1st Annual Symposium to
RE-IMAGINE CEMETERY
— Spirits Inhabit the Natural Landscape — “#352 Kashimagawa” by Tokihiro Sato
Leading thinkers advance conversations on a more conscious processing of death, grief and memorialization to evolve the design of cemetery.
In the United States, the centuries old traditional model of cemetery is failing to resonate with current generations and changing ideals about death, grief and memorialization. People are looking beyond the rituals of traditional religions and the constructs of graveyards and mausoleums to incorporate new experiences and settings of spirituality, sustainability, ceremony and legacy into life’s ending.
If “cemetery" is a designated place where the living come to connect with those who have passed, and newer generations are not wanting to visit cemeteries, then we need to ask, why is this so? How can we re-imagine cemetery to revive its active functions to embody grieving, healing and honoring processes for those who have experienced a death in their family or community. How can we envision and implement new conceptions to engage the living in constructive relationships with the dead and support contemporary perspectives on mortality.
The 1st SYMPOSIUM TO RE-IMAGINE CEMETERY was presented on November 14, 2020.
Participants from many regions in the United States and around the globe met online to share perspectives, insight and case studies. The event was structured into morning and afternoon sessions: 1st FORUM: On DEATH, GRIEF and BEREAVEMENT / 2nd FORUM: On CELEBRATION OF LIFE. A total of 10 speakers offered 15 minute lectures with slides, followed by community discussion and Q&A sessions. Here are their recorded presentations:
On DEATH, GRIEF and BEREAVEMENT
Mark A. Miller
Symposium Host, Green Architect & Father
presents:
Welcoming Comments & Goals of our Symposium Today
Louis Silverstein, Distinguished
Professor of Humanities / Columbia College Chicago
presents:
Encountering Life’s Endings
Lydia K. Manning, Phd
Program Leader & Professor of Gerontology
presents:
Trends In How We Age and Die
Kelly Leonard, Executive Director
of Insights and Applied Improvisation / The Second City
presents:
Improvising Through Grief and Memory
Vicki Jay, CEO
National Alliance for Grieving Children
presents:
The Needs of Children Deep in Grief
On CELEBRATION OF LIFE
Frank Maugeri, Artistic Director
Cabinet of Curiosity / Chicago
presents:
New Dimensions in Celebrating the Dead
Karen van Vuuren, Executive Director
Natural Transitions / Colorado
presents:
Future Trends in the Funeral Industry
Toby Angel, Co-Founder & Managing Director
Sacred Stones / Barrow Sites, England
presents:
Creative Visions for Memorializations
Doug Flin, Founding Partner
Seven Stones / Botanical Gardens Cemetery
presents:
Botanic Garden Cemeteries: A Case Study
Mark Miller, Founding Director
MAM Architecture, Architects/Builders
presents:
Spirit Parks: Reinvigorating Life with Death
SYMPOSIUM 2020 WAS A HUGE SUCCESS! Join Us in 2021!
CALL FOR SPEAKERS / INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC? We are in the process of planning for next years 2nd annual symposium. If you (or someone you know) has experience in the field and would like to make a presentation, please contact Mark Miller for details.
DONATIONS WELCOME - Help support the costs of organizing this symposium and future efforts to Re-Imagine Cemetery. Donate by credit card via paypal account.
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