Nov 20, 2009

Land for Wirtland?

Political Council of Wirtland (PCW) started discussion "Plan for acquisition of physical territory for Wirtland" (Draft):
An internationally recognized country X officially assigns a piece of territory (of any quality and size) to Wirtland. Country X has a stake in future sales of such land, agreed in contract. Wirtland offers the plots of land for sale. Buyers of land will be eligible for citizenship and other benefits. Country X receives up to 75% of net profit from all such sales, which goes to its budget. In result, country X receives profit from unused land, and Wirtland acquires its own official territory and all rights. If prices of Wirtland’s plots show positive trend, other countries may duplicate the scheme, thus adding new territories to Wirtland in various regions.
According to Dr. Noel Cox, Professor of Law at Auckland University of Technology, "this is an interesting proposal". All citizens of Wirtland are welcome to take part in this discussion, which follows up to an earlier proposal to build a platform floating in international waters. Comments from non-citizens are also very welcome, and can be posted below.


Nov 6, 2009

Cybercountry offers real advantage: world's lowest gold coin price

Wirtland is a virtual country, but the advantages it is offering are very real. Currently Wirtland's gold coins are considered the world's best offer. As gold prices soar, the prices of gold coins go up. Wirtland is the only country which still keeps its gold prices fixed. Price of 1/10 oz. pure gold coin "Wirtland Crane" stays at 135$, while retail price of similar coin "Canadian Maple Leaf" has reached 150$ (see here). Everyone can still buy Wirtland's gold and silver coins cheaply direct from our Mint. However, with this sharp increase in gold prices we cannot guarantee that our low prices will last long.

Oct 16, 2009

Wirtland is busy meeting demand for ID cards

Wirtland's "bureaucracy" is working hard to meet significant demand for national ID cards of Wirtland. It is great news that many people have ordered our plastic identity cards, but unexpected demand resulted in heavy workload for our volunteer staff. The problem has been solved by involving additional people based in various countries, making the Wirtland ID a truly global venture. Witizens, who have ordered plastic cards, will notice that the cards will arrive from quite a broad range of countries. Everyone who is interested in becoming a part of project and helping our team is very welcome (contact via main Wirtland website).

Sep 28, 2009

Virtlando means Wirtland - in Esperanto!

Esperanto became the 6th language (after Bulgarian, English, Spanish, Russian, Czech) of Wikipedia's article about Wirtland. The article is titled "Virtlando" - quite a beautiful new name for Wirtland! See article here - if you read in Esperanto.
Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial international language, invented in 1887. The word esperanto means "one who hopes" in the language itself. Esperanto has had continuous usage by a community estimated at between 100,000 and 2 million speakers for over a century, and approximately one thousand native speakers. Google has a special Esperanto portal. Esperanto is also the language of instruction in one university - the Akademio Internacia de la Sciencoj in San Marino.

Sep 23, 2009

After "Gold Crane", Wirtland introduces new coin "Silver Crane"

Two months after successful launch of Wirtland's gold coin, Wirtland now introduces its first silver coin, the "Silver Crane". The new "Silver Crane" weighs 1 troy ounce (31.1 grams) and consists of .999 pure silver, its diameter is 39 mm. The coin's denomination is 2 International Currency Units (ICU). The "Silver Crane" can be purchased online for 38 US dollars from Wirtland's official mint.

The design of new silver coin is similar to 1/10 ounce "Gold Crane", which was considered to be the world's first physical gold coin issued by a virtual country, and called a "work of art" by experts. The silver coin, which is much larger in size, features the same image of migratory crane, symbolizing that virtual country transcends lands and borders. Same image of Japanese crane was used in the Wirtland's postage stamp. The reverse of the coin features the coat of arms of Wirtland, and is also marked ".999 silver". As Wirtland has no geographical location, its address in cyberspace is essential. The country's URL "www.WIRTLAND.com", inscribed on the coin, reflects the unique status of Wirtland as an internet-based state.

"Silver Crane" is offered in 3 versions of finishing: Cameo proof-like (polished silver), Satin, and Matte. The Matte version is a special limited-time offer. "Silver Crane" is primarily a coin for collectors or a gift item, unlike the "Gold Crane". The "Gold Crane" serves dual purpose: it is not only a beautiful collector's item or gift, but can be used as an effective investment instrument in the current situation of ever-raising gold prices. Its price (currently $150 retail) is lower than other countries' gold coins of identical weight and quality. Both gold and silver coins are available form the internet shop of Wirtland's official partner Moonlight Mint, complete with official Certificates of Authenticity. All inquiries are welcome at Mint (at) Wirtland .com.

