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Once in a Life-time
Artist, Peter Donnelly, aka Sand Dancer, kindly created the CND logo on New Brighton Beach in honour of the 50th anniversary.
Ban the Bomb Celebration on New Brighton Beach - Well known artist performed another unbelievable creation - see his work

Peter Donnelly, the well known sand artist, also know as the Sand Dancer, has generously donated his time and talent to honouring the 50th anniversary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament by creating the CND logo on the New Brighton beach in Christchurch on Sunday 17th of February 2008

This was a once in a life-time event, as the tide washed it away. Captured on camera by Irinke. Many friends celebrated this wonderful occasion and the fact that New Zealand is Nuclear Free.  Seen here with the masterpiece almost completed is Larry Ross, founder of the New Zealand Nuclear-free Peace Making Association, a man who has been battling for nuclear disarmament for over 50 years. Stickers, badges and information, etc. are all still available. See the Merchandise  page.

Twenty years ago today, Parliament passed the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987 . The law did more than just ban the manufacture, deployment, or use of nuclear weapons in New Zealand, or the entry of nuclear powered vessels into New Zealand waters - it was also a decisive statement of our principles, our independence, and our commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons. For people of my generation, it was the struggle to be nuclear free, rather than the massacre of Gallipoli, when New Zealand really came of age.

Twenty years on, that statement of principle and that coming of age are well worth celebrating. It's also worth protecting. A couple of years ago, Tony Milne floated the idea of holding a referendum on entrenching the anti-nuclear legislation to prevent it from being sold out from under us by future politicians who owe greater allegiance to Washington than Wellington. After twenty years of being proudly nuclear free, i think it is an idea whose time has come.

Posted by Idiot/Savant at 6/08/2007 - 10 comments Links to this post

This logo was designed by Larry and used on stickers, badges, and T-shirts sold to people from all corners of the earth and appearing in the most unusual places, always recognised and respected.
For sale - NZ Nuclearfree badges for sale - and also see Merchandise - and T-shirts


Thanks for your great work Larry

Larry, our paths didn't cross very many times physically, but your influence was everywhere during those years we were working for a nuclear free world, starting with New Zealand. You were a prodigious writer and public speaker and ideas person and you inspired so many. Thank you for what you have done for New Zealand and for a model for peace keeping and nuclear disarmament in the world.

I'm sorry to hear you are not well, but the 80th birthday party sounds great. I'm so pleased you were able to enjoy it.

I have worked with Laurie on peace and environment issues; my children were at school with Natarani and Blessing, you grand-daughters; and I know you now have a grandchild I haven't yet met. These special people are part of your legacy too.

My very best wishes for a time now with the love of friends and family around you, knowing you did what you could in this long struggle against the destruction of our world.

Jeanette Fitzsimons - MP and co-leader of the Green Party

 

Dear Larry

Sorry I missed your 80th birthday. You are one of a few people who were the core of the peace movement through good times and difficult ones.

You played a world-changing role in New Zealand 's development of its attitudes to nuclear weapons, a legacy which, to your credit, remains.

Every time a new threat to world peace arose, you have been there with positive, active responses. My parents, Ann and Wolf were, as you will know, great admirers of you, and I am too. They would certainly have great empathy with you in your current situation.

I wish you all the best in this next stage of your life.

Warm regards, Bill Rosenberg

I have never met Larry Ross, as far as I can remember. However what I do remember is the huge influence he had in shaping my own and my families energy and commitment in the 1980's to join in the struggle to help make NZ nuclear free. For that I salute and honour you Larry Ross

Dion Martin
Union Organiser
National Distribution Union
Palmerston North

Hello Larry

We met you when we moved from Auckland to Christchurch .  Working with NZNFPA was a great education.

One lesson learnt was the unstoppable value of people power, armed with knowledge and purpose. The second lesson was the reaction that active democracy engenders among those in power; targeting and eliminating the threat of a good example.

Larry, you are great when dealing with the masters of perception deception in the media; especially your succinct letters to the editor.  The message you conveyed about being nuclear free got through despite every effort of the lapdog press to stifle it, distort it and attack it.

My memories include the meetings putting together the Nuclear-Free newsletters, allocating space to the important issues of the day.  Each issue was a cover-to-cover masterpiece. Rose reminded me of having Chinese takeaways outdoors at your New Brighton residence, while compiling the articles with John and Hazel.  You always made everyone feel welcome and included.

We enjoyed meeting and encountering fine, decent people with real visions of a better world and how to get there.

Thank you Larry, and our best wishes for your birthday.

Don and Rose Craig

Dear Larry,

Best wishes - a bit late -for your birthday. Sorry to hear of the health problems.

