Hello there my fellow Asgardians,

When I was planning this post, I thought a lot about what I would say. I thought of talking about all the achievements that we’ve made this past year. About how far we’ve come since the start. I thought of discussing the things that we could have done better. I thought of hinting on the potential for 2019.

But when it came down to it, all that seemed to be secondary to what I really wanted to say – And that’s a big “thank you.” to all the Asgardians that I have met throughout this journey so far.

I have met so many amazing people throughout this process – people that are passionate, intelligent, measured, creative, inventive – and it’s because of people like you that I am sure Asgardia will be a success.

There may be disagreements here and there – and sometimes they get a little heated – but what makes Asgardia special is that we’re able to have those discussions but still have respect for one another and still work towards a brighter future.

In no order, I wanted to make a few personal shout-outs to some Asgardians I have had meaningful interactions with this past year.

• Mikhail – You’re a great leader with a keen ability to act. You’re very measured and a real gentleman. I am always impressed by your ability to attack problems in a logical manner.
• Lena – Intelligent, capable and confident. It’s been a pleasure to see you represent Asgardia on so many forums and have the knowledge and experience to discuss things at such a high level.
• Anna – You’re working so hard and doing so much for Asgardia and most people don’t even know who you are. Classy and truly selfless. It’s a complete privilege to work with you.
• Ivan - You’re a passionate Asgardian with a keen (and almost annoying) attention to detail. You’re pragmatic and I see you being a top Mayor and helping to put Asgardia on the map.
• Chris – You are a legitimate gentleman and a very consciences member of Parliament I’m glad that we have people like you representing us as Citizens. I will get you on camera one day.
• Ben – You’re a man of vision and I can see that you’re 100% invested in Asgardia. It’s great to see that you’re working so hard for the Nation. One day I hope that we can meet up in South Africa and have a long chat about the future!
• Lembit – I can sum you up in one word: Unflappable. I’ve never met a person so cool and in control as you. I look forward to working with you more in 0003.
• Ana D – You’re a person with a lot of integrity and a strong sense of duty. I’ll be really interested to see what happens with the Government in 2019. Keep up the good work.
• Katya – Thanks to you I’ve learnt a lot of things about Russian culture and it’s been an absolute pleasure working with you.
• Derren – I’m glad that we live so close together and can work together so well to help make Asgardia a great Nation.
• Josie – You’re a very passionate person and we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye but having debates with you has really helped me to look introspectively at a lot of things and really consider my position on matters.
• Rebekah – You’ve been invested in Asgardia from day 2 of its launch, so it’s not surprising to see that you’re a very passionate and invested Asgardian and you do so much for the nation.
• Ann – You’re a person with a very good heart and you do a lot to go out of your way to fight for others. Hopefully other Asgardians will be as giving.
• Anthony – You’re a unique individual and it’s always good to see what you’ll be getting up to next on Facebook.
• Ricky – You’re a good man with a kind hard and a very pragmatic approach to problems. I’ll be interested to see your influence in Asgardian Legislation.
• Ariadne – You’re such a thoughtful person and I can see that you’re passionate about Asgardia. You’re such a calm and positive person. We’re in good hands to have someone like you in Parliament.
• Mira – An upcoming Asgardian I’m sure. You’re already making a splash as a Mayor and I’ll be interested to see where it goes.
• Adam – A prevalent presence on the Facebook group, you have a lot of interesting ideas and insights and you’re always starting interesting conversations.
• Алексей – I love seeing all the interesting stats and graphics that you produce about Asgardia.
• Dre – What would Asgardia’s Facebook be like without you and your unyielding spirit?
• Emery – You’ve lived and interesting life and have some interesting ideas. I hope that some of your predictions don’t come true, but it’s good to have your thoughts and insights in Asgardia.
• John S – Your easy wit and sharp humour is always a welcome sight. I hope that you run for Mayor!
• Inara – In a short time I have noticed you more and more on Asgardia General and you have some very interesting ideas which tend to be very pragmatic and forward thinking.
• Sarvesh – There are few Asgardians who are so invested into the concept of ‘Asgardia’ as you.
• Ogee – You’re a stalwart and enduring member of Asgardia! It’s good to see you and your generally positive comments.
• Dawn – We’ve only recently met through Facebook – but I can already tell that you’re a passionate person who thinks about the future and wants to see Asgardia do things right.
• Mandi – You’re classy, you can dance, you’re smart, organised – what can’t you do? We’re lucky to have you in Parliament.
• Derek – I’m still gutted that we didn’t get burgers together in Vienna. I’d love to see you more active in the community. You’re a genuinely nice guy.
• Charles – Working hard and building up your position as a Serious Asgardian in South Africa. Keep up the good work!
• James – You’re obviously too smart for your own good. I love reading your extensive blogs and your ideas on the future. I hope that you will get involved in Asgardia as it grows.
• Bridget – You’re a humble person, we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye in the past, but you have Asgardia’s best interests at heart.
• Kristina – You’ve got a lot of great ideas and you’ve been quite critical about some things in the past. I hope that you’ll be able to combine those two things at some point and get involved to help make Asgardia a better place.
• Nissem – you’re an amazing force of action in Asgardia. You’re always working on projects that make things happen. I hope that you become more involved in Asgardia as it grows.
• John F – We have polar views on a lot of issues, but I’m always impressed at how we can have polar opinions but do so on a foundation of mutual respect.
• M Helena – Asgardia is blessed to have strong women like you representing the people.
• Robert – Super organised, very cool gentleman, glad to have you on our side.
• Cha – People probably don’t realise how tireless you’re working for Asgardia, but I do! :D
• Cheryl – Artistic, talented, thoughtful – you’re just the sort of person Asgardia needs.
• Steven – Innovative. You’re building up your knowledge now through your education, but I hope that you release your ideas on the world of Asgardia soon!
• Sven – You’re such a genuine guy and I really hope that you’ll get more involved in Asgardia soon.

