On August 29, 1991, the Republic decided to close the test site, which has the world’s fourth largest arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. On Kazakhstan’s initiative, the UN declared August 29 as the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This day has been celebrated annually since 2010.
Construction of the test site began in 1947 during the Soviet Union and was completed in two years. The test site is located in Kazakhstan on the border of Semipalatinsk (now Abay), Pavlodar and Karaganda regions, 130 kilometers northwest of Semipalatinsk (now Semey), on the left bank of the Irtysh River. Its area occupies 18 thousand km². Over 40 years, 456 nuclear tests have been conducted at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
The last nuclear test at the test site was conducted on October 19, 1989. On August 29, 1991, the Republic decided to close the test site, which has the world’s fourth largest arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. On the initiative of Kazakhstan, the UN declared August 29 as the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This day has been celebrated annually since 2010. Educational seminars and various events dedicated to this event are held annually. This year, a city event was held on Beibitshilik Island, with the participation of employees of the city, regional akimat, universities and other organizations. Hundreds of people were participants of this event, a wreath was laid to the monument “Stronger than Death” – a memorial to the victims of nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, also a minute of silence was declared for the victims, the people who died in this test site. Our university, including the Department of Pediatrics and Medical Rehabilitation took an active part in this important event.