Last November 30, 2020, people from the Colosseum in Rome joined many others from hundreds of cities around the world to celebrate the World Day Cities for Life – Cities Against the Death Penalty. It was on November 30, 1786, that the death penalty was first abolished in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, formerly an independent state before the unification of Italy. Since then, much progress has been made on the road to abolishing the death penalty around the world. However, we can, and must still, do as much to combat this inhuman and useless tool, since it does not act as a deterrent and reduces states to mere perpetrators of injustices.

To celebrate this day, the Webinar #stand4humanity was held, and the most famous monument in Rome [the Colosseum] was exceptionally illuminated by a spectacular set of video-mapping. Around 2,300 cities around the world are choosing an important monument to be illuminated in a special way, to make it a “living logo” of people’s commitment to a world without the death penalty. This event is an enormous worldwide mobilization, so that people do not forget that there are still countries that maintain this cruel and inhuman punishment. The initiative wants to show that a higher and more civilized form of justice exists, capable of abandoning the death penalty forever.

Source: Community of Sant’Egidio