Photo exhibition marking 34th anniversary of Semipalatinsk Polygon closure held in Bulgaria

The event was organized by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Bulgaria with the support of the Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Blagoevgrad, Rashko Dinkov and was held in the building of the municipal administration. 

Those attending the photo exhibition were mayor of Blagoevgrad, Metodi Baykushev, the regional governor Georgi Dinev, and the mayor of the municipality, Antoaneta Bogdanova, employees of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Bulgaria, the Honorary Consulate of Kazakhstan, as well as members of the Kazakh diaspora, Bulgarian public figures, and media representatives.

In his remarks, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Bulgaria Viktor Temirbayev emphasized the importance of this date for the people of Kazakhstan and highlighted the country’s ongoing international efforts to promote a world free of nuclear weapons. He emphasized that thanks to Kazakhstan’s initiative, August 29 was declared the International Day Against Nuclear Tests by the United Nations General Assembly.

In turn, the mayor Baykushev and the regional governor Dinev, as well as other attendees, expressed their appreciation to Kazakhstan for its leadership in nuclear disarmament and for strengthening the global non-proliferation regime of weapons of mass destruction.

Participants of the event particularly noted that the international community is well aware of Kazakhstan’s “great and wise decision” to renounce nuclear weapons and to lead global disarmament efforts.

The exhibition features unique historical materials, including photographs from the nuclear test site, archival documents evidencing the closure of the Semipalatinsk Test Site, and images dedicated to the Nevada – Semipalatinsk anti-nuclear movement.