Dear Friend --

Today is the International Day against Nuclear Tests and we want to mark it by sharing some of the incredible powerful stories of survivors with you.

Bernice Gutierrez was born eight days after the first ever nuclear weapons test in 1945, only a few miles downwind from the Trinity test site. Aunty Sue Haseldine was a child at Koonibba Mission when the British carried out nuclear testing at Emu Field and Maralinga in Australia. Karipbek Kuyukov wasn’t directly exposed to the nuclear tests in Semey, Kazakhstan, but his mother was, before his birth. Douglas Hern and Eric Barton were young soldiers drafted into participating in the UK and US nuclear tests in Kiribati. Karipbek, Bernice, Doug, Eric and Aunty Sue were all exposed to the long-lasting health consequences of the radiation, suffered the consequences, and watched the devastating impacts on their families and communities. And they all fought back.

Bernice, Jeanne, Doug, Eric, Karipbek and Aunty Sue are among the many powerful activists around the world calling for justice for their communities. So today, we are launching a new narrative webpage that lets you dive into their stories, and those of others from around the world, through photos, videos, and powerful quotes.

Visit the new page

For decades, survivors of nuclear weapons use and testing have been leading voices and an inspiration to our movement. They were central players in the creation of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which is the first ever multilateral treaty to include the obligation to assist survivors of nuclear weapons use and testing and begin to remediate contaminated environments.

We have put together this storytelling page to help people see the faces behind the faded, red-tinged old photo of the mushroom cloud, and realise that these tests continue to have devastating and very real impacts on people’s lives to this day, that we must stand with the survivors until there is justice. 

Visit www.icanw.org/survivingnucleartesting or invite your friends, family and network to do so by sharing this post on your social media. 

What is it like to survive nuclear tests? @nuclearban's new storytelling page shares the stories of survivors across the world, from the injustices they faced during the testing era to their current fights for justice. #nuclearban #colonialism Hear their stories   Share via:

We hope you will help us share these stories today, and continue to stand with survivors of nuclear weapons use and testing in their fight for justice. 

Sincerely, 

Alicia Sanders-Zakre
Policy and Research Coordinator
ICAN

It’s time to end nuclear weapons.

Support ICAN’s work