change language
you are in: home - news newslettercontact uslink

Support the Community

  
November 29 2009

Cities For Life: throughout the world 1200 CITIES FOR LIFE, ligth a monument as a symbol against death penalty. They thus declare their participation to the initiative "NO JUSTICE WITHOUT LIFE"

 
printable version

The Community of Sant'Egidio and the initiative "Cities for Life

The approval in the last two years of two Resolutions for a universal moratorium on capital punishment at the General Assembly of the United Nations confirm a change in the feelings of the world that may lead to a new and higher threshold in the respect for human rights.

Even the Human Rights Commission of the African Union adopted, at the beginning of last December, a resolution that calls on States in Africa to observe a moratorium on the death penalty, sending a clear signal that the international community would vigorously support the UN vote for the moratorium.

Capital punishment is a relic of the past as it has been for slavery and torture, that were eventually rejected by the conscience of the world. However, the road towards the abolition of capital punishment remains long and difficult and it requires decisive and long term actions in view of the implementation of the resolution and of the ultimate, and universal abolition of  death penalty.

Thus, the World Day of Cities for Life/Cities Against the Death Penalty,-which is celebrated every 30th of November, commemorating the anniversary of the first abolition of the death penalty by one European state, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, in the year 1786 - is an important initiative. It  has gathered over the years many local governments and civil societies, to offer and promote universally this decisive battle for the whole of humanity. The latest edition, that of 2008, registered the participation  of nearly a thousand cities, including 55 capitals, making it the largest international mobilization undertaken so far to halt all executions in the world.

The eighth edition of the event is underway and it will be celebrated on  November 30th , 2009. Many cities  are already providing cultural activities and public awareness events supported and organized in synergy with the Community of Sant'Egidio and its related associations in Italy and other countries.


In Depth

The firts edition of the event was held in 2002

With the initiative we asks each city a sign that might be visible to the citizens and to the world. This gesture, preferably the illumination of a significant monument of the city, is often accompanied by a vote of the City Council to adhere to the universal moratorium and by concrete commitment to raise the awareness of the civil society on the theme. About 80 cities have participated in the first edition in 2002. Today there are nearly a thousand, including 55 capital cities on five continents. Cities also participate  with educational initiatives. The most significant places in the cities are normally involved in the celebration of the evnt:  Rome has chosen the Coliseum, Brussels the Atomium, while Barcelona, just to quote some of the many is lighting  Cathedral Square.
 


 ALSO READ
• NEWS
October 19 2017

THANKS to all those who signed the appeal for Anthony Shore: his execution was stopped tonight. Let's keep signing the appeal

IT | EN | DE
October 10 2017

On 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty let us visit the poorest convicts in Africa

IT | EN | DE | ID
April 4 2017

Let's ask to stop the 8 executions planned in Arkansas by April. Sign the Appeal!

IT | EN | DE
February 9 2017
PHILIPPINES

Sant'Egidio expresses solidarity with the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for the struggle against death penalty

November 30 2016

Celebrating all over the world Cities for Life: Give a look to the events. Follow us! Streaming h.6,30pm 1GMT

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | PT | CA | ID
November 25 2016

On November 30th join the World Day of the Cities for Life against the death penalty

IT | EN | ES | FR | PT | CA | ID
all the news
• PRESS
February 19 2018
Vaticannews

Appello della Chiesa Usa per salvare la vita di due condannati a morte

December 2 2017
Corriere della Sera - Ed. Roma

Al Colosseo artisti contro la pena di morte

November 30 2017
Corriere della Sera - Ed. Roma

Live contro la pena di morte

November 29 2017
SIR

Pena di morte. Impagliazzo (Comunità Sant’Egidio), “difendere la vita di un condannato è difendere la vita di tutti”

November 29 2017
Notizie Italia News

Per un mondo senza pena di morte. #PENADIMORTEMAI

November 28 2017
Radio Vaticana

Sant'Egidio: tutelare la vita di un condannato è difendere la vita di tutti

the entire press review
• EVENTS
November 28 2017 | ROME, ITALY

10th Int'l Congress of Justice Ministers ''A World without the Death Penalty''

ALL PRAYER MEETINGS FOR PEACE
• NO DEATH PENALTY
September 24 2015

Pope Francis calls on Congress to end the death penalty. "Every life is sacred", he said

March 12 2015
Associated Press

Death penalty: a look at how some US states handle execution drug shortage

March 5 2015
Associated Press

Nitrogen gas executions approved by Oklahoma House

February 28 2015
Reuters

Australian PM strikes conciliatory note over Indonesia executions

February 28 2015
AP

US Supreme Court won't lift stay in Florida execution

February 25 2015
Reuters

Saudi court gives death penalty to man who renounced his Muslim faith

February 21 2015
AP

New Oregon governor will continue death penalty moratorium

February 15 2015

Archbishop Chaput applauds Penn. governor for halt to death penalty

go to no death penalty
• DOCUMENTS

Vice President Mnangagwa: Zimbabwe's steps toward the abolition of the death penalty

Mario Marazziti: rifiutare la logica della pena di morte per non cedere alla trappola del terrore

Statement by Minister J. Kamara on the death penalty in Sierra Leone

Cambodian Minister of Justice, Ang Vong Vathana: Cambodia as a model of Asian country without the death penalty

Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice: Sri Lanka to protect the right to life, against the death penalty

Tanni Taher: the commitment of Sant'Egidio against the death penalty in Indonesia

all documents

VIDEO PHOTO
2:
Malawi contro la pena di morte
4:01
Cities for life: da Roma al mondo contro la pena di morte

455 visits

457 visits

492 visits

492 visits

558 visits
all the related media