visited by nearly a thousand funeral directors
and cemetery administrators. The exhibition
opening ceremony was attended by Cardinal
Jozef Glemp, Primate of Poland. The fair became
a major commercial and educational event with
huge media coverage posted by the largest
television stations and daily press.
Today the Polish Funeral Association brings
together
administrators
of
the
largest
cemeteries and crematoria, as well as owners
and directors of large funeral companies in
Poland. It permanently cooperates with public
administration
bodies,
local
governments,
entrepreneurs, clergy, insurance agents, as
well as manufacturers of cemetery technology
equipment and funeral accessories.
The association addresses all aspects of the
operation of cemeteries and funeral companies,
from ethical and legal issues, through problems
of technology and architecture, to issues related
to embalming, ceremonial, thanatopsychology,
and cremation. It organizes conferences and
training for cemetery managers and morticians,
addressing topics such as: cremation as a funeral
rite; construction work on graves; issues of
modern embalming (thanatopraxy); problems
of privatization of municipal companies in the
sector; cemetery and funeral law; new forms
of cemetery architecture. It gives opinions on
draft laws and regulations, and prepares expert
reports for local authorities on the situation in
the funeral market as well as cremation and
cemetery services.
An important
aspect
of
the
organization's
activities is its work in the international arena.
Meeting international groups are an opportunity
to
draw
innovation
and
good
practices
from abroad and promote Polish products
worldwide. Since June 3, 2006, the Polish Funeral
Association has been a proud National Member
of FIAT-IFTA – The World Organization of Funeral
Operatives.
The 1st Funeral Fair “MEMENTO 2000” was held
on November 10 and 11, 2000 in Czosnow near
Warsaw. The exhibition opening ceremony was
attended by Cardinal Jozef Glemp, Primate of
Poland.
The association was founded by a group of
enthusiasts who believed that something better
could be done for the funeral industry in Poland.
It was led by the late Wojciech Krawczyk, to
this day referred to as the “architect of funeral
industry development in Poland”. He was the
first president of the Polish Association of
Cremationists and Cemetery Administrators.
Since June 3, 2006, the Polish Funeral Association
has been a proud National Member of FIAT-IFTA.
THANOS MAGAZINE | No. 102 – SUMMER 2023
33
JUBILEES