Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - On 3 November, the next stage of the Save Aral - 2021 sports race took place in the city of Denau. The main organizers of the event were the Athletics Federation of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the National Olympic Committee, with the support of the khokimiyat of Surkhandarya region.

The most distant point of the Save Aral race route this year was the city of Denau in Surkhandarya region. According to the leadership of the Athletics Federation, it is important to include events not only in the nearest cities to the Aral Sea, but in general, the Aral Sea region, which is also sensitive to climate change.

It should be noted that, according to the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Climate Change (IPCC), for Uzbekistan, and in particular for the Aral Sea region, serious risks of climate change are most likely. In this connection, adaptation measures are needed in various sectors: water, rural, industrial, environmental, and especially social. This is what Uzbekistan says today in the framework of the ongoing UN conference on climate change 2021 (COP26) in Glasgow. The government has developed various policy documents aimed at reducing climate vulnerability and ensuring resilience in key sectors of the economy, which are planned to be implemented in the coming years.

However, the task of strengthening public health of the population and educating a harmoniously developed young generation, especially in areas with unfavorable environmental conditions, is relevant and in demand today. Conducting sports races "Save Aral - 2021" is one of the steps to popularize physical culture and a healthy lifestyle among the population. Thanks to events of this format, more and more active citizens are involved in mass races, regardless of age and level of physical fitness. Every year the number of citizens willing to take part in the Save Aral sports races is increasing. Today in every city more than 3 thousand people join the races.

The Save Aral project is one of the first attempts to introduce the ideas of mass sports in large and small cities of the country, as well as to create an accessible platform for the integration and involvement of people with disabilities in active sports life.

Improving and strengthening public health of the population and the future generation is a fundamental task for Uzbekistan, especially in the context of potential climate risks.