A new city-state movement is being formed in a yet to be determined location, called Lumina, where citizens will have the power to directly decide the laws through a revolutionary direct democracy platform.
According to the government of Lumina, this new form of governance is designed to give citizens greater control over the decisions that impact their lives and create a more responsive and accountable government.
The government of Lumina has already written a constitution and has over 2300 registered digital citizens, and over 12,000 people following the movement on its TikTok account. Albert, a spokesperson for the movement stated:
We are proud to have such a diverse and dedicated group of citizens who are committed to building a better future for themselves and their families. We look forward to continuing to grow and thrive as a community.
We believe that by empowering citizens to have a direct say in the laws that govern them, we can create a more just and fair society
The Official Flag of Lumina
New city-state movements like Lumina offer an alternative to traditional forms of governance and can bring about positive change for society. By starting from scratch and building a government from the ground up, these types of movements have the opportunity to address issues and implement policies that may not be possible in existing systems.
Lumina plans to settle a physical location in the world to build the physical city, and the founders of the movement have a few locations in mind, ranging from Auckland Islands, Northern Australia and Liberia. Albert states that:
Currently we are focusing on building the essential systems and digital infrastructure needed to operate our government before we start physical settlement
Potential Challenges
However, building a new city-state from scratch also comes with its own set of challenges. Lumina will need to establish its own infrastructure, economy, and social systems, which will require significant resources and planning. Additionally, the government of Lumina will need to address the issue of physical settlement on, as the government is currently being run remotely & digitally.
Despite these challenges, the government of Lumina is confident that the benefits of their direct democracy model will outweigh any difficulties. Albert, states
We are confident that by working together, we can build a city-state that serves the needs and aspirations of its citizens
We invite anyone who shares our vision to join us on this journey to create a brighter future for all.
Future plans of Lumina
In addition to its innovative direct democracy platform, Lumina is also building a modernised and digitised government with services available online, including a digital banking system and a currency exchange system using a new digital currency called Aura. The government plans to generate revenue by selling education services, which will be used to back the value of the Aura, making it a trusted and widely accepted currency.
People can learn more and sign up for citizenship through Lumina’s official government website.
As the city-state of Lumina continues to develop, it will be interesting to see how this unique experiment in direct democracy plays out and the impact it may have on the wider world. Lumina is one of many movements which can be described as a Network State or Special Economic Zones, which is a broader movement with the goal of establishing free and sovereign cities around the world.