Cities For Life − The event
30th november
1,618 cities
89 countries
70 capitals
In Rome, the Colosseum
and other events in the capitals Abuja - Brussels - Buenos Aires - Mexico City - Dar es Salaam - Lima - Ljubljana - Madrid
and in more than 150 cities in the world
#CitiesForLife
The organization of the event for the ninth time, November 30, 2011, is under way. The general, global title has been consolidated over time in the message “No Justice Without Life”. The initiatives are concentrated on November 29-30 with the objective of fostering a permanent and organic participation of all the administrations of the city. The cities which participate in “Cities for Life” have at their disposal in the website a space where they can put on-line their initiatives for the campaign (lighting of monuments, public events, lectures, theater shows, etc.) and link their pages with those on other sites. In order to have one’s own city invited to participate in Cities Against the Death Penalty, it is possible to contact the coordination secretary (abolition@santegidio.org; info@citiesforlife.net) and have access to the already existing materials for mobilization and communication (films, declarations and invitations to international witnesses) and be informed about the various initiatives in the world in order to be able to suggest a list of initiatives and actions to those who want to get involved and to those in charge of cities.
On November 30, 2010, more than 60 capitals and about 1300 cities in 87 countries of the world gave life to the eighth World Day of Cities for Life, with mobilizations, rallies, sit-ins, shows, public gatherings in schools and universities, and official commitment by municipalities and citizens councils. Each city that joins in this initiative makes available, as a “live logo,” its main monument which comes “alive” because of different lighting, and as the subject of film shows which underline the engagement and the dialogue with the citizens for a world without capital punishment.
The International Day, Cities for Life/Cities Against the Death Penalty, represents the greatest worldwide contemporary mobilization to point to a higher and more civil form of justice, capable of definitely renouncing capital punishment. It is an important opportunity to establish a dialogue with the civil societies and to promote the participation of the administrators in a process of abolition of the death penal
ty, capable of becoming a constant practice and an identifying character of the city that joins and of its citizens. In this way, opportunities of participation are also opened to vast layers of the civil society in area
s where the death penalty is practiced, strengthening the initiative of activists and local organizations within an international network.
The invitation to the various cities to join the Cities for Life initiative and the responsibility for the initiatives
is open to the collaboration of all the abolitionist subjects in the world. In addition to the Community of Sant’Egidio, the initiatives can be enlivened by the humanitarian organizations and by the most committed activists city by city. It is an opportunity to awaken all the people in general and more specialized groups (students, teachers, jurists, opinion leaders, administrators, witnesses and the press).
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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.