Created in Rome on May 13 2002 as a result of the commitments entered into at the 1st World Congress Against the Death Penalty held by "Ensemble contre la peine de mort" in Strasbourg in June 2001, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty is made up of NGOs, bar associations, local governments and unions.

The Coalition aims to reinforce the international dimension of the fight against capital punishment, and to contribute everywhere it exists to the reduction and, better still, to the definitive abolition of death sentences and executions. The Coalition was given the mission to facilitate the constitution and the development of national coalitions against the death penalty, to take actions such as lobbying in international organizations and countries, and to organize events of international significance. Since 2002, the Coalition has coordinated the efforts of its members to support the resolution of the European Union condemning the death penalty brought before the High Commission on Human Rights at the United Nations in Geneva.

The Coalition has declared October 10th the World Day against the death penalty. The World Day has been officially supported by Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Mexico, the African Commission on Human and People's Rights and the European Union, in declarations by their Ministries of Foreign Affairs made public on 10 October 2003.

See http://www.worldcoalition.org/