A group of young people from Lund (Sweden) participated last week in the first activity of 2023 of the Run for Heritage campaign, which was held as part of the pre-conference activities of the FRH Biennial Conference 2023.
The activity consisted of a bicycle orientation during which participants pedalled past various religious landmarks in this charming medieval town. The run was organised in collaboration with Burb (Barns och ungas rätt till begravningsplatsen) a project to introduce children and young people to multifaceted cemeteries .
The tour consisted of a route with four stops:
1) Northern Cemetery (Norra kyrkogården), with a stop at the refugees graves (Flyktinggravarna), and another one at the grace of the writer, journalist Elin Wägner, who fought for the rights of women in the 19th century.
2) Pre-Christian burial mound at the Monument Park (Lerbäckshög)
3) St Peter’s Priory (Sankt Peters Klosters kyrka)
4) Eastern Cemetery (Ostra kyrkogården)
Kornelia and Novel, two participants in the run, said to FRH “It was a really fun way to come out and exercise. Also to visit all these places to where you would normally not go on your own. It was a way of appreciating them and realising how beautiful they are.”
The activity ended at Lund’s Eastern Cemetery (Ostra Kyrkogarden) where participants met Helene Båtshake and Kristina Nilsson, managers of the Burb project, and several representatives of FRH and the Diocese of Lund, co-organiser of the Biennial Conference.
See all photos from the event on Flikr!
Lilian Grootswagers, President of the FRH Adivosry Board, talking to some of the participants of the Run
BURB project
The campaign has come to Sweden for the first time with the support of BURB – Barns och ungas rätt till begravningsplatsen (Children’s right to the burial place), a project by Swedish organisation Foreningen Larm to introduce and educate young people about cemeteries and a the areas related to this place: different burial traditions (both historically and linked to religions/cultures), history, biodiversity, ecosystem services, etc.
It is important to note that many Swedish cemeteries are burial places for people of different religions. They are therefore an ideal setting for learning about and discussing inter-religious dialogue. For the project managers, Helene and Kristina, it is crucial to listen to children’s and young people’s thoughts about the cemetery, both to know how they see it today and they would like to see it in the future.
Learn more with this Burb’s presentation for the FRH Biennial Conference:
You can also join the campaign!
The Run for Heritage is open to any cultural, youth or sports organisation that wants to join. Check all the info here.
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