In consideration of the threats posed to humanity and to our environment by nuclear tests, on 2^nd December 2009, the 64^th session of the United Nations General Assembly declared and adopted the International Day Against Nuclear Tests (Resolution 64/35) which is celebrated on the 29^th of August. The UN’s Resolution was initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan to mark the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site on 29^th August 1991, however the inaugural official commemoration was only made in 2010.

The 16^th July 1945 marked the beginning of nuclear weapons testing (nearly 2000 tests have taken place). At the beginning the devastating effects of these tests on the environment and human life were underestimated. The UN Resolution aims at increasing awareness about the devastating effects of nuclear test explosions on the environment, and thus the need for their cessation. Each year the Day is observed by coordinating various activities around the world, such as conferences, exhibitions, competitions, lectures, publications, media broadcasts and many other noble initiatives.

The main mechanism for eradicating nuclear weapons testing is the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) which prohibits “any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion” anywhere in the world. This CTBT was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10^th September 1996 (184 countries have signed this Treaty and 168 have ratified it).