Congratulations for all your amazing persistent work over so many decades and for continuing to remind us of the need to defend and extend our nuclear free stand.

Wasn't it great when we could chart the country going nuclear free - council by council - Not sure how you managed to chart and record all of that - pre-email but it was much appreciated.

I hear of your work and of you from time to time from Laurie. Well done for all the hard and detailed work you have put in for so many years.

Kind regards, Maire Leadbeater

Hello Larry

I have some photos of you Larry.  I also have memories of the Peace Stall the Peace Council ran for many years in Wellington with the wonderful peace goods supplied by you. One of your Nuclear Free NZ stickers ended up in Georgia in Russia !  That was more than 20 years ago - where has the time gone? 

One of the photos of you that I have is you speaking on the steps of Parliament on the occasion of the passing of the Nuclear-free law.  Time indeed flies...

You have inspired many, Larry.  Best wishes my friend.

Barney Richards - Peace Council Aotearoa NZ


My warmest love and wishes to Larry.  Over 20 years ago I moved as a young student to Christchurch and was on the inaugural uni paper, Peace Studies.  During that year I connected with Larry and his tiresome work within the Nuclear Free movement.  I, like many others, remember evenings at his house stuffing envelopes, hours at length with a clipboard in hand doing phone surveys and getting people on side, and time spent on stalls looking like a pin-cushion with all my wondrous nuclear free badges.  These badges still travel with me today. 

Thanks Larry – you kick-started my activism.  Your inspiration and your mana has been pivotal in my life. 

Debs Martin
Regional Field Officer, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of NZ Inc - Nelson

I have wonderful and inspiring memories of you Larry when you first came to the Corso headquarters back in the early 1970s. Larry, you are a brilliantly courageous and visionary person. You have inspired us and people all over the planet. Go well as you face new personal challenges. I salute you and bless you.

Robert Consedine

Larry…    greetings.

I wish I had been able to join the party to celebrate your "coming of age"! and to say how much New Zealand owes to your indefatigable spirit for peace which we tried to follow and build on.

Nuclear Free cities and towns - Nuclear free councils - even Nuclear free churches!

I don't know how your body is these days, Larry, but I am sure your spirit is as bright and strong as ever "for the things that make for peace".

"Peace on earth, goodwill to all people"  Happy birthday  -  Happy Christmas

Cheers and thanks Larry.  John Murray


Here's my reminiscence, to add my appreciation of Larry to the many impressive ones on the website devoted to celebrating his 80th birthday.

"In the struggle for a nuclear free New Zealand and world, I have never known a time when Larry has not been to the forefront. The struggle has involved and continues to involve and enrol an extraordinary variety and number of utterly committed campaigners. Each has contributed in their own unique way. And you Larry, seem even more "unique" in your "relentless" campaign and campaigns.

I think I can speak for the various "Peace Squadrons" that emerged over that wondrous period in the seventies and eighties when I say that the Peace Squadrons salute you Larry. The whole momentum and pressure of the nuclear free drive would have lacked a vital component without you.

George Armstrong
Auckland Peace Squadron Spokesperson 1975-1980.

Dear Larry

I first met you at one of the first Annual Peace Workshops at Riverside Community in the early 80s. The Golden Bay Peace Group was formed and we sold thousands of your stickers, badges and other visual awareness-raising aids, as well as distributing your prolific knowledge-filled written material. I still think the blue/green NWFZ sticker was the best one ever, and have one on my letterbox now. I proudly displayed a bumper sticker on my luggage when I went overseas - great for recognising it on the carousel too! It was wonderful to see and hear you again in Golden Bay last year.

Thank you for all you have done.

Love and peace, Helen Kingston

WELL DONE,  LARRY  ROSS.

 I have never met Larry in person but over here in Hari Hari and  South Westland he is a big hero to the Peaceniks who helped to make the Westland County Council Nuclear Weapon Free in the early 80's and eventually no doubt this was a small factor in the country becoming Nuclear Free 20 years ago.

By phone and mail Larry was very supportive to our small group and helped to enthuse us when energy ran low. Two young locals were so inspired by one of Larry's ideas that they rode their horses from South Westland to Wellington and among other actions presented their views and a bag of horse produce to the French Ambassador's officials. His regular mail-outs were always full of news and ideas and all of us were in awe of his news gathering skills and his ability to put it all together in an interesting manner.  This was all before word processors, the Internet, Google, etc. were in common use and made such work so much easier. It was very noticeable when NZ was declared Nuclear-Free that interest in the Peace Movement decreased but Larry knew there was much more to do and again his newsletters etc kept us all going. We all wish you all the best, Larry, and may GOD bless you and yours today and always,

Jim  Costello,
For Hari Hari and South Westland Peace Groups.    

