Celebrating Devonport’s History of Peace Activism

In 1987, 30 years ago, Aotearoa New Zealand’s Nuclear Free Zone Act was introduced. In 1981, 6 years earlier, Devonport Borough had declared itself a Nuclear Free Zone, New Zealand’s first. It was an expression of Council’s concern at the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

By November 1983, 33 other municipalities around the country had joined Devonport in declaring themselves nuclear free. This exhibition, organised by Ruth Coombes on behalf of WILPF (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom) and the Devonport Peace Group, celebrates Devonport’s stance and features images depicting the peace protests that took place on both land and sea from that time on.