The Power of Art as a Form of Nuclear Justice
This digital webpage is a space for Pacific youth to reclaim their narrative. Through paintings, drawings, poetry, and multimedia works, young artists reflect on their heritage, the wounds of the past, and their hopes for a just, nuclear-free future.
Paintings by Kiribati Youth
In 2024 and 2025, Elementary and Middle School students from Kiritimati (Christmas) Island in Kiribati produced a series of paintings to convey their views on the nuclear weapon tests carried out by the U.K. and U.S. conducted on their island. Many of their family members continue to suffer from the medical impact of the nuclear weapons. Through their work, they reflected on the lasting impact these tests have had on their islands and highlighted an often untold story about the nuclear legacy in Kiribati. These projects were made possible thanks to support from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Reverse The Trend, Nuclear Age Peace Foundations and individuals, including Dr. Becky Alexis-Martin and Ereti Tekabaia.
In 2023 and 2025, facilitated by RTT Pacific Coordinator Maverick Peter Seda, youth from the Reverse The Trend (RTT) Pacific chapter joined students from the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) for a three-day art retreat at the Olotsara Retreat Center in Lambi, West Guadalcanal. Through collaborative painting, storytelling, and cultural exchange, participants explored themes of nuclear justice, disarmament, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The workshop built solidarity with Kiribati youth and other Pacific communities affected by the legacy of nuclear testing, using art as a tool to amplify advocacy and envision a world free of nuclear threats. This initiative was made possible by microgrants from NAPF and RTT.
