AGM 2017 report

On October 5th, the Annual General Meeting took place at Harokopio University, Athens.

With over 110 participants from 19 countries at the meeting and conference, event was a great success in terms of knowledge and ideas exchanged.

In 3 days we held AGM and conference and experienced the wisdom and art of ancient and modern Greek.

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

AGM was preceeded 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. Steering Committee work was presented by Mrs Beatrix Czipetits. Members remarks were taken into account and decisions from steering committee meeting in March were presented.

2. Financial report for 2016. A well balanced finances statement provides secure future for general work of ASCE. Mrs Lidija Pliberšek presented the agreed future presentations of financial statements in form of cash flow statements.

3. Secretary of ASCE, Mrs Metka Debevc, presented the procedure of registration of modified charter which ended in February 2017.

4. ASCE promotion materials and communications were presented by Mrs Carol Diaz Ortega. Marketing materials which are available to all members on the website were outlined with explanation on best usage practice. A proposal for smaller postcards was presented and in 2018 SC will prepare a smaller version of the postcard.

5. Mrs Wenche Madsen Eriksson and Mrs Melissa La Maida presented the cooperation of ASCE with other institutions like European institute of Cultural routes, SEFIT or other initiatives that are undergoing in our Association.

6. Mr Thodoris Tzoumas presented the presentation letter of ASCE to the ministries of culture in Europe, cemetery day proposal project, and presentation article about ASCE for newspapers and magazines around the world. The article will be available for all members at ASCE webpage.

7. New members of ASCE, European Cemeteries route and new significant cemeteries were presented by president Mrs Lidija Pliberšek.


8. During the AGM a coffee break with professional corners was organised.

9. A special Signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between ASCE/UTILITALIA-SEFIT was performed in order to emphasise the importance of cooperation between ASCE and other organisations. Mrs. Lidija Pliberšek, president of ASCE and Mr. Michele Gaeta, representative of UTILITALIA-SEFIT signed the Memorandum.

10. Projects and logos usage rules were presented by ASCE administrator Dušan Vrban with outlining of the appropriate use.

11. European Cemeteries route progress was presented by ASCE administrator Dušan Vrban. In 2017 the route has grown to over 900 points (monuments descriptions) created in the cemeteries. Many of these points are translations but overall we are noticing a significant growth of itinerary available to the visitors.

The reevaluation report required for certification by the European institute of cultural routes was prepared by the presidency.

Symposium in Ljubljana gained much attention in 2017 and many members proposed such workshops to be continued in future years.

A first European Cemeteries route info point was presented that will be positioned in Maribor in October 2017. The point will allow visitors of Maribor cemeteries to explore European cemeteries route and its members on a touch screen with other information available.

12. Symbols project final results were presented by ASCE administrator Dušan Vrban with emphasis on availability of results for the European Cemeteries route members.

13. Mr Olaf Ihlefeldt presented the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC) activities in 2017 as well as theme and possible activities for 2018. In 2018 activities should support the Year of European Cultural heritage and should take place between May 18 and June 3.

14. Project Cemeteries entries is developing and Mr Thodoris Tzoumas presented the current situation while encouraging the members who did not do it yet to proceed with installation of the insignia in their cemeteries.



15. Scientific Representative report was presented by Andreea Pop. Prof. J. S. Curl was confirmed by Steering Committee and Scientific committee/board as a non elected advisory to our scientific committee.
Activities for forthcoming 2018 European Year for Cultural Heritage were outlined and a proposal to join the European Heritage Alliance 3.3 - an informal European sectoral platform composed of more than 40 European or international networks and organisations active in the wider field of cultural heritage.

16. Mr Martin Ernerth presented the Guidelines and benefits for AGM hosting and a call for AGM hosting in 2020 and 2021.

AGM ended with an invitation to AGM 2018 in Innsbruck by Mr Alexander Legnitti.

AGM 2017 provided insight into many developments within ASCE in recent years. Projects and our daily work are bringing together many resources on our common quest of preserving and promoting cultural heritage in cemeteries.

An extended and full program of the conference and side events organised by Harokopio University provided many additional insights into history and future of cemeteries and thus helped participants understand a broader picture on possible new strategies.

Photos from the event will be gathered in this album in following days.