When I was first staying in the old house on Brighton Road (Parnell, Auckland), in 1983, I heard talk about Larry - he was the man who sent Nuclear Free literature up from Christchurch (pamphlets, and perhaps badges too? being picked up in the middle of the night by other hard working campaigners...).  What I heard then impressed me, and so did the man himself when I met him in Christchurch:  not only what he did, but how he was able to keep going, and to involve so many others, and especially his dedication, and his gentleness and patience with everyone. Larry has contributed so much, and encouraged so many to keep going... Larry, I was very pleased to hear that you celebrated your 80th with your closest friends and colleagues. 

You are in my thoughts and prayers, Daniela Bagozzi

“ Kia ora Larry,

We had a lot of contact back in the heyday of the anti-nuclear movement. I was getting Engineers for Social Responsibility set up in Wellington (it's still going as strongly as ever) and you were involved in your quietly determined way with nuclear peacemaking. We had many meetings preaching to the converted and the unconverted, but you were always willing to front up no matter how small the turnout.

We obviously share a similar birthday in early December. I hope your illness is a temporary setback, and in the words of Frank Sinatra “If you can survive, to a 105, think of all you'll derive out of being alive…..and here is the best part, you have a head start, if you are among the very young at heart.” And you are one of those.

Kia kaha, kia tu, kia manawanui”

Gerry Te Kapa Coates MNZM
Managing Director
Wise Analysis Limited, Wellington

Many thanks for all the work you did, helping to make New Zealand a Nuclear Free Zone. This act "punched well beyond its weight", and when we travel we feel proud be New Zealanders and our stance against the US "Big Brother".

We enjoyed your visits to Rotorua at The Patch, and your enthusiasm helped us to get Rotorua Nuclear Free.

It really is amazing how many small acts can make a huge difference.

Lots of love, Mike and Meg Collins

Congratulations on your recent 80th birthday! You have been an amazing one man band working to keep New Zealand Nuclear Free. Thank you for all your efforts.

In Peace and Friendship,

David Minifie and Deborah Williams

We met Larry in the early 80s when we all worked locally (Nelson in our case) and nation wide for Nuclear Free. Larry came to town and spoke at the Girls College assembly (about 700 people) and inspired a whole campaign at that school to make the school nuclear free. The staff and students voted 2 - 1 to so declare, but the Board of Governors said "No"!. But the time was right, and the co-ed school nearby in Stoke, Nayland College did so declare and put the Nuke Free symbol up there with the sports awards. (How's that for status!) for all to see.

So Larry became a part of our lives - supplying us for years with badges, stickers, T shirts and information, and more information - and essential updates on how the nuke free campaign was going - and coming to speak.

Larry's efforts were amazing and invaluable. In fact words fail me - I doubt it's possible to know how far and wide - locally, nationally and internationally Larry's efforts have rippled.

(Winston Peters recently claimed that NZ's Nuclear Free status made it possible for us/him to act as a go between North Korea and the US, maybe preventing a war there???

Thanks Larry for being the right person, doing the right thing in the right place at the crucial time. You certainly show that one person can make a difference.

My father who lived to 106 said every day after 80 is a gift. May you have many gifts Larry.

With love from Gwen Struik and Roger Bray

Back in the 80s when I first became involved in the Peace Movement your Nuclear Free newsletter was enlightening and challenging.

We first met at a Nuclear Free presentation outside Parliament.

Your untiring work promoting Nuclear Free Zones was an inspiration, and certainly paved the way for our Nuclear Free Legislation.

Mordechai Venunu is still having a rough deal from the Israeli authorities. I know you have been networking for peace via computer.

Good work.

from Loeline Gannaway

I grew up in Christchurch in the 50s and 60s with a constant awareness of Larry's intelligent, original and compelling letters in the Christchurch newspapers.

There is no doubt he contributed enormously to the intellectual and moral ideas of my generation, especially in the ferment of the Vietnam War.

From all accounts here, he has had a life very well lived and I join with everyone else in wishing him the very best – and to emphasize his impact was far wider than just those who were fortunate enough to know him well personally.

 Kind Regards

 Alan Wilkinson - Bay of Islands

Dear Larry,

Congratulations on reaching your 80th birthday!  Larry, you have long been an inspiration in your vision for world peace.

To my mind, you did more than anyone else to help make Aotearoa/New Zealand to become nuclear-free.  You picked up the idea of declaring NZ nuclear free step by step, place by place, and ran with it brilliantly.  Working with you in the mid-1980s was always stimulating and action-oriented!  Producing and distributing all that endless resource material was a terrific boost and support for the nuclear-free and peace movement across Aotearoa/NZ.  You channelled all your boundless energies into a richly rewarding and vital programme to help save New Zealanders and the planet's peoples in general with your speaking tours and hosting key American visitors like ex-CIA agent Ralph McGehee and military hero Colonel Hackworth, among various other vital activities.  

