In the Soviet Union, the role of the “testing venue” went to Semipalatinsk Test Site, located at the junction of East Kazakhstan, Karaganda and Pavlodar regions
The first test took place on August 29, 1949,
and the programme was officially shut down in October, 1989
The first state act of sovereign Kazakhstan sent a signal to the entire planet: our country is striving for a world free from the nuclear threat.
456 nuclear tests
(340 underground and 116 aboveground) were conducted during four decades.
4 explosions
were conducted between 1965 and 1968 within the framework of peaceful uses of the nuclear testing programme, such as construction of lakes or canals, one of which generated Lake Chagan.
The “Nevada Semipalatinsk”
anti-nuclear movement in Kazakhstan was formed in 1989 and was one of the first major anti-nuclear movements on the territory of the former USSR
Led by author Olzhas Suleimenov, it joined thousands of people
Purpose
To destroy all nuclear test polygons on the territory of Kazakhstan, create public control over industrial wastes, and establish an ecological map of the region
Movement's agenda
- organization of actions directed towards the complete prohibition of nuclear tests, the banning of nuclear, missiles and other types of weapons of mass destruction and the illegal burial of radioactive and toxic wastes
- protection and revitalization of nature, man, culture
- protection of human rights
- problems of ecology at the national and international levels
Some interesting facts
In 1989, the number of explosions at the Semipalatinsk test site was reduced to 7 out of the planned 18. The last one was on October 19
The most active participants in this movement were medical scientists, graduates of KazNMU
The movement took part in demonstrations, protest marches, peace marches in Kazakhstan, Russia, America and Japan
Many cities and regions of Kazakhstan, also Russia, the USA, Italy, Japan, Turkey and other countries established its branches
Thanks to Suleimenov, the “Nevada Semipalatinsk” anti-nuclear movement was included in the World Memory of the World Register by the decision of UNESCO
On 2 December 2009, the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly declared 29 August the International Day against Nuclear Tests by unanimously adopting resolution 64/35.
By the Decree of the Government of Kazakhstan dated July 3, 2019, # 467, August 29 - the Day of closing the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, was included in the list of holidays.
Through the efforts of the “Nevada Semipalatinsk” movement, nuclear tests in Kazakhstan were stopped:
on August 29, 1991, President of the Kazakh SSR Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the Decree “On the closure of the Semipalatinsk test site”, having gained great respect in the world community
December 2010
Board of Governors adopted the resolution on the IAEA LEU Bank establishment
May 27, 2011
Agency announced a tender for choosing the country to locate the bank
July 29, 2011
Kazakhstan sent a bank placement application
March 2012
Kazakhstan became the only candidate country for placing the bank on its territory
May 2012
IAEA delegation visited Ust-Kamenogorsk and Astana
August 27, 2015
signing the agreement on the establishment of IAEA LEU Bank
Location: Ulba Metallurgical Plant
Initiator of giving the status – Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation
Where? At the special session of the UN General Assembly
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