10 October 2009 -- The first World Day Against the Death Penalty took place in 2003. This event was launched by the World Coalition Against
the Death Penalty, which gathers international non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), bar associations, unions and local governments
from all over the world. Established by organisations who participated
in the first international Congress against the death penalty
(Strasbourg, 2001), the Coalition aims to encourage the establishment of
national coalitions, the organisation of common initiatives and the
coordination of international lobbying efforts to sensitise states that
still maintain the death penalty.

Future progress will mainly depend on the education children receive as they are tomorrow's citizens, politicians, defendants, judges and lawyers. The world’s future is in their hands and it will be up to each
and every one of them as adults to join the abolitionist family.
Therefore, in 2009 World Day Against the Death Penalty is about teaching
abolition. It is an occasion to raise awareness about the death penalty
among youth. Students are encouraged to understand the state of the
world they are living in: today, 139 countries from all regions of the
world have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice, but 25
countries still carried out executions in 2008.