ITALY: WORLD CITIES CALL FOR END TO DEATH PENALTY

more than 900 cities around the world celebrated the 'World Day of Cities for Life Against the Death Penalty'. The Day was inaugurated in a ceremony in Rome, in front of the Colosseum, which was lit up for the occasion. This was the largest international mobilization to date to put an end to executions. The date November 30 was chosen as it is the anniversary of the first abolition of the death penalty in the Western world, which was declared by the Grand Dukedom of Tuscany, on November 30, 1786. Major international human rights organizations and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty officially supported the initiative. This year, Barcelona, Toronto, Brussels, cities in the Philippines and in Africa, along with Florence, Rome, Naples and most of the rest of Italy and Europe were highlighted. Many leading players in the international campaign to end the death penalty, witnesses, former death row inmates since proved innocent, families of the victims took part in events in many European capitals.