Hello Asgardia!

It's back and better than before! The Civic Asgardia team has revived the Newsline and contains a round up of recent Asgardia news and community popular topics to help Asgardians keep up with all things Asgardia!

We've forwarded it to the Community Center volunteer teams and hope that they will work on translations for everyone. We'll post them here as they come in. If you would like to help translating, please send an email to civic@asgardia.space with the subject "Asgardia Newsline Report Translations".

English Version

Let the team know what you think of it by commenting below!

Cheers!

Rebekah Berg
Head of Community Affairs
NGO Asgardia

October 21, 2017 Asgardia Answers Live Stream Rundown

By Ross Cheeseright | October 21, 2017

As has become tradition, Lena De Winne hosted another live stream on Facebook that addresses questions brought up by the community. This month’s livestream was utterly packed with discussion and useful information as we continue our Journey to becoming an independent nation. This is our rundown of the highlights.

You can watch the full video here on Facebook or here on YouTube . The full transcript will be available in a few days and linked on this post

Introduction:

1. Acknowledgement of Founding Day of Asgardia – Many people discussed that it was a great day and some people got together to celebrate
2. There was an event in Moscow – It was Translated into English. Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli addressed the achievements and outlined the future. The conference had a lot of attention in Russia, no special attentions have been made there before but they decided to go to Russia for the Founding Day celebration and they had a lot of good coverage. Read our summary here .

Government

There were a lot of very important points that were brought up as a result of citizens questions regarding the process of forming a Parliament.

1. Constitution has been accepted and Elections were announced on the 12 ^th The elections will give people around 6 months to elect their parliament. Voting has begun already so get voting!
2. Leaderships elections are happening right now and are a precursor to the Elections.
3. It will be possible to convert your current votes (for Debutant, Strategist or Trendsetter) into Parliamentary Election Votes. It will be explained in detail how to do this in the coming days via Asgardia.space.
4. The government will only be appointed after the parliament is formed.
5. There are only 6 months to vote.
6. Application process will be on the website.
7. Parliamentary electorates will not be expected to relocate. Work will be done remotely.
8. These will be paid positions.
9. Elected parliament and ministers are different bodies. Parliament will be elected, ministers will be appointed.
10. Age limit is proposing to be dropped down below 40.
11. Ministers, deputy ministers etc. will be appointed from a pool of people that are truly qualified for the job. They’re serious jobs, paid positions and require you to submit a CV and are intended for people that would be eligible to apply for those sorts of jobs in any other established country.

Languages

The function of ‘Language Groups’ plays quite an interesting role in Asgardia and directly represent how people are being organised.

1. The distribution of the languages (by people who voted) shows a list of 12 unique ‘first languages’ (e.g English, Spanish, Russian)
2. Elections will be broken down by ‘language group’.
3. You can run for elections in the language group you select. You can also vote for people in your language group.
4. You define your language in your profile – you can change it there, too. So please check it’s set right.
5. Most Scandinavians have selected ‘English’ as their electoral-region language.
6. It’s likely that over time, a single language will emerge. Asgardia is open to the prospect of a single language.

Post Office

Asgardia announced in the Moscow conference that we would be setting up a post office. Here are the initial details on that project.

1. Working now to produce stamps by the end of the year.
2. The reality is that until the currency is in circulation, the stamps can’t be used to pay something.
3. To begin with, in ‘stamp world’ it’s a collectors edition.
4. Stamps will help build up legacy and legitimacy.
5. Eventually, we are working towards being recognised as someone who can pay postal services.
6. This will take time, same as our admission to the UN. We’re signifying that we’re setting up a postal office and a postal service which is normal for any established nation.

Business

Asgardia is open to investment, but closed to business until Parliament forms and handles the business of legislating business.

1. Constitution lays out the framework for business.
2. Parliament needs to be in place before we can do business.
3. It is Necessary to have regulations and laws in place to govern business.
4. Asgardia has a ‘business entity’ and is open to proposals for new business. They’re positioned to invest in startups and are working in conjunction with Seraphim a space-investment specialist.
5. eMail Projects@Asgardia.space if you have an idea for a business. It must be a serious idea for business and be accompanied by a business plan.

Currency

The latest news on SOLAR (SOL)

1. Still working on it. Looking at the Second quarter of the next year.
2. No more details at this point.

Space Exploration

Reaffirmation that our immediate goals are getting established here on earth. The idea of space flight or Arks is still way off in the future.

