National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The film is produced and hosted by UNCCD Goodwill Ambassador, Malian singer and environmental activist Inna Modja. In April of this year, she traveled to Karakalpakstan to witness firsthand — and convey to the world — not only the scale of the environmental loss but also the remarkable resilience of the region’s people, particularly women, who are at the heart of efforts to adapt to climate change and combat desertification.

The documentary illuminates both the magnitude of the ecological disaster and the strength of those who continue to live on what was once the seabed. Once the world’s fourth-largest lake, the Aral Sea has shrunk to just 10 percent of its former size. Yet where the waters receded, the women remained. The film takes viewers into Karakalpakstan to meet individuals who are rebuilding their lives amid a transformed climate — among them Maya Radzhapova, who weaves memories of ocean waves into her carpets, and Malohat, who, together with a team of 50 women, is greening the desertified landscape. These women emerge as true custodians of the land. The Aral Sea no longer roars — it whispers. And within that whisper lies a call to renewal.

This film represents an important contribution to the global dialogue on land degradation and climate change. It not only documents the tragedy of the Aral Sea but also offers a message of hope, highlighting the stories of people who continue to live, work and restore the region. The documentary seeks to draw international attention to the ongoing need for support for the Aral Sea region and to emphasize that meaningful transformation is possible when governments, local communities and global environmental efforts act together.

Background: In November 2023, Samarkand hosted the 21st session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CRIC21). For the first time in Central Asia, around 500 delegates from 196 countries — including representatives of civil society and academia — convened to review progress toward global land-degradation neutrality targets and to discuss measures to combat sand and dust storms.

The film is available at: https://youtu.be/SILZeR7WCzA?si=YaO9iNdQyMSfFqBr