>> Mass media about Wirtland coins (in English, if not stated otherwise):

Wirtland 크레인 : cybercountry에서 처음으로 금화, Black Mountain Metals, October 25, 2009 (in Korean)
Wirtland Crane: the first gold coin from a cybercountry, Black Mountain Metals, October 25, 2009
NEW SILVER CRANE COIN FROM WIRTLANDS VIRTUAL NATION, The E-Sylum, Volume 12, Number 40, October 4, 2009
BEAUTIFUL SILVER COIN FROM WIRTLAND, joelscoins.com

Wirtland Issues Silver Crane Coin, DGC Magazine, October 2009, page 13
Wirtland si-a lansat a doua moneda oficiala, Colectionarul Roman, October 6, 2009 (in Romanian)
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, Сoin Collecting News, October 5, 2009
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, Gold Newswire, September 28, 2009
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, CoinNews.net, September 28, 2009
Время «виртуального» серебра, Sriblo, September 24, 2009 (in Russian)
Монеты по неизменной цене, Sriblo, September 21, 2009 (in Russian)

Virtual country's gold coin "a work of art", The World Of Gold, August 25, 2009

Wirtland Crane Gold Coin Gains Attention, CoinNews.net, August 24, 2009

Wirtland Virtual Country Launches 24-carat Gold Coin, DGC Magazine, August 2009, page 13

Internet-based Nation Issues Gold Coins, CJEnvironmental.com, July 29, 2009

Cybercountry Gold Coin Becomes Reality, the First “Wirtland Crane”, Silver & Gold Trade, July 28, 2009

První virtuální země vydává svou první zlatou pamětní minci, Zlataky, July 28, 2009 (in Czech)

Lansare moneda "nationala", Colectzii, July 28, 2009 (in Romanian)

Виртуальные монеты, Sriblo, July 28, 2009 (in Russian)

Wirtland Crane”: the first gold coin from a cybercountry became reality, Topix.com, July 27, 2009

Cybercountry Gold Coin Becomes Reality, the First “Wirtland Coin”, CoinNews.net, July 27, 2009

Virtual country launches 24-c gold coin, The World Of Gold, July 27, 2009

Wirtland Crane: the first gold coin from a cybercountry, CoinLink, July 27, 2009

Wirtland Crane becomes the first physical gold coin from a virtual world, IvanWalsh.com, July 27, 2009

Link to the official press release of Government of Wirtland (PDF)
You may help Wirtland by copying and pasting this banner to your site. Thank you.

Sep 21, 2009

National identity card of Wirtland

Wirtland launched its national identity card. Every citizen, who has in the past submitted the Citizenship Application Form and scans of photograph and signature is eligible for receiving the plastic ID card. New applications for residence permit and ID card are also accepted from everybody over 18 y.o., who wants to become a citizen of Wirtland.

The front side of highly secure plastic card features serial number of ID (same as the number of residence permit), personal data, photograph, signature of owner. The card has no expiration date - its validity period is unlimited. The photograph and signature are protected by several levels of microprint and other security features. To see more detail, click on the picture to enlarge. The back side explains the status of Wirtland and mentions its official website addresses www.Wirtland.com and www.Wirtland.net.

Unlike the residence permit, which is electronic document, issue of plastic card is not free of charge. The cost is 50 EUR including mailing, payable by PayPal or by credit card. More information: email ID (at) wirtland.com.

Sep 16, 2009

Wirtland's gold becomes more attractive, while other countries raise prices

Wirtland keeps its gold coin prices unchanged, despite sharp increase of gold price on world market. According to Bloomberg (September 15) "Gold rose, closing above $1,000 an ounce for the third straight session, as commodities climbed on demand for a hedge against inflation. Silver also gained". In result, world's gold coins prices raised considerably. The price of Canadian "Gold Maple Leaf", which is similar to "Wirtland Crane" in weight and purity of gold, rose by 8 dollars (at Nwtmint.com: from $133.95 in July to $141.90 in September).

The price of "Wirtland Crane" is still $135 for collectors and as low as $120 for investors, who purchase 10 coins or more. A purchaser of ten pure .999 gold coins from Wirtland's mint will save 235 dollars as compared to buying similar Canadian coins. Regarding discounts for wholesalers and other details please email Mint (at) Wirtland .com.

Wirtland will also release its first pure silver 1 ounce coin this week.

Aug 26, 2009

Wirtland becomes friendlier to Russian speakers

People from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other former Soviet republics, who are interested in Wirtland, can now use the Russian version of Citizenship Application Form (see sample here). Russian became the 7th language in which the Wirtland Citizenship Application Form is available, in addition to English, Spanish, Bulgarian, Portuguese, Turkish, Thai. The translation was contributed by a witizen from Russia, who also initiated the "Russian Group" at Witizens of Wirtland Network. All Russian speakers will be welcome at the "Russian Group".