Obviously, this list could go on forever – with over 1.3 million Asgardians, there are a lot of people out there that have influenced me so I apologise if I missed you off the list.

But I want to let everyone know that I am genuinely honoured to consider you my fellow nationals and I’m looking forward to another amazing year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and get in touch if you want to talk about Asgardia or the future in general.

Let’s make this a great Nation.

Kind regards,

Ross Cheeseright

I’ve been reading a lot of things on our social media networks recently and while there are a lot of ‘hot topics’, the one that keeps cropping up is the ‘Citizenship Fee’ debate. It’s a topic that a lot of people are passionate about, so it’s natural for people to keep discussing it – however, there are also a lot of misconceptions going around now, so I want to talk a little about the fee and clear up some of the misconceptions.

The Citizenship Fee is voluntary

I’ve seen a lot of people saying that the Citizenship Fee is mandatory and that without it, people can’t become Citizens – and that’s going to be true in the future – but right now, no-one is being asked to pay the fee.

The system has been opened so that people who can afford to, can contribute towards Asgardia in a meaningful way. People have always been able to donate to Asgardia and so this is nothing new. However, if people contribute towards this Citizenship Fee now, they are given a resident ID card – with physical cards in development.

Right now, if you are someone that can afford it and someone that believes in Asgardia and wants it to succeed, this is a great way to help build for the future. If you’re not, if you don’t think that there is enough intrinsic value in contributing, then don’t – remain as a follower until you’re convinced and contribute through your ideas, time and discussions.

You're still an Asgardian if you don't pay

Asgardia’s Citizens will be people that have paid a fee, gone through a verification process and been affirmed as an official citizen, however – Asgardia is also made up of a huge cast of Followers. Followers are the life-blood of the Asgardian community and they spend a lot of time networking, chatting and helping to define the future of humanity.

Followers are contributing thoughtful ideas and having impassioned debates with their Fellow Asgardians. If you can’t pay the fee, there is no reason why you can’t still be a part of developing the future and finding like-minded people to collaborate with.

The Citizenship Fee is not a tax

It might sound like semantics, but the Citizenship Fee is not a tax. It covers the administrative costs of processing the Citizenship application and producing the respective documentation. Any funds that remain after the administrative processing is completed will be put directly back into Asgardia towards endorsed goals. It’s important that we’re able to demonstrate to the world that Asgardia is serious about its bid to become an independent nation, and a robust application process is a part of that. Our Citizens must be as legitimate as any other on Earth.

Parliament are listening

Several members of Parliament, including the Chair of the Citizenship committee are actively discussing and debating ways to ensure that Asgardian citizenship is as open and inclusive as possible. As the nation develops and we have a better understanding of mechanisms like SOLAR, LUNAR, establishing a business in Asgardia (etc.) then it’s likely new methods to obtain Citizenship will also surface.

If you have any solid and concrete ideas, or you just want to express your thoughts and feelings about Citizenship in Asgardia, then there are 127 elected officials who would love to hear from you. It’s their job to represent you so don’t hesitate to reach out to Parliament on their official page:

https://asgardia.space/en/page/parliament

This is just the beginning

Asgardia has only been running a little over two years and this is the ‘first pass’ of the Citizenship fee. Right now, there are no tangible Government Services. The Ministry of Citizenship doesn’t have a Minister, the Citizenship Committee are working hard to define legislation that clearly defines what it means to be a Citizen.

Asgardia has always been an iterative ‘evolutionary’ process. As time has passed, the nation has developed more and more and this is not the ‘final form’ of the Citizenship fee. The process to become a Citizen may well change over time.

So, all I would ask is that you approach this with an open mind and give it some time, no-one is in any immediate danger of losing out and no-one is asking you to pay the Citizenship fee right now.

As always – if anyone wants to discuss these matters or chat with me in more depth, then I’m available in the following places:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ross.asgardian
Twitter: @ Ross_Asgardia