The election featured new candidates, an uptick in voter turnout, and three write-in votes. The Government announced the results of the election for the 4th National Senate on Wednesday. Speaker Aidan Kraft was the only incumbent among the four candidates running for a third term. Also in the running was former Vice President Alec Morber. None of Soundland's three political parties took part in the election, a first, but one line with an increasingly independent National Senate. This year's ballot was yet again uncompetitive. Still, the inclusion of three write-in votes for different candidates triggered the only instance so far of multiple rounds of vote counting under Soundland's Instant-runoff voting system. Despite the surprise competition, all four official candidates secured seats. The voter turnout was 48%, with 28 ballots cast. That is an increase of only 30% from last year, which was the latest in a trend of declining turnout. President Morber made increasing Soundland's population and community engagement a priority this year, with the Department of State naturalizing 20 new citizens since the 2025 elections. This uptick could be a promising sign for Morber's efforts. Speaker Kraft performed worse than expected from his status as incumbent leader, only earning 21.43% of first-preference votes. Recently inducted citizen Nardos Yohannis came in first with 32.14% of the vote. It will have to be seen whether this means Kraft's position as speaker will be challenged when the Senate convenes, or if the Senator-elects will defer to his experience.

Photo: Unsplash (Matt Wang). The new Ambassador to Canada is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, pictured here, rather than Ottawa. The National Senate confirmed two key presidential appointments in a session yesterday, giving their approval to President Morbers' nominations of an Ambassador to Canada and of a Principal Advisor on Scientific & Environmental Policy and Strategy, a presidential office only created last Friday . New Ambassador Close to Home The new Ambassador Xavier P., is Soundland's first diplomatic representative in the Western Hemisphere. In a departure from other Soundlandian diplomatic missions , he will lead the Embassy to Canada not from the country's capital in Ottawa, but from Vancouver, British Columbia. He was initially appointed by Morber as Consul-General because of the distance from the seat of the Canadian government, but the National Senate refused to confirm him as anything less than ambassador last August. They highlighted the importance of Vancouver lying within the Salish Sea so close to Soundland's home territory, and the critical role that establishing diplomatic operations in the PNW rather than Ottawa could play in promoting the Soundlandian interests across the nearby border. Promoting a sense of cross-border unity and camaraderie among residents of Cascadia, especially the Salish Sea, has been a key goal of Soundland since its founding in 2020. President Morber and the National Senate insist that the decision should not be taken as any sort of dismissal or subversion of the Canadian Government, and that instead the move merely makes practical sense for Soundland. A diplomatic mission in Vancouver promises to spread out Soundland's influence at home from the central Puget Sound to the north, and perhaps introduce new Cascadian-Soundlandians, making the Republic of Soundland more truly Cascadian. In this way, despite being Soundland's representative to Canada, the ambassador is likely be more locally focused, working to build Soundland's relations, not just with any government, but with regular Canadians. Presidential Adviser a First; Will Work On Science & Environment The National Senate also confirmed the appointment of overseas citizen Zara R. as the long-worded "Principal Advisor to the President on Scientific & Environmental Policy and Strategy". The position within the presidential office was created by Morber's first ever formal executive order just last Friday , and is meant to "enhance and inform our nation’s scientific and environmental policy and capabilities". Zara is also the first overseas Soundlandian to take up government office not in the diplomatic service. She has a background studying environmental science, and will work to advise government policy as well as Soundland's response to the local impacts of the climate crisis.