It has been great to see that your passion and analysis has been unrelenting right up to your 80th anniversary!  Your Pacific Ecologist  article "On the Edge of the Nuclear Abyss: Why Aotearoa New Zealand must stay nuclear-free" (PE, issue 13, Summer 2006/7) has all the fire of your belief in the desperate work necessary to pull us back f rom this abyss.  More than anyone I ever met, Larry, you know the potentially dark abyss in the human mind and the need for us to rise above it.  You spent your life striving for this spiritual elevation in the most humanly practical way and were eminently instrumental in achieving a positive outcome for so many people here.

All the best,

Dennis Small 

Kia Ora Larry,

In 2004 I did my MA on New Zealand local nuclear free zones. And of course you cannot tell this story without talking about Larry Ross. At every turn in my year of research their was Larry and his committed team - his newsletters filling archives of small peace groups around the country. His maps of the progress found in local council files.

I'll always be grateful for the time Larry spoke with me and answered questions for hours and with as much conviction as ever. Thank you Larry for never ceasing to share your vision with us.

Jo Stone

Larry,

Telling the truth is something which we all aspire to do.  Telling the truth to the world requires both bravery and a message of extraordinary power and resonance.  Larry, you had that message - that the nuclear race is madness, and that there was and is another way, being followed by New Zealand - and you have the guts to keep saying it. 
The respect which you have gained for the stand you took, the words you spoke and the leadership you showed is immeasurable.  We are with you at your time of need. May you spend the rest of your days in the peace which you have fought for.

Very best wishes,

Tim Barnett
Member of Parliament
Christchurch Central


Peace on Earth

At this time of year, when peace on earth is the topic of the day, let's envision it not as a sentiment but as a realizable goal. A goal to dedicate our lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to.

I have just had a Christmas with my daughter, son-in-law and their two wonderful children. Along with my son and his family, I have all the reasons I need to do what I can, where I can, when I can, the best I can to make the misery of the present a memory of the past and the starting point of a new future for us all.

May this season be the one for us to be the founders of peace for all seasons.

Thank you for BEING in my life. You are the gift.

Michael Kessler


When I first came to New Zealand (1987) it was the Christchurch anti-nuclear people with whom I first came into contact.  Fellow "Reagan Refugee" Bob Leonard and his family were my instant friends and that led me directly to Larry Ross (another North American) and his Nuclear Free Zone committee. 

Larry's dedication then and in the many years before and after is amazing and it gave me something inspiringly anti-nuclear to slot into even before eventually settling down in Wellington .  Over the years Larry provided as much information as I could have wanted (more, actually) and it often became the source of ideas for my letters to the editor. 

Visiting Larry at his house in New Brighton on occasional journeys to Christchurch was an experience.  Hardly in the door I would be joined with other volunteers doing "peace work" stuffing envelopes or photo copying anti-nuclear literature.  There was no apparent space in the part of the house I saw which didn't have boxes full of papers stuffed into/under it - all dedicated to Larry's passion for a nuclear free world.  I would always leave with stickers, badges, etc and the mailing address to order more.

Thank you Larry - you and your associates are an inspiration.

Dick Keller - Wellington

Who's Next? Please add your piece of this story.

back    The Fight for Peace Continues

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Many Thanks

I would like to thank the people who have taken the time to send a piece for this patchwork and express their gratitude for Larry's efforts. Everyone has something new to say and it is so great for Larry to have all of your good wishes to warm his heart at this time in his life.
The true comradeship that has evolved from working together on the different campaigns that Larry has instigated is priceless. Without these selfless people and their generosity none of this would have been possible. New Zealand would not have a Nuclear Free Policy, we would not be putting together this patchwork to add to the history of this country, and the world would be a poorer place. Thank you so much, all you willing workers, for all you have done. You have achieved something quite unique in the world by standing up for what you believe in and defending what you love.

Please let me know if I have missed a typing error or you need your piece edited. I shall rectify it as soon as possible.
Layout and colour, etc. may change as more are added. We reserve the right to edit pieces if they are to be included.

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This web site, with its valuable articles and comments, will remain as it is for the many that use it.
In the meantime, to keep abreast of all the latest information, see the relevant sites on the Peace Action Groups Sites page both in NZ and world-wide.

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Keeping NZ Nuclear-Free - Larry spent his life working for this cause, please don't throw away this valuable asset.

 

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