16 Events (and counting ) throughout the U.S. for World Day Against the Death Penalty
October 10 is “World Day Against the Death Penalty,” a day where people across the globe will gather to oppose capital punishment.
Here in the U.S, faith-based events scattered across the country on October 10 will echo the call: the death penalty violates the sanctity of life, and needs to be abolished.
Check out these opportunities below, and find out how you can get involved in a faith-based advocacy event this World Day Against the Death Penalty.
Washington, D.C.
Tuesday, October 8 | 6:00 p.m. ET
Hosted by: John Brademas Center of NYU, European Union, Embassy of Switzerland
Location:
NYU Washington, D.C.
1307 L Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
To acknowledge the 22nd annual World Day Against the Death Penalty, join the John Brademas Center of NYU, the Delegation of the European Union to the United States, the Embassy of Switzerland in the United States of America, and Hidden Voices for a staged reading of Count: Stories from America’s Death Row, presented by Theater Alliance. Opening remarks will be provided by European Union Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė and Swiss Deputy Chief of Mission Christoph Sommer.
Experience a day-in-the-life on death row as six men unpack their personal inheritances of violence and loss with unexpected love and humor, determined to live fully despite the rigid monotony of prison. Based on years of conversations with men sentenced to die in prison, Count invites the audience right into the stark otherworld of death row, a world that is both incredibly dissimilar and sometimes disturbingly similar to our own. During the course of the play, six men seek to discover what truly constitutes a life well-lived. As we join their lively, difficult, and ultimately affirming search for what ancient philosophers called “the good life,” we are challenged and transformed by the recognition that we are all struggling for the same things.
National (Virtual)
Tuesday, October 8 | 3:00 p.m. ET
Hosted by: Death Penalty Focus
Location:
Virtual gathering hosted on Zoom
Death Penalty Focus is marking the 22nd World Day Against the Death Penalty with a webinar featuring a conversation on how the argument that the death penalty is a deterrent is demonstrably false. Death Penalty Board Member Dr. Philip Hansten will moderate the conversation with three criminal justice experts, each of whom brings a depth of knowledge and experience to present fact-based evidence disproving the long-held argument of death penalty supporters that the death penalty makes our communities safer.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Wednesday, October 9 | 4:30 p.m. ET
Hosted by: Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Location:
University of Tennessee Chattanooga
Guerry Center Reading Room
701 Oak St.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
As we prepare to mark World Day Against the Death Penalty in October, please plan to join TADP for a powerful discussion on the pitfalls of capital punishment and the hope that can be found in restorative justice practices. This panel will feature Stacy Rector, Executive Director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, Cynthia Vaughn, advocate for the rights of victims’ families, and Sabrina Butler-Smith, death row exoneree.
Learn more and register for “The Pitfalls of Capital Punishment & the Hope of Restorative Justice.”
El Paso, Texas
Wednesday, October 9 | 6:30 p.m. CT
Hosted by: El Pasoans Against the Death Penalty, Diocese of El Paso, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Location:
St. Raphael Church
2301 Zanzibar Rd
El Paso, Texas
Partake in an interfaith, bilingual vigil against the death penalty featuring prayers, readings, reflections, and songs, as we join cities around the world to celebrate the 22nd World Day Against the Death Penalty.
No registration required, but contact Pat Delgado at 915-740-3962 with any questions.
National (Virtual) Share a Message
Video messages due on Thursday, October 9 | 12:00 a.m. ET
Organized by: Ignite Peace
Location:
Asynchronous virtual
Join us in imagining a better way to protect each other. Challenge the misconception that the death penalty makes us safer by sharing a short video on what true community safety means to you.
Submit your video message here.
National (Virtual)
Thursday, October 10 | 3:00 p.m. ET
Hosted by: Death Penalty Focus
Location:
Virtual gathering hosted on Zoom
Join us for Part 2 of our Cases of Innocence series, focusing on Ohio and the case of Tony Apanovitch. After 32 years on death row, Tony was exonerated by DNA evidence, only to be sent back to prison on a legal technicality. Now, he’s on death row again, fighting for his freedom and to reunite with his family.
In this webinar, we’ll explore how an innocent person can end up sentenced to death and the immense challenges of fighting for justice in a broken system. Learn about Tony’s journey and discover how you can take action to help.
National (Virtual)
Thursday, October 10 | 6:30 p.m. ET
Hosted by: Equal Justice USA
Location:
Virtual gathering hosted on Zoom
Join Christians across the nation as we come into a space of power, peace, and prayer to honor this year’s World Day Against the Death Penalty. You’ll hear from death row exoneree Sabrina Butler-Smith and have time to join in prayer over some specific aspects of the death penalty: murder victims’ family members, the federal & state death penalty, people on death row, policy & lawmakers, and the hearts & minds of all in our country. You’ll leave challenged, encouraged, and equipped with resources to take your next steps in moving from awareness to action around the death penalty. No matter your view on capital punishment, come to learn more and consider how Christians can respond to the realities of maintaining the death penalty as a response to harm.
