sweet auburn | 2020 volume ii
The ten values articulated in the Trustee Statement define our beliefs and commitments ; they are guideposts for our daily work and our future plans .
Openness – Welcome : Offering an open door and welcoming face to all who come here , of every faith , background , identity or circumstance . Embracing and inclusive to visitors , clients , employees and volunteers of all identities and backgrounds .
Compassion – Dignity : Respecting all people who come to Mount Auburn for comfort , solace , respite and work . Aspiring to be of comfort and service to all . Approaching everyone with a sense of caring and understanding . Demonstrating and embodying a belief in the inherent worth of all people .
Beauty – Serenity : Creating and celebrating beauty and fostering a place of serenity for all who seek it . Evoking the essential experience of Mount Auburn as a landscape , a place of beauty and a source of serenity . Nurturing our defining aesthetic — human experience and nature together .
Stewardship – Sustainability : Protecting and preserving the history , residents , monuments , structures , collections and resources of Mount Auburn forever . Caring for the landscape and fostering its health and environmental sustainability in a dynamic and changing world . Leading others toward models and practices for environmental sustainability .
Integrity – Balance : Pursuing the highest standards in our work and practices ; striving for quality and consistency of thinking , practice and outcome . Balancing the many facets of Mount Auburn ’ s mission within a complementary whole ; realizing that the excellence of each facet depends on maintaining the strength and quality of all parts of Mount Auburn . Encouraging harmony and proportion as essential aspects of Mount Auburn ’ s beauty and sense of serenity .
External events in 2020 — the coronavirus pandemic ; a renewed dialog about racial justice , equity , and inclusion ; and a bellwether year for climate events — have raised important questions for all cultural institutions , including gardens and historic cemeteries , about our obligations to those we serve and to our communities , today and in the future . In many ways , our relevance tomorrow rests on the care we take with our priorities and investments today . For Mount Auburn , our relevance resides in how we express our values . Through our vision and values process , we affirmed our principles and values as an “ active cemetery :” a place of serenity and commemoration for the bereaved for generations to come . We also affirmed our values as a “ cultural institution :” a place for understanding , storytelling , and human connection inspired by the historic and natural landscape .
We believe that these foundational aspects of our mission — active cemetery and cultural institution — are best fulfilled in tandem . Cemetery users and visitors alike consider our landscape , horticulture , history , and built environment as essential parts of what makes us unique and valuable . Mount Auburn can be a place of commemoration and remembrance , a natural environment for spiritual enrichment and enjoyment of nature , and a catalyst and resource for history .
Today , nearly two centuries after the Cemetery ’ s founding , sustaining this landscape for the benefit of future generations remains one of Mount Auburn ’ s central purposes . It requires constant attention , significant resources , a very long-term perspective , and a willingness to experiment and adapt with evolving practices and to a changing climate . The centrality of the landscape to Mount Auburn transcends any single aspect of our mission and any single value we hold true .
We are on target to complete Mount Auburn ’ s new Strategic Plan by December 2020 , building on the recent vision and values conversations . We expect the plan to address important areas where organizational strength and resilience will be required to address our external context and institutional needs . We look forward to sharing highlights of the plan in the coming year .
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