In 2001, the Italian city of Bologna gave the initative for the establishment of Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe – ASCE. Ljubljana was also among invitied cities to join. The department for culture and research of the Municipality of Ljubljana responded to the call and also invited for cooperation the Architecture Musem of Ljubljana and the public company of Žale d. o. o.

The purpose of joining is to bring awareness of the significance of cultural, historical and artistic heritage of cemeteries to the widest possible public, the exchange of experience in the area of preservation and promotion of cemeteries, also in the sense of tourism, to make better use of new technologies, and to encourage regional, national, and European institutions to enable more means, intended for cemeteries, and at the same time to encourage universities in their historical, art, and anthropological research.