Dunedin Abrahamic Interfaith Group

Pope Leo visits Lampedusa, migrant hotspot, on July 4 Leo, who said religion must never justify discrimination, symbolically took up the mantle of his predecessor, who placed migration at the center of his pontificate by visiting the island in July 2013.

🇵🇫☢️🌪️ Today it is 60 years since France detonated a nuclear bomb (code named Aldébaran) at Moruroa. The 28 kiloton bomb was nearly double the size of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and caused widespread radioactive contamination throughout the region. That was the first of 193 nuclear bomb ‘tests’ from 1966 to 1996 at Moruroa and Fangataufa, which had devastating consequences for health and wellbeing in Mā’ohi Nui.

“On July 2, 1966 the calm of French Polynesia's Moruroa atoll was shattered by an explosion of unbelievable force. Within a second, the azure tropical sky flashed bright orange, and was ruptured by a towering radioactive cloud that mushroomed into the atmosphere; the placid lagoon was stirred into a tempestuous cauldron, while the coconut trees on the white sand islets were bent by the sheer force of the nuclear explosion. "It's beautiful", said President Charles de Gaulle.”, https://www.facebook.com/PeaceMovementAotearoa/posts/2289709457743077 - a stunning illustration of the totally shameful disregard for the wellbeing of Mā'ohi Nui and all Pacific peoples, and a

"Leukemia, lymphoma, cancer of the thyroid, lung, breast, stomach ... In Polynesia, the experience of French nuclear tests is written in the flesh and blood of the inhabitants. Strontium has eaten into bones, cesium has eaten away at muscles and ge****ls, iodine has seeped into the thyroid." 👉🏼 The Moruroa Files detail the horrific long lasting harm to Mā'ohi Nui and the wider Pacific that was caused by the nuclear "testing" programme of France, https://moruroa-files.org/

Similar horrendous long-term impacts were also inflicted on other Pacific peoples whose islands and ocean territories were extensively contaminated by nuclear bomb "tests" by Britain and the US ...

To mark this year’s anniversary, here are some links to resources and further information as a reminder of the tragic and long lasting impact the insane pursuit of nuclear weapons supremacy has had in the Pacific.

No te parau tia, no te parau mau, no te tiamaraa, e tu, e tu - For justice, for truth and for independence, wake up, stand up!

👉🏼 Check out the programme of commemorative events in Mā’ohi Nui on 2 and 3 July 2026, https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EZMFDZmv8/

👉🏼 Watch the video illustrating the radioactive fallout in Mā'ohi Nui (French Occupied Polynesia) from each atmospheric nuclear bomb blast from 1966 to1974, https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1472540166836227

👉🏼 Watch 🎥 Witnesses of the bomb 💣 Ronald Oldham (1950-2019), https://www.facebook.com/reel/1484617469658386 Oscar Temaru, https://www.facebook.com/reel/1788053245500470 Unutea Hirshon, https://www.facebook.com/reel/1936059513750594 Tāne Brander, https://www.facebook.com/reel/4412166432358977 and more at https://www.facebook.com/dscenpf/reels/

👉🏼 Watch Te Ao Māori News' interview with Vehia Wheeler (Mā'ohi Nui delegation to the ), https://www.facebook.com/PeaceMovementAotearoa/posts/1072493821574416

👉🏼 Read 'What these Tahitian women want you to know about France's nuclear testing', Hawaiʻi Public Radio article with Vehia Wheeler and Teatuahere Teiti-Gierlach, https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2025-06-16/what-these-tahitian-women-want-you-to-know-about-frances-nuclear-testing

👉🏼 Read '‘So many people have cancer’ - living with the French nuclear legacy in the Pacific', Teuila Fuatai with Hinamoeura Morgant-Cross, https://e-tangata.co.nz/nzoa-pijf/so-many-people-have-cancer-living-with-the-french-nuclear-legacy-in-the-pacific/

👉🏼 's 2020 interview with Oscar Temaru on , https://www.facebook.com/PeaceMovementAotearoa/posts/2946813915365958

👉🏼 'The Deep Secret: Reflections on Moruroa' - Ena Manuireva speaks about the effect of the nuclear testing on his family, his community, and what still isn’t known about the lasting impacts, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/stories/blog/2021/the-deep-secret

👉🏼 Our Nuclear Free and Independent Day statement this year, https://www.facebook.com/PeaceMovementAotearoa/posts/1369940101829785

👉🏼 The 52nd anniversary of the frigate Otago departing for Moruroa: "Back then, took action against of the , now they're part of it" ... https://www.facebook.com/PeaceMovementAotearoa/posts/1163456269144837

👉🏼 The impact of France's nuclear testing on NZ , https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/492809/fallout-of-french-nuclear-testing-in-pacific-still-affecting-men-decades-later

👉🏼 Images of the nuclear bomb detonations and Hao (the associated military base): Moruroa, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq_v-fH4TLY Moruroa et Fangataufa, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOpwFPslXqI Hao, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54YMpk-6Ft8

for a Moruroa e tatou DSCEN Délégation polynésienne suivi conséquences des essais nucléaires 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟏𝟗𝟑 Pacific Network on Globalisation Pacific Conference of Churches Te Upoko o te Ika Radio Pax Christi Aotearoa National Nuclear Commission, Republic of the Marshall Islands Youngsolwara Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese Marshallese Educational Initiative Ètārētia Porotetani Māòhi CND Cymru Quakers in Nelson The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization OPANAL

15 April 2026. Gibson Talk. Dr Graham Redding. Religious violence and religious nationalism. 15 April 2026. Gibson Talk. Dr Graham Redding. Religious violence and religious nationalism in a fragmented world.

https://religionnews.com/2026/04/08/photos-of-the-week-holy-week-easter-celebrations/

Photos of the Week: Holy Week, Passover (RNS) — This week’s photo selection includes commemorations of Holy Week, Easter and Passover.

Statement on the escalation of conflict in Middle East Statement by the moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee Rev. Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm and WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay on the threats made by US president Donald Trump of imminent widespread attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran.

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/giving-muslims-in-aotearoa-a-voice?

Giving Muslims in Aotearoa a voice Otago lecturer Dr Usman Afzali is helping to better understand and give voice to Muslim experiences in Aotearoa.