1. No spaceship will be launched within the next 10 years.
   1. Space Arks will be habitable platforms that will serve as a refuge if there are disasters and they will serve as tourist locations when there aren’t.
   2. Arks will take more than 10 years to produce.
2. Asgardia is a philosophical, technical and legal entity.
3. We are following an established path of which human settlement of other planets is just one goal.
4. Asgardia’s satellite will symbolise our ‘territory’ and our ‘permanent settlement’.
5. The size of the territory or the occupation of it isn’t a specific requirement of joining the UN.
6. Satellite 2 will test data transfer, blockchain operation and have more scientific equipment.
7. When Asked about collaboration with Elon Musk: Elon musk is a great thinker and a great businessman. We’re setting up a new state. Asgardia will use whatever service we require from the free markets. Elon musk may or may not be one of the services we use for space launches. At the moment, there is nothing to talk about with Elon.

General News

Some general information given out during the live stream.

1. A lot of Information is available on the website, forums, Facebook, national pages, blogs and there isn’t any desire to send out any specific newsletter at this point.
2. 27 ^th of October – there will be an invent in Paris 18:00 Paris time. Dr. A is partnering with Director of UNESCO, he will be presenting a medal for UNESCO Science in Space Award.
3. We want to step away from using flags to symbolise language, we need some symbols that makes sense to help people recognise a language. E.G – Russian doll is a good example of Russia.
   1. No religious symbols.
   2. No Copyrighted Material.
   3. Try to captivate the language, not the nation.
   4. Civic Asgardia will be officially announcing further details on this in the coming days.
4. Asgardians encouraged to come together and create groups for their ventures (especially in the area of start up businesses)
5. Speak with civic@asgardia.space to find out the requirements to register a citizen group officially, including getting official groups set up or creating forums that might be required.
6. You don’t need authority to set up an unofficial group, but it cannot be advertised on official groups. You must speak with members of your group privately and establish a private group.
7. Private groups can be made transparent to Asgardia by giving access to Rebekah / Lena.

About the Author:
Ross Cheeseright is a devoted Asgardian Citizen, a Strategist Candidate and a member of the Civic Asgardia Volunteer team. If you’d like to see more of his work, please check out his blog .

(ANN Asgardia Network News, member article) On the 16th of October, at a conference that was live-streamed around the globe the European Southern Observatory shared details of what was being called an “unprecedented discovery.” The

discovery was the result of a large collaboration of over 70 observatories, dozens of papers and over 45,000 astronomers.

Learn more... (PDF) .

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BydyXO59FB2Gc3pmT0U3Ukg1c00

The next Asgardia Answers live stream on the Official Asgardia Facebook page will be held on October 21, 2017 at 14:00 UTC.

(See the graphic to see the closest timezone for you!)

Join Lena De Winne, CEO of the Asgardia NGO, to ask questions and talk about Asgardia and the issues about building a nation. Ask questions and get live answers! Talk about what you did on Founding Day!

We also want to know what you'd like to talk about! Suggest a topic or ask a question below and we'll see if we can't discuss it live!

Hello Asgardia!

As you know, it's Founding Day! It's been one year since Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli announced in Paris Fance Asgardia, the first ever space nation – a global, unifying and humanitarian project. We've come so far in such a short amount of time!

To celebrate, there are many community organized events going on around the world. To name just a few...

The Asgardia 'In Your Space' photo party will run from October 12 - 15. Use the hashtag #AsgardiaFD0001 on selfie pictures taken in your area celebrating Asgardia and share it to your Asgardia blog!

See more information on the civic Asgardia blog post here:
https://asgardia.space/…/17357-founding-day-photo-challeng…/

Asgardia Phillipines is running a contest through their National Community Facebook page for the community in the Phillipines. For more information you can find it here: http://bit.ly/2zdZ4z1

Asgardia Finland has created their own community event on the Finland Facebook community page here:

http://ow.ly/Ipiv30fOCty

Kahif Shaikh, a national community center volunteer of the Indonesia National Community Center is hosting a livestream about Asgardia on his personal page on 12 October 8pm UTC +5:30 Indian standard time.

https://www.facebook.com/kashif.shaikh.98892

Ana Godinho a Civic Asgardia National Community Center volunteer has created an online space themed scavenger hunt for the community to enjoy! You can find it here:

https://goo.gl/forms/a9dH0jSc96ESl7bI3

Check your local National Community Facebook Page to connect with other Asgardians or on the Forums or the Facebook groups!

