On December 2, 2009, at the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Resolution 64/35 was unanimously adopted, declaring August 29 as the International Day against Nuclear Tests.

The resolution calls for more active education and public awareness “about the effects of the explosive testing of nuclear weapons and any other nuclear explosions, and the necessity of their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.”

The initiative to adopt this resolution, which had a large number of authors and co-sponsors, was put forward by the Republic of Kazakhstan in order to commemorate the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site on August 29, 1991.

The International Day against Nuclear Tests was first observed in 2010. Since then, this day has been annually marked by coordinated worldwide activities, including symposia, conferences, exhibitions, contests, publications, lectures, media broadcasts, and other events.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, on the International Day against Nuclear Tests, reminded the world about the tragedy of the Kazakh people and called for strengthening peace for the sake of future generations: “Today is the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This commemorative date was established by the UN General Assembly on the initiative of Kazakhstan. Our people became victims of the gravest consequences of nuclear weapons testing. This tragedy must not be repeated. For the sake of future generations, we must strengthen peace, develop international cooperation, and take steps towards nuclear disarmament and a complete ban on nuclear tests. Peace and security are the highest values uniting all humanity.”

Kazakhstan was one of the first countries in the world to voluntarily renounce nuclear weapons — 1,410 nuclear warheads, the world’s fourth-largest arsenal at the time, inherited from the Soviet Union.

The closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in 1991 was a historic step and a symbol of Kazakhstan’s commitment to the ideals of peace and security. Thanks to this initiative, Kazakhstan has actively advocated for nuclear disarmament and the strengthening of global stability.

Today, Kazakhstan continues to remain one of the world’s leaders in promoting the idea of renunciation of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan’s initiatives are supported internationally, and the UN-established International Day against Nuclear Tests serves as a reminder of the importance of a peaceful future.

On September 8, 2006, the Semipalatinsk Treaty was signed, creating a Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. This was a significant step in Kazakhstan’s initiatives. The treaty entered into force on March 21, 2009, marking the nuclear-weapon-free status of Central Asia.

In 2014, all participants of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — received security assurances from the five nuclear-weapon states (the United Kingdom, China, Russia, the United States, and France). The guarantor states pledged to respect the nuclear-weapon-free status of Central Asia, not to use nuclear weapons against the countries of the region, and not to threaten them with nuclear force.

Kazakhstan, as a consistent advocate of peace, will continue to promote initiatives in the field of nuclear disarmament and global security.

Background: The Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was established by the Soviet Union in November 1946 in Kazakhstan. It was the first and largest nuclear testing ground in the USSR. Its closure initiated the process of complete nuclear disarmament. Over 40 years, about 456 nuclear tests were conducted at the site, including atmospheric, ground, and underground tests. The total yield of nuclear devices tested between 1949 and 1963 exceeded the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima by 2,500 times.

Nuclear weapons testing conducted over four decades at the Semipalatinsk test site caused irreparable harm to human health and the environment. Experts estimate that about 1.3 million people were exposed to radiation.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-samarkand/press/news/details/1059533?lang=kk