(6 Jan 2007)
1. Wide of Colosseum
2. Close-up of Colosseum
3. Colosseum with nearby Christmas tree
4. Pan left from Roman forum to Colosseum
5. Demonstrators holding banner against death penalty reading "UN moratorium against executions"
6. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Elisabetta Zamparuti, member of 'Nessuno Tocchi Caino' (Hands Off Cain)
"Today's statement of the (Iraqi) president is below the international standard because the question of the death penalty is a question of human rights and it is not anymore a question of internal sovereignty, but something that affects all of us."
7. Wide of Colosseum
8. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Armando (only name given) Vox Pop
"I think that this is an issue that involves all humanity and not only one country."
9. Close-up of Colosseum
10. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Marco Staderini, representative of Rome's city hall:
"We are fighting to obtain a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty, it looks impossible but it is not. It is necessary that Italy becomes a promoter of this, as Prodi's government is doing but even in a stronger way, of a resolution at the United Nations to ask for a moratorium, that is the suspension of the death penalty in all countries of the world."
11. Wide shot of Colosseum
STORYLINE:
Rome lit up the Colosseum at sunset on Saturday as part of an Italian campaign for a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty, efforts buoyed by a wave of denunciations across Europe over Saddam Hussein's execution.
The 2-thousand-year-old arena, once the scene of deadly combat by gladiators as part of entertainment in ancient times for the masses, has become a symbol of Italy's stance against capital punishment.
Since 1999, the monument has been bathed in golden light every time a death sentence is commuted in the world or a nation abolishes capital punishment.
"UN moratorium on executions" read a banner held by supporters of Hands Off Cain, an anti-death penalty organisation, as the monument was lit
up.
"The question of the death penalty is a question of human rights and it is not anymore a question of internal sovereignty, but something that affects all of us", said Elisabetta Zamparuti, from Hands Off Cain.
Marco Staderini, a representative of Rome's city hall also present at the event said; "We are fighting to obtain a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty, it looks impossible but it is not".
Hundreds of tourists and Roman families strolling downtown on the Epiphany religious and national holiday filled the streets near the monument on Saturday evening.
After the December 30 execution of the ousted Iraqi dictator, Premier Romano Prodi's centre-left-government began a diplomatic push to have the moratorium initiative taken up by the UN General Assembly.

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