Other important Russian-language resources related to Wirtland include the entry in Russian Wikipedia, an article from Russian national radio, and a recent article in Ukrainian numismatic magazine about the "Wirtland Crane". The Facebook support group for Wirtland's Global Antiwar Party also features a Russian translation. An automatic Russian translation of all "The Times of Wirtland" can be found here.

Aug 18, 2009

Wirtland's coins: the first results

Last month Wirtland released the "Crane" - the world's first physical gold coin from virtual land. The birth of Wirtland Crane was widely covered by international media (see list below). Though most of publications are in English, we have spotted also articles in Romanian, German, Russian, Ukrainian, and Czech media.

The first sales of 1/10 ounce 24-carat pure gold Wirtland Crane proved successful as well. "I received the Wirtland 10 ICU, and I really think it's a gorgeous coin!" - said Erik V. McCrea, coin collector, who was the first buyer of Wirtland Crane (see photo below). "The Wirtland Crane is truly a work of art! And that is what I value the most – top-notch artistry combined with numismatics."

Erik, who is a painter, teacher, and collector of unusual coins from USA, tells his story: "I basically began collecting coins because my father had travelled a great deal as an engineer. For years to come, my main goal was to get at least one coin from every country. After all, it was getting harder and harder to find coins from "new" countries. But in the mid-to-late 1990s, I began to be interested in the types of coins featured in the catalogue "Unusual World Coins". Many of those coins brought back the thrill and the excitement about this hobby".

Tom Havelka, another owner of Wirtland Crane: "My Wirtland coin is absolutely beautiful! It will make a fine addition to my collection of coins from unrecognised states, and it is the first gold coin I have in that collection. Congratulations on a wonderful addition to the numismatic world!". Sale of Wirtland Crane already has been spotted on eBay, which means the popularity of the coin is growing.

The price of Wirtland Crane is currently 135 US dollars for collectors and 120 US dollars for gold investors, who purchase 10 coins or more. Shipping cost is always 5 US dollars, a flat rate for any country and quantity of coins. How competitive is Wirtland Crane in comparison with other gold bullion coins? In weight and gold purity the Wirtland Crane is similar to Canadian "Gold Maple Leaf". Its retail price is $133.95 at Nwtmint.com*, plus standard shipping cost $20 within USA. Other popular 1/10 ounce gold coins, like South African Krugerrands, have lower percentage of gold (22 carats, or .917 gold).

A purchase of ten pure .999 gold coins including delivery will cost: $1360 for Maple Leafs from Nwtmint.com, or $1205 for Cranes from Wirtland's mint. The buyer saves $155 in Wirtland. Regarding discounts for wholesalers and other details please email Mint (at) Wirtland .com.

The Wirtland's "crane family" will grow. The next coins will be 1-ounce silver and 1-ounce gold Wirtland Cranes.

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* That mint's current price vary because gold price changes. Wirtand's price is always fixed.

>> World mass media about Wirtland coins (in English, if not stated otherwise):

Wirtland si-a lansat a doua moneda oficiala, Colectionarul Roman, October 6, 2009 (in Romanian)
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, Сoin Collecting News, October 5, 2009
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, Gold Newswire, September 28, 2009
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, CoinNews.net, September 28, 2009
Время «виртуального» серебра, Sriblo, September 24, 2009 (in Russian)
Монеты по неизменной цене, Sriblo, September 21, 2009 (in Russian)

Virtual country’s gold coin "a work of art", Gold Talkative, August 26, 2009

Virtual country's gold coin "a work of art", The World Of Gold, August 25, 2009

Wirtland Crane Gold Coin Gains Attention, CoinNews.net, August 24, 2009

Wirtland Virtual Country Launches 24-carat Gold Coin, DGC Magazine, August 2009, page 13

Internet-based Nation Issues Gold Coins, CJEnvironmental.com, July 29, 2009

Cybercountry Gold Coin Becomes Reality, the First “Wirtland Crane”, Silver & Gold Trade, July 28, 2009

První virtuální země vydává svou první zlatou pamětní minci, Zlataky, July 28, 2009 (in Czech)

Lansare moneda "nationala", Colectzii, July 28, 2009 (in Romanian)

Виртуальные монеты, Sriblo, July 28, 2009 (in Russian)

Wirtland Crane”: the first gold coin from a cybercountry became reality, Topix.com, July 27, 2009

Cybercountry Gold Coin Becomes Reality, the First “Wirtland Coin”, CoinNews.net, July 27, 2009

Virtual country launches 24-c gold coin, The World Of Gold, July 27, 2009

Wirtland Crane: the first gold coin from a cybercountry, CoinLink, July 27, 2009

Wirtland Crane becomes the first physical gold coin from a virtual world, IvanWalsh.com, July 27, 2009

You may help Wirtland by copying and pasting this banner to your site.

