A new exhibition will explore and celebrate how Christchurch played a major role on the world stage to win a landmark anti-nuclear ruling.
Christchurch to The Hague marks the 30th anniversary of the World Court’s ruling on the legality of using or threatening to use nuclear weapons. The ruling found that the threat and use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to international humanitarian law.
This landmark decision was partly the result of a campaign led by Christchurch activists Harold Evans and Dr Kate Dewes, who pioneered a global movement which became known as the World Court Project. The exhibition features rarely seen photographs, footage, archival documents, artefacts and personal stories from the campaign, along with objects from the Canterbury Museum collection.
One object is a set of scales used to collect signatures of support during the campaign. It features a small model bomb on one side of the scale and a box for petition signatures on the other. Another item features a World Court Project banner which was used across Canterbury to garner support and signatures to take to the Court as citizens’ evidence.
The exhibition takes place in the home where much of the campaigning was organised – Te Whare Maukāroko | House of Peace in Riccarton. For decades, it has welcomed campaigners, diplomats, academics, students and community members from around the world, and remains an important part of Christchurch's enduring legacy as New Zealand's first Peace City. Christchurch City Council designated it a Heritage House in 2022 for its social and political significance.
The exhibition has a limited number of viewing spots on September 24 and 25. Please contact Dr Marcus Coll (marcus@disarmsecure.org) to register your interest. For more information, visit www.disarmsecure.org.