Montgomery, Alabama
Thursday, October 10 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET
Hosted by: ACLU of Alabama and the Alabama Post Convictions Relief Project
Location:
The Station at Five Points
400 Mobile St.
Montgomery, Alabama
Join us for a night of personal stories, advocacy, and a call to action, featuring panelists Leandrew Hood, Callie Greer, Miriam Bankston, and Eric Brown. The event will be moderated by Laurel Hattix, ACLU of Alabama.
Fr. Manuel Williams will provide a keynote address.
Atlanta, Georgia
Thursday, October 10 | 9:00 a.m. ET
Hosted by: Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Location:
Central Presbyterian Church
201 Washington St SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Are you a Georgia Faith leader, or do you know one? This year, we are gathering faith leaders (ordained or not) at Central Presbyterian Church (across from the Georgia Capitol) at 9am for a morning of conversation, collaboration, strategic thinking, and action. This time will be followed by a press conference on the steps of the Georgia Capitol at 12:30pm with Sen Rev Kim Jackson.
Missouri (Virtual)
Thursday, October 10 | 6:00 p.m. CT
Hosted by: Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty (MADP)
Location:
Virtual gathering hosted on Zoom
On October 10th at 6 PM, join MADP and others working to abolish the death penalty to learn more about our work and discuss the legislative landscape in Missouri. This fight is about justice and humanity. The world is watching. Together, we can ensure that the death penalty becomes a thing of the past. This is not okay—so join us and be part of the solution.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Thursday, October 10 | 3:30 p.m. ET
Hosted by: Catholics for Abolition in North Carolina
Location:
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral
715 Nazareth St.
Raleigh, NC 27606
We will start with a rosary in a chapel at the Cathedral to end the death penalty in North Carolina and around the United States. We will then walk (@ 1.2 mile) to stand in solidarity, with those on death row in NC, outside Central Prison till 5:30pm. We will join with the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty at 7pm (Pullen Memorial Baptist Church) for the closing of their Walk for Commutation event.
Akron, Ohio
Thursday, October 10 | 9:00 a.m. ET
Hosted by: Akron Interfaith Advocates Against the Death Penalty
Location:
Oliver Ocasek Building
161 South High Street
Akron, Ohio
The Akron Interfaith Advocates Against the Death Penalty, in collaboration with Akron Area Interfaith Council, Akron NAACP, Catholic Commission of Summit County, and Ohioans To Stop Executions (OTSE), is asking faith leaders to sign on to a letter asking Ohio lawmakers to end the death penalty in Ohio. To view this letter please go to: OTSE Faith Leader Initiative To mark World Day Against the Death Penalty, people of faith and social justice advocates will gather at noon on Thursday, October 10, in front of the Oliver Ocasek Building in downtown Akron to demonstrate our commitment to ending Ohio’s death penalty.
No registration is required.
Columbia, South Carolina
Thursday, October 10 | 11:00 a.m. ET
Hosted by: South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Location:
South Carolina State House
1100 Gervais St.
Columbia, SC 29201
Attend a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on the SC State House Front Steps (North Side) to ask Governor McMaster to stop pursuing executions in South Carolina. The Press Conference will be an interfaith press conference. That means leaders from any religious or spiritual tradition are welcome to join. The Press Conference will last 20-30 minutes and will feature voices from different faith/religious/spiritual traditions across South Carolina. The Press Conference will conclude with leaders presenting the petition of at least 200 SC faith leader signatures to Gov. McMaster. The petition asks that Gov. McMaster stop pursuing executions in the State of South Carolina.
Dallas, Texas
Thursday, October 10 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT
Hosted by: Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Location:
Lynching of William Taylor Landmark
114 W Commerce St.
Dallas TX 75208
We invite community members, faith leaders, and collective partners to stand in unity with those who are facing the death penalty, especially Robert Roberson, in this interfaith prayer and solidarity vigil. Come learn more about the death penalty and Roberson’s case.
To register, contact TCADP Deputy Director Tiara Cooper at Cooper@tcadp.org.
Washington, DC
Thursday, October 10 | 6:30-9 p.m. ET
Hosted by: Catholic Mobilizing Network
Location: Vatican Embassy
On World Day Against the Death Penalty, CMN will host the Justice Reimagined Awards & Celebration. It’s a night to honor dedicated advocates, inspirational visionaries, and many others who join us in the work to end the death penalty, advance justice, and begin healing. The event brings together faithful, justice-oriented people from all across the country for a night of collective envisioning of the future we hope to build.
This year we will honor Witness to Innocence, an organization of exonerated death row survivors fighting to end the death penalty; and Dale Recinella, an author and long-time prison minister for the men on Florida’s death row.
National (virtual: pre-recorded)
Video will be available on October 10
Hosted by: Catholic Mobilizing Network
Location: Death Penalty Action, Journey of Hope… From Violence to Healing, and the Ohio Council of Churches
Event title — “The Death Penalty Did Not Protect Our Loved Ones: A World Day Against the Death Penalty Conversation.”
The World Day Against the Death Penalty theme this year is “The Death Penalty Protects No One,” and our program features a conversation with a law enforcement professional and two murder victim family members who share their experiences of how the death penalty did not protect their loved ones.
Featuring:
Deacon George Kain: Police Chaplain; Chair, Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty
Rev. Sharon Risher: Board Chair, Death Penalty Action
Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr.: Board Chair, Journey of Hope… From Violence to Healing
