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                                                                       its modernity, which involves many projects that
                                                                       have seen the light over the last several years such
                                                                       as the construction of hospitals, universities and
                                                                       many other innovations.

                                                                       In this first phase, the book is written in French.
                                                                       The idea, from my perspective, was to complete
                                                                       a project I had started a few years earlier during
                                                                       my two trips in Uzbekistan where, I had travelled
                                                                       in the most amazing places in the country. I first
                                                                       visited  Samarkand,  Bukhara,  Khiva  and  other
                                                                       areas.  The  second  trip  was  into  the  Fergana
                                                                       valley region. I made photos capturing magical
                                                                       historical and cultural sites. It was later decided
                                                                       that I undertake a final trip that would be focused
                                                                       on  modern  aspects  of  the  country  such  as  the
                                                                       new constructions in Tashkent and the new and
                                                                       impressively modern airport in Samarkand.


                                                                       What  I  particularly  like  is  that  next  to  these
                                                                       modern  buildings,  the  authorities  create
                                                                       traditional  medinas,  keeping  the  local  culture
                                                                       alive.

                                                                       We also went to the Aral Sea, which is an ecological
                                                                       catastrophe as the two big rivers that used to feed
                                                                       it were diverted for cotton production irrigation.
                                                                       This had started during the 1960s. Today, only 12
                                                                       percent of the initial sea is left. The lack of water
                                                                       is  one  aspect,  another  important  issue  is  that
                                                                       the economic tissue of the sea’s region has been
                                                                       destroyed. It has also become very polluted.

                                                                       Do you have other book projects in the pipeline?
                                                                       Yes, I have some including a project in the Kurdish
                                                                       part of Iraq. This would also hopefully result in a
                                                                       publication. I have some other possible projects
                                                                       in North Africa, details are yet to be defined.

                                                                       Do  you  still  have  projects  with  the  United
                                                                       Nations or has that diminished?
                                                                       Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, my work
                                                                       assignments  were  drastically  reduced,  this  is
                                                                       the  case  for  many  photographers  and  artists
                                                                       unfortunately.  I  do  however  have  some  long-
                                                                       standing clients with whom I work.

                                                                       You  also  gave  a  public  presentation  in  Swiss-
                                                                       Germany,  about  your  life  and  carrier  as  a



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