A Rome summit gathering of Nobel Laureates concluded with a common statement calling for abolition of the death penalty and specifically decrying the juvenile death penalty. The statement noted “the death penalty is a particularly cruel and unusual punishment that should be abolished. It is especially unconscionable when imposed on children.” Among those in attendance at the summit were Mikhail Gorbechev, former Israel Prime Minister Simon Peres, the Dalai Lama, and Costa Rican President Oscar arias Sanchez. The summit participants addressed issues related to global peace, including preemtive war, economic globalization, sustainable development, and children and the death penalty. (December 3, 2003, American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Center) Read more about the summit. See Juvenile Death Penalty and International Death Penalty.