Happy Founding Day everyone!

Hello Asgardia!

Let's show our Asgardia spirit for Founding Day with a new photo challenged 'In Your Own Space'! Between October 12 - 15, 2017 make a sign and take a selfie with yourself and your friends sharing your space! Post it to your Asgardia blog and share it to social media with the hashtag #AsgardiaFD0001!

We'll be watching for your creative photos!

Hello Asgardia!

We'd like to let you know that uploads to the Asgardia-1 satellite are still open until October 1, 2017!

After that time, uploads will be restricted to the website only and uploads will not be transmitted the to satellite before launch. After, uploads to the satellite will be technically restrictive in terms of files sizes.

So if you haven't uploaded your file yet, do so today!

Kind regards,

Rebekah Berg

Head of Community Affairs

NGO Asgardia

You can see the original livestream video broadcast at the following locations:

Facebook

YouTube - not currently available

The transcriptions for September 16, 2017 Asgardia Answers, hosted by Lena De Winne, are now available. The volunteer Community Center teams are working hard at translating it into many of the spoken languages of Asgardia and as they become available will be added to the list below.

Engl ish Transcript

Finnish Transcript

Hindi Transcript

Portuguese Transcript

Italian Transcript

If you have a translation of the transcripts that you have done yourself, please email a Google doc link to adminteam@asgardia.space so it can be reviewed for accuracy before it is added to the list.

Hello Asgardia,

As requested by the community, we have made the new temporary National Symbols available for download for citizens personal use on the Asgardia.space website. Asgardians may use the national symbols of Asgardia for non-commercial purposes only, such as introducing and promoting Asgardia, forum or Facebook avatars, etc.

https://asgardia.space/en/national-symbols/

Using any national symbols or elements of the Asgardia visual identity, including any use for commercial purposes, requires explicit written consent from Asgardia, and is otherwise prohibited.

Hello fellow Asgardians,first off I wanna say I'm excited about being apart of Asgardia  and being a part of my new countrymen and women . I am a spiritual person and I'd like to say Through spirituality love and kindness towards each other we can show the world that this is a better way to exist rather than war and greed.I would love to be one  of your ambassadors ,I hope to earn your votes as you get to know me through my blogs for who I am and what I stand for and what I'm all about. Feel free to friend me if I have not already friended you for I love to get to know new people and make new friends. Making new friends is one of gods greatest gifts to us I believe. So for now I bid you good day and good health always thank you very much sincerely Samual Amoia

Good day Asgardia!

Did you see the Asgardia Answers Live Stream held by Lena De Winne on August 19, 2017? Here is a link to the YouTube archive version of it:

Asgardia Answers Live Stream - August 19, 2017

Can access YouTube? We have transcriptions available in several different languages here:

English

Chinese

Greek

Hindi

Italian

Portuguese

Turkish

Don't see a language you want? Check the pinned post on Facebook for your country community page and request for them to do a translation!

Hello Asgardia!

Here is a friendly reminder about online safety.

Asgardia will never contact you to learn your account details. We will not message or email you to request money. No one should ever ask for your password.

Asgardia: the Space Nation is free for everyone to participate in. Donations are only accepted through the donations page on the Asgardia.space website.

Similar to any secure online business transactions, never share your login information with anyone.

Cheers!

Rebekah Berg

Head of Community Affairs

NGO Asgardia

Hello, Asgardia!

Welcome to the second installment of Let’s Talk, Asgardia! Today, I would like to address some of the questions and concerns from the community regarding leadership elections that are currently under way. I am going to focus on how the community itself can participate in this process and ensure that the leaders they think are best are elected.

Participation Equality

On June 13, 2017, elections for leadership began. In these elections, Asgardians can nominate themselves and vote for others.

FUN FACT:

As of July 8, 2017, there were more than 5,000 leadership nominations!

The leadership positions are open for all Asgardian citizens. Leaders need to show the community what they can do in their position as a leader. They need to become involved in the community online and in person. Unlike many countries around the world, where there is a cost associated with running in an election, signing up to run in Asgardia is free. In Asgardia, everyone has equal footing and an equal chance to prove to the community that they are the best person for the job.

FUN FACTS:

In order to remain impartial, those who are employed by NGO Asgardia, as well as the National Community Managers (formerly Chapter Advocates), are disqualified from running in the leadership elections.

Also leaders at the Trendsetter and Ambassador levels are disqualified from volunteering with Civic.Asgardia; this allows them to devote more time to leading their regions.

