International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is an annual observance that acknowledges the catastrophic nuclear disaster that occurred in Ukraine's Chernobyl power plant in 1986. This day also honours the victims of the disaster and to enhance awareness about the dangers of nuclear energy. It encourages countries around the world to strive for safer nuclear practice and energy alternatives. This observance provides an occasion for the international community to stand in solidarity with the victims and their families.

Though situated half a globe away from Ukraine, the repercussions of the Chernobyl disaster were felt even in the remote islands of New Zealand. The remembrance day serves to remind New Zealanders, too, of the potentially devastating consequences of nuclear energy. The Chernobyl nuclear accident triggered an intensified anti-nuclear movement in New Zealand and reinforced the nation’s adherence to its nuclear-free policy. In 1987, laws were passed to declare New Zealand a nuclear-free zone, and International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day reinforces the importance of this commitment.

In New Zealand, International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is observed through media releases and educational programmes which are designed to increase public awareness about the potential risks of nuclear plants and the promotion of safe and sustainable energy use. International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is observed on April 26, marking the moment when reactor number four at Chernobyl exploded, causing one of the largest man-made disasters in the history of mankind.

Facts about the Chernobyl disaster

• About 30,000 people were near Chernobyl's reactor when it exploded on April 26, 1986. Those exposed to the radiation are thought to have received about 45 rem which is a unit of radiation dosage. This amount increased the risk of cancer by almost 2 percent.
• According to the Global Resilience Institute at Northern University, in 2022, about 100 people still live in Chernobyl’s exclusion zone. Nobody is allowed to move here due to the dangerous levels of radiation present.
• The disaster further fueled New Zealand’s anti-nuclear movement. The country's anti-nuclear policy was solidified in legislation with the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act of 1987, passed largely in response to the events in Chernobyl and as part of a broader disarmament and anti-nuclear campaign.
• New Zealand, through its agencies GNS Science and the National Radiation Laboratory, regularly monitors radioactivity in the environment. Although the Chernobyl disaster was far from New Zealand, it highlighted the necessity of having a robust radiation surveillance system.

In the News and Trending in NZ for International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

Top things to do in NZ for this observance

• Explore a gallery of photos featuring Chernobyl both during the accident and years later.
• Watch a Documentary to learn more about the Chernobyl Disaster:
  1) Inside Chernobyl's Mega Tomb - A BBC documentary that provides an update on the current situation in Chernobyl.
  2) Chernobyl Heart - This award-winning documentary focuses on the children affected by the disaster.
• Visit Museum Exhibits: While not specific to Chernobyl, The National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, sometimes houses exhibits on nuclear energy.