Cities for Life Day 2025: Date, History and Significance of the Day That Calls for Abolition of Death Penalty

Cities for Life Day is an annual event that is observed on November 30 to support the global movement against the death penalty. This day is celebrated on November 30 of each year as it is the same day in 1786 that the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, under the reign of Pietro Leopoldo (later Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II), became the first civil state in the world to do away with torture and capital punishment. This year, Cities for Life Day 2025 falls on Sunday, November 30. The initiative began in 2002 and is coordinated by the Community of Sant’Egidio, a Rome-based humanitarian organisation. Scroll down to know more about Cities for Life Day 2025 date, history and significance of the annual event. Cities for Life Day:  Know Significance of the Day That Supports That Supports Abolition of Death Penalty

Cities for Life Day 2025 Date

Cities for Life Day 2025 falls on Sunday, November 30.

Cities for Life Day History

In Italy, Cesare Beccaria was one of the greatest writers, who was noted for his masterpiece Of Crimes and Punishments (1764), which was later translated into 22 languages. In it, Beccaria put forth some of the first modern arguments against the death penalty and was the first full-scale work to tackle criminal reform and to suggest that criminal justice should conform to rational principles. A a consequence in Italy,  the first pre-unitarian state to abolish the death penalty was the Grand Duchy of Tuscany as of November 30, 1786, under the reign of Pietro Leopoldo, later Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II. This made Tuscany the first civil state in the world to do away with torture and capital punishment.

Cities for Life Day Significance

Cities for Life Day holds great significance as this day aims to raise awareness about the importance of abolishing capital punishment. On this day, thousands of cities across the world illuminate symbolic monuments to show their support. The day serves as a reminder that a world without the death penalty is possible and emphasises the need for collective action to achieve this goal.

Many cities around the world celebrate the first abolition of the death penalty by a European state, decreed by Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor of Habsburg-Lorraine in 1786 for his Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 30, 2025 06:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).