Exhibition on Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site closure opens in New York

An exhibition dedicated to the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site has opened at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York. The permanent exposition displays photographs that clearly demonstrate the dangerous consequences of such tests. One of the exhibits is a copy of the decree on the closure of the test site signed on August 29, 1991, by the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. The event participants noted that Kazakhstan’s renunciation of nuclear weapons is an example for other countries.

“I think the main message is we want people to remember the terrible devastation caused by nuclear testing, the devastation not just to the environment, but the human beings who live there. We need this kind of memorials, these kinds of exhibitions to show people that this existed and this has to stop and can never have nuclear testing again and that is why we have this really important organization, the Comprehensive test ban treaty organization. And Kazakhstan can serve as an example of a country that is standing up for demonstrating: “This happened in my country. It was terrible,” said Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications.

“How your country decided to close the Semipalatinsk testing site is very important landmark event and we often talk about this. So I really enjoyed meeting with his Excellency very much. And I hope that together we will be able to move towards the elimination of nuclear weapons as quickly as we can,” noted Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs.

Translation by Saniya Sakenova

Editing by Galiya Khassenkhanova