International Day against Nuclear Tests

"Every day, more and more people are viewing both nuclear tests and nuclear weapons as dangerous relics of the Cold War, long overdue for permanent retirement", said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today as the UN marks the International Day against Nuclear Tests.

The General Assembly proclaimed the Day in December 2009 and it was first celebrated last year. Various activities are planned throughout the world today, such as symposia, conferences, exhibits, competitions, publications, media broadcasts and others.

The Day is meant to galvanize the United Nations, Member States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, youth networks and the media to inform, educate and advocate about the necessity of banning nuclear tests as a valuable step towards achieving a safer world.

Out of a total listed number of 195 States, 182 have so far signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and 154 have ratified it. For the treaty to enter into force ratification is required from the so-called Annex 2 States. Of these China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, and the United States have yet to ratify it.

You can learn about the history of nuclear testing and get links to the main documents and information ressources on the Observance's website.

Link:

• International Day against Nuclear Tests website
• Ending Nuclear Testing: information resources
• SG Ban calls on hold-out States to ratify treaty banning nuclear tests
• United Nations and Chernobyl
• United Nations Office for Disarmament