extended membership in the route can as well add more points to the cemetery and have it presented in mobile guide (smart phone application) ARTOUR

In 2014 European Cemeteries Route was confirmed certification by Institute of cultural routes of Europe

Members were notified of extensive set of marketing materials available for them to promote their cemetery and the route in their own environment.

6. Events & Project

ASCE is active in many projects as association and by many members in particular networked projects.

Members were notified of much progress at Week of Discovering European Cemeteries. Project is very much alive each year and getting more and more attention. It is however very important to make sure all events are promoted over ASCE website and channels as well. Therefore all members are invited to share their events by sending an email to administrator or secretariat.

ASCE is providing information regarding many other events, like guided tours, concerts and other that take place at Significant cemeteries. Members are therefore invited to supply these events information as well.

To raise awareness about ASCE all over Europe, it is important to properly signify the cemetery entrances. Therefore Steering Committee decided to start a project of cemetery entrances photos. Until May 2015 all members are requested to send a photo of cemetery entrance (in maximum quality) that has the ASCE insignia on.

Any member who wishes to participate in EU projects can do so by joining the ideas or create new ideas at our EU projects page.

7. New ASCE Members

New members of ASCE and European Cemeteries route were presented.
Several other important notifications were outlined by presidency and steering committee:

AGM 2016 will be held in Dublin.
It is important that members try to arrange with their organization IT professionals to get ASCE emails into regular Inbox folders and to avoid having it recognized as spam or junk email.

8. Conclusions

We are very proud to continue important work for our cemeteries and seeing growth of membership and activities by members. AGM 2014 proved there is a lot of interest in expanding such work and we are sure that in Bucharest in 2015 we will see even more amazing projects which will bring our visitors in touch with the cemeteries.

AGM 2014: Photo glimpses

Highlights from the Annual General Meeting and Conference 2014, held from 2–4 October 2014 in Barcelona, Spain.

Knowledge. Exchange of ideas. Captured moments.

During the AGM 2014 in Barcelona we have enjoyed conference presentations, visited Poblenou and Montjuic cemetery, funeral carriage exhibition, Barcelona city hall, Sant Pau hospital and an impressive gala dinner at MNAC.

So many memories, chats, views and emotions. So many cameras and viewing angles. It took time to go through them all and snap the segment that could present them in a near amazing way we have lived them.

Photo highlights from the entire event are available at the links below.

➤ AGM 2014

➤ Conference, Thursday October 2nd

➤ Visit of City hall

➤ Visit of Poblenou cemetery

➤ Visit of Montjüic Cemetery

➤ Conference, Friday October 3rd

➤ Gala dinner at MNAC

➤ Visit of hospital de Sant Pau

AGM 2014: Conference presentations

Access downloadable presentation slides and PDFs from the ASCE Conference 2014.

During the conference at AGM 2014 we have seen many interesting presentation touching the subject of Beyond the death: Remembrance, Memory and Heritage.

Each author presented an interesting aspect or story behind the heritage of our cemeteries. You can now find all the presentations on Google Drive at this link.

Here you can see photo glimpses from the conference.

The Mundamortis Festival 2014

Mundamortis Festival 2014, Monturque (Cordoba, Spain)

Mundamortis is one of Cordoba's largest autumn events that attracts a growing number of visitors from Spain and abroad. It is the only event in Spain that celebrates death.

“One million Dubliners” is a soon coming documentary film about Glasnevin Cemetery, the largest and oldest cemetery in Ireland.

Our members are about to start a new EU funded project.

Important registration and transportation information for everyone attending AGM 2014 in Barcelona.

Dear AGM attendees,

for all those who attend the AGM 2014 it is very important that everybody meets at 8:30 in Silken Diagonal Barcelona Hotel for the registration, even those whose accommodation is not in that hotel. Your name badge, welcome pack and paper programme will be given to you then.

For those who stay at some other place than Silken Hotel, take into account that the bus service’s meeting and returning point is the Silken Hotel. Therefore, if you want to use the transportation provided by the organization, you will have to come to Silken Hotel half an hour earlier than the time scheduled in the programme for all the activities that require transportation (reception at the City Hall, guided visits, gala dinner) in order to be picked up.

Silken Diagonal Barcelona Hotel location
Avinguda Diagonal, 205
08018 Barcelona

AGM 2014: Programme

Programe of the Annual General Meeting and Conference 2014 in Barcelona, Spain.

This year's AGM and Conference will take place from 2–4 October 2014 at Hotel Silken Diagonal in Barcelona, Spain, under the title "Beyond the Death: Remembrance, Memory and Heritage".

➤ You can sign up for AGM here.

The hotel reception will be the meeting point for all guided tours and organized bus trips.

Thursday, October 2nd

08:30 | 09:15

Check-in in Silken Diagonal Barcelona Hotel

09:15 | 09:30

Lidija PLIBERSEK, ASCE president and Jordi VALMAÑA CORBELLA, General Director CBSA
Welcome speech

09:30 | 11:00

Lidija Pliberšek, president of ASCE
Members of Steering Committee of ASCE
Annual General Meeting

11:00 | 11:30

Coffee break

11:30 | 13:30

Lectures part 1