Aug 13, 2009

Wirtland celebrates birthday

Happy Wirtland Day! On August 14 Wirtland celebrates its birthday, a national holiday. Here is a brief summary of news related to Wirtland Anniversary:

Orders and Titles of Knight of Wirtland and Dame of Wirtland
To recognize the achievement of outstanding merit or distinguished service to Wirtland in every field of endeavour, the Orders and titles of Knight of Wirtland and Dame of Wirtland were instituted by special decree signed by Chancellor of Wirtland on August 14, 2009. The Order of Knight of Wirtland and Dame of Wirtland has three grades, and can be bestowed upon citizens of Wirtland or foreign citizens. If the Order is bestowed upon a citizen of Wirtland, it is accompanied by the title Knight of Wirtland (K.W.) or Dame of Wirtland (D.W.). The titles are hereditary.

Laureates of the Orders of Wirtland are announced
By special decree of Chancellor, the laureates of Orders of Wirtland are:
- Mr. Daniel Carr (USA)
- Mr. Emil Dimitrov (Wirtland)
- Ms. Ruma Kostadinova (Wirtland)
- Mr. Romeo Ninov (Wirtland)
As citizens of Wirtland, Emil Dimitrov and Romeo Ninov also receive the hereditary titles of Knights of Wirtland; Ruma Kostadinova receives the hereditary title of Dame of Wirtland.
Congratulations to Mr. Daniel Carr, Knight Emil Dimitrov K.W., Dame Ruma Kostadinova D.W. and Knight Romeo Ninov K.W.!

Wirtland anthem
On August 14, 2009, the song written by renown French composer Mr. Michel Legrand "Watch What Happens" (listen sample here or MP3 here) was approved as national anthem of Wirtland, by a special decree signed by Chancellor of Wirtland.
photo: Michel Legrand >>
You may memorize the Wirtland Day with our unique souvenirs:
>> Flags: Wirtland's flags in various sizes are available from this shop (shop is not affiliated with Wirtland)
>> Coins: Wirtland Crane gold coins are sold directly from our official mint. Silver Cranes will become available soon.
>> Clothing: Wide choice of Wirtland clothing and merchandise is offered by our gift shop.
Purchase of coins and merchandise means support to Wirtland, because a percentage from each sale goes to Wirtland budget.

Aug 9, 2009

Wirtland issues statement on anniversary of Georgia-Russia Conflict

The Government of Wirtland released the official Statement in connection with anniversary of the Russia-Georgia conflict of August 2008:

August 9th, 2009 – In connection with the first anniversary of the Russia-Georgia armed conflict that erupted on August 7-8, 2008, The Government of Wirtland expresses concern about new tensions between Russian Federation and Georgia, building up military presence in the Transcaucasian region, and warlike propaganda in the mass media.

Wirtland invites all Georgians and Russians who are against the confrontation between these two nations to unite their antiwar voices by joining the Global Antiwar Party. As a supranational entity, Wirtland is independent from any other country and has the unique possibility to unite people from the opposing countries into a common organization. Global Antiwar Party (GAP) is open to any adult citizen of any country, and offers equal representation opportunities to people from any national, ethnic, or religious background.

The Government of Wirtland hopes that the active position of citizens, who are opposed to confrontation between Georgia and Russia, will help to overcome warlike intentions and eventually settle the conflict in a peaceful way.

Jul 24, 2009

Wirtland's gold coin has become available

Important notice: Our official direct retail sales of 2009's Wirtland Gold Crane and Wirtland Silver Crane have been discontinued since July 10, 2010. However, Wirtland will keep on accepting advance wholesale and retail orders for the coins. If you are interested in Wirtland coins, please e-mail at coins [at] wirtland.com. (Notice added 0n July 10, 2010)

The gold coin of Wirtland has now become available for purchase from our official mint. "Wirtland Crane" is considered to be the world's first gold coin issued by a virtual country.

The face side of the coin features a migratory crane, which symbolizes that virtual country transcends lands and borders. The same image of Japanese crane was also used in the Wirtland's postage stamp. The reverse of the coin features the coat of arms of Wirtland, and is also marked "Gold 999,9". As Wirtland has no geographical location, its address in cyberspace is essential. The country's URL "www.WIRTLAND.com", inscribed on the coin, reflects the unique status of Wirtland as an internet-based state.

The diameter of the coin is 16.5 mm, composition: 24 carat pure gold, weight: 1/10 troy oz. (3.2 grams). The price of "Wirtland Crane" (currently $135 retail / $120 wholesale) will be reflecting the current price of gold. Wirtland is not seeking to introduce a new internationally recognized currency. “Wirtland Crane” formally has status similar to that of commemorative or collectors’ coins. Its competitive price* allows “Wirtland Crane” to be used also as an investment tool. As the coin is not intended for circulation, it's denominated symbolically at 10 ICU (International Currency Units).

