From October 12th to 13th, 2023, the Cologne Symposium on the Digital Cemetery took place, a prestigious event that was fully booked with over 120 participants from public, ecclesiastical, and private cemetery administrations. Professionals and decision-makers from the cemetery sector gathered to discuss the future of cemetery management in the digital age.
The Importance of Digitalization in Society
Digitalization has become a central topic in politics and society. A clear indicator of the growing importance of digitalization in political discussions is the annual economic report from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. While the term “digitalization” was mentioned only 11 times in 2014, the number of references increased to 62 by 2018 – nearly a sixfold rise. This development highlights how deeply digitalization has become ingrained in the minds of politicians and decision-makers.
The Relevance of Digitalization for Cemetery Administrations
But what does this digital transformation mean specifically for cemetery administrations? The Cologne Symposium provided a valuable opportunity to explore this question and give participants practical insights into the implementation of digital solutions. From the digitalization of administrative processes to the introduction of innovative technologies for grave maintenance, and solutions for long-term documentation of graves and monuments – digitalization offers numerous opportunities to increase efficiency while meeting the high demands of cemetery management.
The symposium made it clear: Digitalization is not only a technical necessity but also a significant step toward a future-proof, sustainable, and transparent cemetery administration.
