Current
Sustainable Cotton Production - An Achievable Goal in the Aral Sea Area?
This report aims to fill knowledge gaps in our understanding of cotton production, industry and trade and to update information on the environmental catastrophe of the Aral Sea in Central Asia. The vanishing Aral Sea, which by 2007 had decreased to 10% of the size it was at the beginning of the 1960s, has become a symbol of poor environmental management. Not only that, the Aral Sea is a perfect example of how all of society and nature is aff ected, socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally. Overall, it shows that sustainability of cotton production needs to have environmental management as the main focus and that nature’s self-healing properties is not sufficient for repairing a man-induced distortion of the water resources when the size of the projects cover several 100 000 ha.
A report by Ingrid Karlsson and Gunilla Björklund, The Swedish Aral Sea Society in cooperation with Gudrun Sjödén Design AB.
Download the report Sustainable Cotton Production - An Achievable Goal in the Aral Sea Area? (pdf-file).
Annual Meeting and Lecture
Venue: Geovetenskapens hus, Nordenskjöldsalen, floor 3, Stockholms University, Frescati
Transport: Underground bound for Mörby Centrum, disembark at Universitetet
After the Annual Meeting kl. 19.00
Håkan Wahlquist, head of the Etnographical Museum in Stockholm, tells about the travels of the young explorer Sven Hedin.
See the Invitation to the Annual Meeting (pdf-file in Swedish).
The Swedish Aral Sea Society in Russian
The Swedish Aral Sea Society's website now also in Russian. Click on the Russian flag above and enjoy the beauty of the Cyrillic alphabet.
Tradition and Modernity
Welcome to a presentation on current culture political issues in the Aral Sea region and listen to some traditional Karakalpakian folk music. The presentations are followed by a discussion on culture in Central Asia by
Torgny Hinnemo och Disa Håstad.
Place: Klarasalen, Klara konferens, Vattugatan 6, Stockholm
Date and time: 22 November 2008, 14.00 - 17.00.
See the programme flyer for more information (pdf-format).
Annual Meeting 2008
Swedish Aral Sea Society Annual Meeting 2008
Date and time: 7th May, 2008, 18.00
Venue: Högbomsalen, Geovetenskapens hus, Stockholms universitet, Frescati
Transport: Metro towards Mörby Centrum, leave at Universitetet
After the annual meeting one of our board members, Björn Guterstam, will show slides from his many visits to the Aral Sea region and tell about the current state. The presentation is entitled:
Five states in 'clinch'. On the art of cooperation in the Aral Sea region
Seminars
Energi och miljö – vad händer i Centralasien och Aralsjöområdet?
(Energy and environment
– what is happening in Central Asia and the Aral Sea area?)
Date: December 6, 2007
Time: 19.00
Venue: Missionskyrkan, S:t Olofsgatan 40, Uppsala
Aralsjön och den geopolitiska situationen i Centralasien
(The Aral Sea and the Geopolitical Situation in Central Asia)
Date: January 31, 2008
Time and Venue: Missionskyrkan, S:t Olofsgatan 40, Uppsala
Seminar chaired by Bo Kjellén. Experts on politics and security will give their views on the current situation in the area.
Information in schools
During the autumn, the Aral Sea Society will be visiting schools in Uppsala and informing pupils about the situation in the Aral Sea area.
Agreement with Gudrun Sjödén
In August 2007 agreement was reached between the Swedish design company Gudrun Sjödén Design AB and the Swedish Aral Sea Society.
This agreement involves the company providing financial support for our activities during 2008, particularly for our information activities and a report on cotton production in the Aral Sea area.
The extent of the financial support will be determined once sales from the winter catalogue have been completed in January, and will be based on the total sales of certain products for which a certain predetermined proportion of the net profit goes to the Aral Sea Society. This financial support has no specific conditions attached regarding the planned activities of the Society.
