In light of the 10th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident, activists worldwide planned commemorative events to raise awareness about the dangers of nuclear power. To publicize these actions, the Fingerbook Propaganda Project designed and launched the No More Chernobyls Home Page in February. The page listed actions taking place throughout Europe, Russia, and the Newly Independent States, as well as the United States and Australia, and became an immediate success: logging more than 2000 hits prior to the April 26 events.
"Many of the participants at the Kiev Lessons of Chernobyl conference said they got the details from the Web site," said Paxus Calta of Hnuti DUHA in the Czech Republic, and one of the site's founders. Local groups linked to the page also recorded dozens of requests for information and publications.
In addition to details about actions and conferences, the site encourages users to participate with a section on "effective things you can do to help." One of the recommendations at this page completes the information-to-action circle: "While there are strong emotional and ethical arguments against nuclear power, the press and decisionmakers rarely respect these...get educated." To this end, the designers included detailed facts lists and a not-so-trivial "Did You Know" trivia section, as well as links to international contacts including Global 2000, the Social Ecological Union, Greenpeace International, and For Mother Earth which offer nearly limitless access to information sources on nuclear issues.
For those users who prefer images to text, the site holds a number of photos, drawings, cartoons, and graphics which can be downloaded. And those choosing tactile or audio information forms can place an electronic order for a T-shirt or benefit CD. All profits from the merchandise are used to support political action groups working directly on nuclear power issues.
While acknowledging the success of the Web site, Calta is looking beyond the Chernobyl anniversary activities. "The challenge now," he says, "is how to keep it going. There are three or four movements in the region working on active campaigns, we'd like to provide deeper information to activists and analysts and to inspire people to get involved."
The No More Chernobyls Home Page now has hosts in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary (REC), and will expand with new hosts in the United States and Australia.