Wirtland's official partner Moonlight Mint, which has been receiving advance orders for "Wirtland Crane" from collectors all over the world, has now confirmed that "Wirtland Crane" can be purchased directly from its online store complete with official Certificate of Authenticity (regarding discounts for wholesalers and other details please email Mint (at) Wirtland .com). The total mintage of "Wirtland Crane" will be limited.

"I received the Wirtland 10 ICU, and I really think it's a gorgeous coin!" - said Erik V. McCrea, a coin collector, who was the first buyer of "Wirtland Crane" (see photograph). Erik shares his comments in article "Wirtland's coins: first results".

It took us only about 4 months to realize this unprecedented project: from a scratch to first sales of the product. The success of "Wirtland Crane" confirms that Wirtland is an efficient mechanism, which can realize ambitious projects quickly and effectively.

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*Compare the pricing with other gold bullion coins of the same weight, which start at 139 USD and have lower percentage of pure gold. See, for instance American Eagle: (1), (2), (3)
Link to the official press release of Government of Wirtland (PDF)


>> World mass media about Wirtland coins (in English, if not stated otherwise):

WIRTLANDIA wydała złotą monetę z żurawiem, mojeptaki.info, March 25, 2011, (in Polish)
Wirtland si-a lansat a doua moneda oficiala, Colectionarul Roman, October 6, 2009 (in Romanian)
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, Сoin Collecting News, October 5, 2009
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, Gold Newswire, September 28, 2009
Wirtland Introduces New “Silver Crane” Coin, CoinNews.net, September 28, 2009
Время «виртуального» серебра, Sriblo, September 24, 2009 (in Russian)
Монеты по неизменной цене, Sriblo, September 21, 2009 (in Russian)

Virtual country's gold coin "a work of art", The World Of Gold, August 25, 2009

Wirtland Crane Gold Coin Gains Attention, CoinNews.net, August 24, 2009

Wirtland Virtual Country Launches 24-carat Gold Coin, DGC Magazine, August 2009, page 13

Internet-based Nation Issues Gold Coins, CJEnvironmental.com, July 29, 2009

Cybercountry Gold Coin Becomes Reality, the First “Wirtland Crane”, Silver & Gold Trade, July 28, 2009

První virtuální země vydává svou první zlatou pamětní minci, Zlataky, July 28, 2009 (in Czech)

Lansare moneda "nationala", Colectzii, July 28, 2009 (in Romanian)

Виртуальные монеты, Sriblo, July 28, 2009 (in Russian)

Wirtland Crane”: the first gold coin from a cybercountry became reality, Topix.com, July 27, 2009

Cybercountry Gold Coin Becomes Reality, the First “Wirtland Coin”, CoinNews.net, July 27, 2009

Virtual country launches 24-c gold coin, The World Of Gold, July 27, 2009

Wirtland Crane: the first gold coin from a cybercountry, CoinLink, July 27, 2009

Wirtland Crane becomes the first physical gold coin from a virtual world, IvanWalsh.com, July 27, 2009

Jul 4, 2009

Project of first global anti-war party

Wirtland is asking your opinion about its new political project. As a supranational entity, Wirtland has the unique possibility to unite people even from the fighting countries into a common anti-war party. Who may join the party? Palestinians and Israelis, who are opposed to war. Georgians and Russians, who do not support policy of conflict. Turks and Greeks, who want to live in peace. These are only examples, but you understand the concept. Join the discussion at Facebook or at Wirtland. The official GAP page has now opened at Wirtland website.

БЪЛГАРСКИ (in Bulgarian): Като наднационална държава, Виртландия има уникалната възможност да обедини хората, дори и от различни страни, намиращи се в конфликт помежду си, в обща анти-военни партия. Кой може да се присъедини към партия? Израелци и палестинци, които се противопоставят на войната. Грузинци и руснаци, които не подкрепят политиката на конфликта. Турци и гърци, които искат да живеят в мир. Това са само отделни примери, но вие разбирате идеята. Виртландия иска мнението ви за този проект: Wirtland, Facebook.

