Vivek Raman (2016-21) is part of a team of six Oxford University students who are making a documentary on the Aral Sea Crisis, Project Amu Darya.
As the project’s website states: “…Overextraction of water from the Amu Darya River for cotton irrigation has been a major cause of the depletion of the Aral Sea. In the Khorezm region alone, 16,000 km of canals were built along the Amu Darya River
In the last century, no other river on earth has undergone such change. Yet no history of this change has been recorded.”
The team, which also includes two Old Paulinas, is planning to record an oral history of the plight of the Amu Darya River. Between August-September 2023, they seek to capture the history of the Aral Sea Crisis through the lens of the Amu Darya and the voices of its people. The team will conduct oral interviews along the river’s course, and create an educational film of its changes since 1960. The film will be released in 2024.
The project team hopes to raise awareness and collaborative opportunities for the people and organisations combating and adapting to the Aral Sea Crisis.
If any OPs would like any further information on the project, or if they would be able to offer advice or sponsorship of the expedition, Vivek would be delighted to hear from them. He can be contacted via email vivek.raman@st-hughs.ox.ac.uk.