How to Evaluate a Leadership Candidate

Are they using their real name? Are they displaying their real picture?

We welcome transparency in Asgardia and are striving to make a responsible society. As with any real government or elected position, community leaders in Asgardia must be accessible, and they must be real. This is not a popularity contest. These leaders will be expected to sign important documents with their real name, and to engage with real-world people and businesses to help build Asgardia. If they want to be leaders, people must show their face and use their real names.

What type of content is included in their campaign posts?

Asgardia is a fledgling nation. It needs community leaders with vision and drive, leaders who can help to create a solid foundation that withstands the test of time and that supports Asgardia’s case for statehood to the United Nations. Our first leaders are breaking ground to lead us into the future by supporting Asgardian citizens globally and within their local area. Whether an elected leaders works within a single city or whether they represent an entire country, community leaders build Asgardia.

Is the candidate located in your relevant area?

Debutant level candidates can only be supported by voters within 300km of their location. While Asgardians can vote for Strategist, Trendsetter and Ambassador  candidates anywhere in the world, voters must remember that if leaders are far away, they may not consider your local needs when elected.

Questions to Ask Leadership Candidates

(What we want to learn about people by asking these questions.)

What types of topics have they discussed on the Asgardia forums and social media outlets?

Leaders must be able to engage with the local community constructively and professionally. They need to be aware of local concerns and ideas, and be able to provide feedback and suggestions that will help Asgardia in a positive manner.

Are they skilled in both English and their local language(s)?

Like the United Nations, Asgardia must have an operational language, which is currently English. Leaders must be able to understand the policies and processes in order to enact them within their areas. Also, they must be able to lobby effectively for their local citizens.

Do you feel they can professionally represent your area to both Asgardia and to the public?

Successful leaders must convey not only confidence, but also must communicate the goals of Asgardia to its citizens and the public. Leaders will be an important part of how the public perceives Asgardia.

How conversant are they in Asgardia policy and procedure?

While representing your area, your leader must understand Asgardia’s history and culture. Use common sense as you evaluate their ability to properly answer questions about Asgardia and its policies and procedures.

What are their plans to help Asgardia grow?

Asgardia grows through member support. Leaders help engage and mobilise citizens in their communities. Ask questions and learn how your candidate plans to help Asgardia become a successful nation, a helpful nation, a long-lasting nation. Use your own judgement in evaluating if these goals are realistic and in line with the core concept of Asgardia.

How will they encourage local members to gather and participate in Asgardia?

Asgardia is a virtual nation, but it is made up of real people. In-person events and responsible management of resources are important in the expansion of our nation. Ask direct questions to find out what they have planned in this area.

What potential do you anticipate for business growth, fund-raising, professional accreditation, and community development grants?

A strong leader needs to grasp many aspects of the community. Nation-building is more than politics. A candidate must have a plan to work with Asgardian businesses. They should have ideas about how to generate revenue and how to encourage citizens to help Asgardia grow.

Have they responded to questions from the community previously?

Leaders themselves grow and evolve. Look at your candidate’s behavior online over the past few months. Find their posts in the forums. Look to see if their behavior matches their statement of intent.

For Next Time

If you have any suggestions for a future Let’s Talk, Asgardia!, please leave a message for me here or send a comment to your national chapter or center.

Cheers!

Rebekah Berg

Head of Community Affairs

NGO Asgardia

Hello Asgardia!

We wanted to let everyone know that the automatic removal process is now up and running. Which means that if you no longer want to be a member of Asgardia you can log into your profile and now click on 'Delete Account' at the bottom of the screen.

What this means:

• Your account will be locked from logging in
  • Your personal data will be removed from our database
  • Your personal profile on the website and on forum will no longer be viewable
  • Your email address will be flagged as an account that was removed
  • Your votes on the national symbols will be removed
  • Your agreement to the Constitution will be removed
  • Your posts on your personal blog will be removed
    Your Candidate profile will be removed (if applicable)
  • Your posts on the forum will be removed
  • Your username will remain but still be associated with your locked account
• 
  

If you change your mind and would like to be restored, you will need to email citizens@asgardia.space with the request. They will restore your account and provide a temporary password for you to log in. Once you re-log in you will need to input your personal data and reaffirm your agreement to the Constitution.

We ask for your patience as there may still be bugs in the system that we are trying to fix but are endeavoring to provide this convenience for you.

Kind regards,
Rebekah Berg
Head of Community Affairs
NGO Asgardia