ПО-РУССКИ (in Russian): Поскольку Виртландия является наднациональным государств
ом, она имеет уникальную возможность создать партию, в которую могут вступать люди, живущие во враждующих странах. Кто может, например, вступить в такую антивоенную партию? Палестинцы и израильтяне, которые не поддерживают войну. Грузины и русские, выступающие против политики конфронтации. Турки и греки, азербайджанцы и армяне, желающие жить в мире. Это всего несколько примеров, но концепция понятна. Виртландия хочет узнать Ваше мнение по поводу проекта этой партии: Wirtland, Facebook.
*Please help to translate into YOUR language*

Jun 20, 2009

Wirtland in Wikipedia

The article on Wirtland has now appeared in the English-language Wikipedia, following up to the first Wirtland article published in Bulgarian Wikipedia several months ago. As an internet-based community, Wirtland attaches high importance to being properly represented in the internet encyclopedia.

The Wiki editors are generally known to be rather strict towards the micronations, so soon after publication they inserted a "considered for deletion" notice. The notice said everyone is welcome to share thoughts on the matter of deletion at special page. The editors also inserted a notice accusing "The Times of Wirtland" in causing "meatpuppeting" ("a Wikipedia term meaning the recruitment of (typically, new) editors to join a discussion on behalf of or as proxy for another editor, usually with the aim of swaying consensus in that discussion"). We considered such accusation groundless and regrettable, and expressed hope that Wikipedia's traditional objectiveness and goodwill would prevail over any biased individual attitudes. The final decision was to preserve Wirtland article. However, one of editors changed our article's title (and hyperlink) from Wirtland to Wirtland (micronation), and created a new article (about a historic building in rural USA) under the title "Wirtland", previously used by our entry. Nonetheless, Wirtland is grateful to Wikipedia for inclusion.

Everyone is welcome to improve and edit the Wirtland article. Latest addition: article is banned again. And the ground is... use of copyrighted text from www.wirtland.com! While article itself is "blanked" (unavailable), the article's discussion page hosts some heated disputes. Latest latest addition: the article is approved again, and its original link restored. Now it's again at its original place: Wirtland.

Article on Wirtland is now also available in Spanish and Russian Wikipedia, after Bulgarian and English versions. Proposals about translation to other languages will be most welcome.

May 24, 2009

Application for Witizenship in Thai: สัญชาติใบสมัคร

Individuals from Thailand can now join Wirtland more easily. The Thai language has become the 6th language in which the Wirtland Citizenship Application Form is available, in addition to English, Spanish, Bulgarian, Portuguese, and Turkish. The translation was contributed by a witizen from Thailand.

2010's update: Currently the Application Form is available in 14 languages: English, Spanish, Bulgarian, Turkish, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Korean, Dutch, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Finnish. All the sample Forms can be viewed here.

May 23, 2009

Artist Tiff McGinnis donates artwork to promote Wirtland

Tiff McGinnis, audio/video artist based in London, decided to donate her unique artworks to promote Wirtland. Tiff's colourful bird designs will be used for printing T-shirts and other garments with Wirtland flag, as well as Wirtland's postcards and postage stamps. The latest Wirtland-Tiff McGinnis products can be seen here.
Tiff McGinnis, also known as Crazy Girl, works in the field of contemporary audio, video and graphic art (her website: www.crazygirl.info) . She is the world's first artist who supports Wirtland with her artistic contribution, which is highly appreciated.

Apr 21, 2009

Wirtland's flag under copyright attack?

What is more important in modern world: political law or intellectual property law? Since birth of Wirtland in 2008, Wirtland feels politically safe, as nobody questioned our right for sovereignty and independence. But what about intellectual property? To our great surprise, there is someone who wants to challenge our intellectual property rights. Believe or not, this someone says he holds intellectual property rights over... Wirtland's flag!

This sounds absurd, but that's exactly what happened this week. As any community, Wirtland wanted to offer its own official merchandise. We developed several apparel designs, based on our own artwork. Naturally, our designs included Wirtland's flag. Recently we have opened a shop at Zazzle.com. Wirtland's shop initially offered 9 items, including T-shirts, sweaters, caps, bags, with printed or embroidered Wirtland identity images. All clothing is fully customizable: the buyer can remove/replace inscriptions, add own texts, change compositions, adjust colours, to make his garment unique.

However, we were surprised to receive a letter from Zazzle, saying: "We have been contacted by the intellectual property right holder and at their request we will be removing your product from Zazzle’s Marketplace due to copyright claims". Now, who is that mysterious holder of copyright over the Wirtland's flag?

We have not received answer so far. However, two "banned" apparel items - a sweater and a T-shirt (see pictures) with Wirtland's flag - disappeared from our shop, despite our immediate request to abstain from removing our products until clarification of all questions. We hope Zazzle will solve the problem soon, and believe the company must hold responsibility for ungrounded banning our products. We will keep you informed. In the meantime, wear your Wirtland flag with pride!

