Adrian Nastase's opinion upon Dying and Death 03 conference

Adrian Nastase, the former prime minister of Romania, mentioned on his blog something about Dying and Death in 18th-21st century Europe: Refiguring Death Rites in Europe, International Conference. He was ironic with the general topic of our conference and also he tried to criticize his political enemies mentioning our conference:

"Cu toate ca, probabil, o sa vi se para un inceput prea morbid al acestei sectiuni, va anunt ca au existat doua stiri ale caror informatii mi-au ramas intiparite in minte zilele anterioare. Nu, nu este vorba despre remanierea guvernamentala, asa cum nu este vorba nici despre bataile la usa mamei unui anumit fost ministru al dinastiei Boc 4.

Primul subiect vorbea despre faptul ca in week-end, la Alba Iulia, a avut loc cea de-a treia editie a conferintei internationale “Dying and Death in 18th-21st century Europe: Refiguring Death Rites in Europe”. Conform spuselor organizatorilor, evenimentul organizat in Romania este, citez, unic in Centrul si Sud Estul Europei. O prima concluzie? Pana si moartea se simte la ea acasa, unica si in centrul atentiei in Romania…

De cealalta parte, o alta stire, din acelasi flux, anunta faptul ca ministrul Educatiei este asteptat, culmea, tot la Alba Iulia la sfarsit de saptamana. Involuntar, fara o lectura prealabila a textului din urma, am facut o legatura malitioasa, ce-i drept, intre Congresul International si vizita lui Daniel Funeriu. Vizita care, nu in contextual remanierii, repet, ci in acela al ramanerii demne a domniei sale in functie (Ministerul Educatiei este cel mai vaduvit de fonduri minister in urma rectificarii bugetare, iar dascalii sunt cea mai umilita categorie sociala a Romaniei, alaturi de medici, de catre Traian Basescu), ar fi putut avea o prezentare la congresul mai sus-mentionat, cu titlul Moartea sistemului educational romanesc". (http://nastase.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/raspunsuri-vechi/#comment-106992 )

I fully understand the jokes and the ironies and I dolove these but I think Adrian Nastase minimizes our effort to organize this conference, taking into the laughter the conference.
This is my comment upon it on his blog approved already by him:

"Domnule Adrian Nastase,

Imi cer scuze ca va raspund asa de tarziu la ceea ce ati scris pe blogul dvs. legat de conferinta. In calitate de initiator si organizator principal al manifestari mentionate, nu pot decat sa-mi exprim regretul fata de aprecierile pe care le-ati facut. Inteleg ironia si umorul, insa in acest caz nu-si au avut rostul, intrucat vorbim despre un eveniment stiintific de inalta tinuta, unic intr-adevar in partea asta de lume. Nu ma apuc sa va vorbesc despre relevanta sa si nici nu va dau diverse linkuri care v-ar edifica asupra interesului academic existent de decenii bune asupra tematicii. Ar fi o pierdere de vreme. Vreau doar sa va spun ca, din pacate, vorba unui coleg, atunci cand organizezi un astfel de eveniment, dupa ce se incheie, realizezi, in calitate de cercetator, ca nu mai ai bani cu ce sa-ti platesti gazu’ fiind nevoit, de cele mai multe ori, sa pui bani din buzunar pentru organizare. Asta apropo de sprijinul autoritorilor locale si centrale. Iar ca satisfactie profesionala nu primesti de multe ori decat aprecieri hazlii la adresa muncii depuse.
Va stau oricand la dispozitie cu amanunte despre aceasta conferinta, ajunsa in acest an la a treia editie si care in 2010 a adunat cercetatori din 16 tari. De asemenea va pot trimite proceedings-urile conferintei din acest an, pentru a vedea ca ironiile dvs. nu isi au rostul. Proceedings-urile sunt indexate BDI si sper ca anul viitor sa le indexam ISI.
Puteti vizita blogul meu: http://www.romaniandeathcremation.blogspot.com pentru a va lamuri si mai bine despre ce a fost vorba.
Va putem invita anul viitor sa participati si sa vedeti, spre exemplu, dimenisiunile reale ale crizei in sistemul mortii din Romania (slaba dezvoltare a serviciilor de ingrijiri paliative, criza locurilor de veci in mediul urban, lipsa de reforma a sistemului funerar romanesc etc.)
Va multumesc!
Cu respect,
Marius Rotar" (http://nastase.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/raspunsuri-vechi/#comment-106992 )

Anyway it is a honor that my blog was mentioned on Adrian Nastase's blog and I'm not sad by his opinion.

Conference Proceedings 2010

For conference proceedings 2010 we received about 42 papers. This is a good overall taking into account the participants' number at the conference. Right now I'm hardly working on my report which I have to send to ANCS, Romania. I will publish this report on my blog.
Also, Cambridge Scholars Publishing proposed to me to edit a book with some selected papers from all the editions of Dying and Death in 18th-21st century Europe, international conference. I think they and I will select maximum 20 papers for this book.

Thomas Quartier in action at karaoke party of Dying and Death 03, Alba Iulia 2010 !

He is best singer at our conference's karaoke party, performing Bob Dylan!

Me performing Luminita Anghel's Let me try at Dying and Death 03 conference

This is a very serious reason to laugh! Enjoy!

Dying and Death III, Alba Iulia, Romania, September, 2010

Pictures + ELVIS

At Ramet Monastery

Some of the conference's participants (without italian team and other participants from UK, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Romania, too)

Elvis at Dying and Death III conference

Pictures

Cremation team (Peter C. Jupp, Zdenek Nespor, Hilary Grainger, Mihaela Bodrean, Brian Parsons, Marius Rotar)

Elvis never dies!

Me perfoming Luminita Anghel's Let me try

My daughter at Ramet monastery

Cyrill Nespor (Czech Republic) - the youngest participant at the conference

Conclusions' moment

Here are some pictures taken by me at the third edition of Dying and Death in 18th-21st century Europe, Alba Iulia, Romania, 3-5 of september 2010. I will post other pictures later. Stay here for this!

Thank you!

On behalf of organizers and the organizing team of "Dying and Death in 18-21st century Europe: Refiguring Death Rites in Europe", International Conference I wish to THANK YOU for your participation and your contribution at our conference. I think our conference was a great moment.
Here is the Rocky:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWR0k_R6XDE

In few days I will post here some pictures taken by.
See you very soon!