Theanti-nuclear movement in Kazakhstan, commonly known asNevada-Semipalatinsk (Russian:Невада-Семипалатинск;Kazakh:Невада-Семей,romanized: Nevada-Semei), was formed in 1989 and was one of the first majoranti-nuclear movements in the formerSoviet Union.[2][3] It was led by authorOlzhas Suleimenov and attracted thousands of people to its protests and campaigns which eventually led to the closure of theSemipalatinsk Test Site in north-east Kazakhstan in 1991.[4][5][6] The movement was named "Nevada Semipalatinsk" in order to show solidarity withsimilar movement in the west of the United States aiming to close theNevada Test Site.[7]
The Soviet Union conducted 456nuclear weapons tests at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, between 1949 and 1989.[6][8] TheUnited Nations believes that one million people aroundSemey were exposed to radiation, and the incidence of birth defects and cancer is much higher than for the rest of the country.[4][5][6]
According toUNESCO, Nevada-Semipalatinsk played a positive role in promoting public understanding of "the necessity to fight against nuclear threats".[9] The movement gained global support and, became "a real historical factor in finding solutions to global ecological problems".[9]
Astana hosted an international conference Building a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World in August 2016.[10] The topics of the conference included nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and the physical protection of nuclear weapons. The main outcome of the conference was the adoption of The Astana Vision Declaration “From а Radioactive Haze to a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World.”[11]
