Why do artists, architects and environmentalists gather in the Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan?

ANNOUNCEMENT Most visitors to Uzbekistan adhere to the Silk Road tourist trail, exploring the mosques and madrasas of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, and perhaps the intriguing mix of Islamic and Soviet modernist architecture of the capital, Tashkent. However, amidst the remote and arid landscapes of northern Uzbekistan, artists, architects, environmentalists and activists are gathering in a city less frequented by international visitors.