On April 18 in Moynaq, Karakalpakstan, organizers Prorun will host an Aral Sea Eco Race with a total distance of two kilometers. Participants will run one km to the location of a tree planting, plant a tree, and then return. At the finish line, each participant will receive a medal in the form of a symbolic tree for partaking in the restoration project.
As organizer Andrey Kulikov told the Times of Central Asia, “the run is being held to draw the world’s attention to the environmental problems of the region and inspire everyone to take actions to protect it. Twelve participants have already registered, and about a hundred runners are expected. The run will be held at the experimental site next to the nature museum in Moynaq. The three fastest runners will receive commemorative prizes. In every race organized by the Prorun movement, we aim to attract as many people as possible to a healthy lifestyle and to dedicate the races to environmental protection and environmental issues. Our biggest event will be a 42-km marathon on the dried-up Aral Sea bed, which will take place on June 17. A hundred people will take part in the race dedicated to the International Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. In addition, Prorun practices ‘plogging’ races, during which participants collect rubbish along their route.”
The Aral Sea Eco Race is being held as part of the Aral Sea Tourism Week, which will run from April 16-19 in the Nukus and Moynaq districts of Karakalpakstan. During the week, there will be an international scientific and practical seminar “Goodwill Ambassadors of the Aral Sea,” an exhibition and an art exhibition entitled “The Aral Sea Through the Eyes of Artists,” where paintings of the Aral Sea will be presented. The participants will also enjoy a gastronomic festival called 99 kinds of fish dishes of the Aral Sea, and a trip to historical monuments.
Last autumn, Uzbekistan planted 28,000 hectares of greenery in the Moynaq district and the desert areas of the Aral Sea basin as part of a nationwide greening campaign called Yashil Makon (Green Edge).
In 2024, Kazakhstan plans to plant on 275,000 hectares of the former Aral Sea bed. In total, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, 544,500 hectares of forest were sown between 2021-2023.
