International Day against Nuclear Tests 2023: The 29th of August is observed annually as International Day Against Nuclear Tests. The day was instituted by the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly on December 2, 2009. Since the first test on July 16, 1945, nearly 2000 nuclear weapons tests have occurred. Early on, the side effects and dangers of nuclear energy experimentation to human life were disregarded, but its destructive power has been repeatedly demonstrated throughout history. Nuclear weapons are volatile, and the world would be better off without them.
HISTORY OF DAY AGAINST NUCLEAR TESTS
At its 64th session on December 2, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 64/35 proclaiming August 29 as the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. The gist of the resolution was that “every effort should be made to end nuclear tests to prevent devastating and harmful effects on the lives and health of people” and that “the end of nuclear tests is one of the most important means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-free world.”
This day was initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan, which chose August 29 as the date of observance to coincide with the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site in 1991.
2010 marked the first observance of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. Every year, colossal efforts are devoted to the organisation of global events, including conferences, symposia, competitions, publications, media transmissions, and lectures. Numerous sponsors, government agencies, and civil society organisations have supported and advocated for a total moratorium on nuclear testing.
FACTS Regarding Nuclear Weapons
- The explosions at the Chernobyl power plant released 100 times more radiation than the atomic bombs detonated during World War 2 on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- The Tsar Bomba is the world’s most potent weapon, with a mushroom cloud that is 25 miles wide and 40 miles high.
- 90% of radioactive material after a nuclear catastrophe can be eliminated by removing outerwear.
- Since 1999, three nuclear power plant catastrophes have occurred in Japan.
- After the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan, many countries are pursuing alternative energy sources, with Germany intending to shut down all of its reactors by 2022.
WHY DAY AGAINST NUCLEAR TEST IS IMPORTANT
Through the course of history, nuclear testing has exposed communities to nuclear radiation and radioactivity, with disastrous results.
The use of nuclear energy is not limited to weapons. In some countries around the world, nuclear power facilities are a source of energy, and the instability of nuclear power must be carefully considered in order to transition to more sustainable energy sources.
A world without nuclear power is utopian and would unquestionably lead to improved dialogue between nations rather than reliance on war.
INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST NUCLEAR TESTS DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | August 29 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | August 29 | Thursday |
| 2025 | August 29 | Friday |
| 2026 | August 29 | Saturday |
| 2027 | August 29 | Sunday |