Apr 1, 2009

Media attention to Wirtland is growing in Bulgaria

Bulgarian radio, magazines and even regional newspapers have paid much attention to Wirtland during the recent weeks. On March 24 the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) interviewed Ruma, one of Wirtland's citizens who earlier this year appeared in live television show on Bulgarian television. Ruma's interview was published on BNR's site (link), reposted by printed media, and translated to several languages (French version here, Russian version here). Simultaneously, an article on Wirtland's Gold Coin Project was published by "PC World" (Bulgarian edition), which was also re-posted by several other mass media. A large 1.5 page general review on Wirtland was also published in a regional Bulgarian newspaper "Zname", featuring an interview with Alexander Popov, citizen of Wirtland from the city of Pazardzhik, Bulgaria.

Mar 16, 2009

A real gold coin from a cybercountry

At times of world economic crisis Wirtland wants to offer useful economic instruments to citizens, addressing the problem of personal savings' safety. It is central in most countries today, when the future of national currencies - even those which used to be the most stable yesterday - is unclear and shaky. There are just a few options how to preserve savings, and even fewer in case your sum is not very large. One of logical solutions is purchasing gold. It's not surprising that, according to Reuters, "Mints around the world say demand for gold coins has risen sharply as interest in the precious metal soars on the back of financial instability and concerns over the inflation outlook... The chairman of the French Mint, Christophe Beaux, said sales roughly doubled last year in value terms and are expected to rise by another 50 percent this year. The 2009 catalog the mint had produced was almost entirely pre-sold, he said."

Wirtland found an interesting solution within the limited choice of options it possesses being an unrecognized cybercountry. Wirtland plans to mint its own gold coin. The quality and weight of gold will be guaranteed, so the new coin will meet the demands of people, who will be able to use it as an investment tool. Formally, Wirtland's coin will have status similar to collectible or commemorative coins and medals. Wirtland has an agreement with a private producer of such objects, who is ready to mint the coins according to Wirtland's design and requirements, and sell them online. Wirtland opened contests for the best design and name of the coin, and a poll to define optimal weight/price of the coin. Once the price is established, Wirtland will start accepting advance orders for the new coin.

Mar 14, 2009

"Wirtland's Coin" contests open

Wirtland now opens two contests related to our project of Wirtland's gold coin:

Coin Design Contest.
The winner's design will be used for production of Wirtland's gold coin. To enter the contest, email the image to CoinDesignContest (at) Wirtland.com. If you are a member of Wirtland community, you may also upload it to Witizen Network. Professional designs are welcome, as well as concepts and ideas for the coin design.

Coin Name Contest.
This contest does not require such professional skills as the designers' competition, but is no less important. Proposals are welcome regarding the name for Wirtland's gold coin. Please submit suggestions to CoinNameContest (at) Wirtland.com, or add as comments to this article. A separate discussion may be opened at Witizens' forum.

About Wirtland's Gold Coin Project: Wirtland will set up national bank to guarantee quality and weight of gold used for minting. The coins made of 999 gold will be sold online with a minimum profit margin, to allow the coins to be used as investment tool by private persons worldwide. In the current situation of economic crisis gold is becoming increasingly popular and such a product has good chances to find buyers internationally. From legal standpoint such coins will have the same status as jewelry or commemorative collectors' medals. Disussion

Mar 11, 2009

"Mystery" FOX News video recovered with apologies


The situation with "vanished" FOX News video is now resolved. The Fox News program has become finally available for everybody to watch (link). Let's watch the video with interesting comments by Larry Fiorino, balanced by emotional reaction of Fox' Patrice Harris.
Wirtland has received a letter from Tim Kassouf, Manager at G.1440. He says that Fox News video on Wirtland has now been re-posted, and apologized for inconvenience caused by its deletion. This deletion happened just minutes after the video was featured in Wirtland's news. A strange coincidence... In result, people who wanted to watch the video saw nothing but an error message.

Mar 10, 2009

The Fox News video that vanished: War against Wirtland?


From time to time every sovereign country has to face hostilities. Wirtland is no exception. What kind of warfare can be used against an IT country? Information warfare, naturally. I wish I was wrong in my interpretation of the facts, but here is the story:

On January 20, in Baltimore (Maryland, USA) a program about Wirtland was broadcasted by Fox 45 Morning News. It was an interview with Larry Fiorino, who also wrote an article in Baltimore's newspaper "Wanna get away? Try a virtual trip to Wirtland". Both in the interview and the article the author gave an objective and positive view on the concept of the first country in cyberspace.

We did not know about the television program on Fox News until recently, when we found the video on YouTube during a routine media monitoring. Naturally, we wanted to share this television program with all citizens of Wirtland, so today the link to videofile has been posted to Witizens Network, and to our Facebook and LinkedIn groups. Good news, isn't it?

So far so good. Strange things happened immediately after that. The video became unavailable. Attempts to watch it from our site, or directly from YouTube, result in error message "This video has been removed by the user". Now, that's a pity! It was an excellent interview. What happened to it, and why was it removed immediately after being featured in our news? A little investigation reveals that the video was posted by user G1440Marketing 6 days ago, along with several other Larry Fiorino's programs on various IT issues, all of them from Fox 45 News. All those videos have vanished as well, and it seems that account was closed several minutes after we published information in Wirtland's media.

The reason of this is unknown, but the speed of this action is very impressive indeed... Especially, given the fact it was very early morning in the USA. It appeared as if someone wanted to effectively stop the first English-language television program on Wirtland from
spreading. Obama against Wirtland? But why?

Wirtland will contact Fox News and ask for the original video recording of the mysteriously vanished show.

Feb 20, 2009

Release of free Wirtland Toolbar, packed with features

Wirtland Toolbar is a free utility for Internet Explorer or Firefox browsers. It helps to stay connected with Wirtland, receive latest updates, communicate with members of Wirtland community. Wirtland Toolbar offers several types of Google-powered search, news ticker, and other handy features such as weather in your city or possibility to check all types of e-mail. An extra feature of Wirtland Toolbar is its unique radio. The radio has a predefined selection of stations, offers a set of local stations in your language, and possibility to find and add any station according to your taste. Safety was checked by TRUSTe and Wirtland's IT experts. Go to download page or install instantly.


Feb 17, 2009

Appointment of Consul of Wirtland for Argentina

The Government of Wirtland is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Pablo Alabarce Morales as Honorable Consul of Wirtland for Argentina. The Honorable Consul of Wirtland, based in Buenos Aires, will be responsible for external affairs of Wirtland in Argentina and other countries of Latin America. He will also serve as official press and information representative of Wirtland, and key contact person for mass media in Latin America.
Mr. Pablo Alabarce Morales is a publicist and directs a marketing communication agency in Argentina. As an active entrepreneur, he has been involved in development of Wirtland's organizations since 2008. He studied at UCA (Universidad Católica Argentina) and received his Master degree in USA. He is fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese languages.

Designacion de Cónsul de Wirtland (Español)
El Gobierno de Wirtland se complace en anunciar el nombramiento del Sr. Pablo Alabarce Morales como Honorable Consul de Wirtland en Argentina. El Honorable consul de Wirtland, con base en Buenos Aires, será responsable en los asuntos externos de Wirtland en la Argentina y otros países de Latinoamérica. Tambien tendrá funciones como prensa oficial e información representativa de Wirtland, siendo persona clave para los medios como vocero en Latinoamérica.
Pablo Alabarce Morales gerencia una agencia de comunicación y marketing en Argentina ya que es publicista. Siendo un activo emprendedor, ha estado relacionado en el desarrollo de Wirtland desde 2008, creando algunas de sus instituciones. Estudio en la UCA y posee una especialización en Estados Unidos. Pablo domina fluídamente Español, Inglés y Portugués.


Nomeação do Cónsul de Wirtland (Português)
O Governo de Wirtland compraze-se em anunciar a nomeação do Sr. Pablo Alabarce Morais como Honorable Consul de Wirtland em Argentina. O Honorable consul de Wirtland, com base em Buenos Aires, será responsável nos assuntos externos de Wirtland na Argentina e outros países de Latinoamérica. Tambien terá funções como imprensa oficial e informação representativa de Wirtland, sendo pessoa finque para os meios como vocero em Latinoamérica.
Pablo Alabarce Morais gerencia uma agência de comunicação e marketing em Argentina já que é publicista. Sendo um ativo emprendedor, tem estado relacionado no desenvolvimento de Wirtland desde 2008, criando algumas de suas instituições. Estudou na UCA e possui uma especialización em Estados Unidos. Pablo domina fluídamente Espanhol, Inglês e Português.

Feb 14, 2009

Miss Wirtland 2010 opens on Valentine Day

Valentine Day is not an official holiday in Wirtland. However, it's a good day to start the new "Miss Wirtland 2010" photo contest. The organizers are happy that the first winners of Miss Wirtland 2009 became real celebrities not only in Wirtland, but internationally. The contest's wide international coverage ranges from lifestyle magazines to PC World, and from live show on Bulgarian TV to CNN, and probably we will see even more media attention. The coverage is very important for Wirtland, and it has already attracted numerous new citizens to Wirtland. This achievement is to a large extent thanks to our contestants. The organizers are sure that the new competition will bring even better results, and will become Wirtland's tradition. To submit your entry to Miss Wirtland, simply rename one or more of your photos uploaded to your Witizens profile, adding "Miss" to the title of photo, like, for instance "Miss Ann". Or, even more simple, email the photo to Wirtland's PR manager Cris. So, what are you waiting for?