Sunset State, pictured here, is set to take on an addition of territory after a session of the National Senate yesterday. Sunset State is the seat of the Soundlandian government and home to the National Senate. The National Senate passed a number of pieces of legislation yesterday, including the election of a Speaker pro tempore and two major bills after a period of adjournment that had lasted since August. The National Senate also adopted Standing Rules for the first time, formalizing the rules governing senate sessions. Larger Capital; Citizenship Regulated NSB - 1001, the "Sunset State Expansion Act" , is the first senate act of the new term and annexes land adjacent west to the relatively small capital that has already been under de facto Soundlandian control for some time. The annexation includes a residential property, and will take effect a week from yesterday. A larger piece of key legislation, the simply named " Citizenship Act ", sets the legal paths for gaining citizenship and the responsibility of the Department of State for overseeing them. The State Department has handled citizenship affairs since the introduction of a formal naturalization process, but the wide-ranging act codifies the departments' authority and regulations into law. In addition, it clarifies the other ways individuals may become Soundlandians and includes statutes governing non-citizen residents. The act sets out three paths to gain Soundlandian nationality: naturalization as a foreign national, citizenship by birth, and naturalization as a permanent resident. Foreign nationals are required to be recommended by a citizen before applying, but permanent residents - those that having been living within Soundlandian territory for a set amount of time, do not. It also sets out ways citizens can lose their citizenship. These include self-renunciation and lying to naturalization officers, but also being convicted of a high crime such as treason or sedition. Senate Adopts Formal Rules of Procedure; Selects Deputy Speaker Aside from public laws, the National Senate ratified a set of Standing Rules to govern its sessions for the first time in its history. The move promises to ensure compliance to parliamentary procedure and the cementing of rules surrounding senate procedures, such as the passage of bills and no confidence votes. Interestingly, the rules abandon the ubiquitous Robert's Rules of Order as its basis, instead going for the Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure , a younger and more streamlined but lesser known alternative. In addition, the senate elected Senator Vera C. to serve as Speaker pro tempore, who chairs the body in the absence of the Speaker. Speaker Aidan Kraft was elected last August at the first session of the new term.

The executive order establishes the first presidential advisor position President Morber has so far created. In his first act of the new year, President Morber tonight issued an executive order establishing the position of a principal advisor to the president on scientific & environmental policy and strategy. To fill the role, he nominated Zara R, an overseas citizen with a background studying environmental science for the role. She is expected to be confirmed at the National Senate's meeting tomorrow. The new Principal Advisor is the first position President Morber has created so far in the Executive Office of the President (EOP). They will advise the President on scientific and environmental policy and recommend and monitor relevant policies and laws, among other responsibilities listed in the executive order. Morber included two reasons for the creation of the new office in the order, stating "the understanding and advancement of science, and the safeguarding of the land we live on, are both critical endeavors of any state and ones requiring comprehensive analysis and coordinated action" and that "Soundland must be prepared to meet head-on the increasing global and ecological challenges brought by the climate crisis". It may come as a surprise that this is the first time in his presidency that Morber has issued an formal executive order - indeed, this order is listed as number 001. Morber did take some actions before the ratification of the 2023 constitution, such as the establishment of several government departments, that could have been considered executive orders, but they were not ever formally issued in that form. Since 2023, President Morber has focused primarily on advancing legislation through the National Senate rather than using executive orders to fulfill his agenda.

Watch the Video or Read the Transcript of President Morber’s MicroCon 2025 Speech Download the Official Transcript Here PRESIDENT MORBER: Alright. Thank you. Thank you. And as you've already heard, it feels a bit redundant to say, but I am Clark Morber and am going to be presenting "Crafting a Micronation that Serves”. It will be on how to create a nation-state that works for its citizens, and why it matters. For those that don’t know, I am the President of the Republic of Soundland. Located near Seattle, we focus on promoting and fostering democracy and human rights. I have led Soundland since declaring independence in 2020 due to concerns over the rule of law. Since then, I have built Soundland with the focus of making it the most democratic and citizen oriented tiny nation I can. This August will mark 5 years of self rule, which honestly is crazy to think about. This presentation will be made up of four sections: Building Purpose & Identity, Building Your State, Building Your Nation, and Why this all matters. First some basics - deciding what your micronation is. Every micronation has its own unique national identity or mission - something that gives it purpose. There are an amazing range of reasons for founding a micronation, and being able to define your own core identity or purpose is critical. You want your nation to be more than just you. Think - What do you provide to your citizens? What makes you different? For Soundland, that's creating a space for democracy and human rights to flourish. For the last two hosts of Microcon, you can find their missions at the very top of their websites. What’s yours? Now, the work of building a country can be split into two parts: the nation, which is a group of people united under some common identity, and the state, which is the authority that governs over the people. These combine to make a nation-state. I’m going to talk about the state first. The most important thing to remember when you’re building a government that truly works for its people is the Rule of Law. That’s where power in a country is exercised within a framework of established legal norms, not arbitrarily. People need to feel like they are members of a nation, not just subjects to an erratic ruler. Otherwise, what's in it for them? To serve your citizens, you need clear, stable institutions and legal processes. Under a constitution, set out the structures and workings of your government. Now, micronations vary greatly. But regardless if you rule by parliamentary coalition or if you hold absolute power over your domain, you can still create a state that is stable and serves your people. If you have a legislature, empower it to operate independently. If much of the power rests with you, appoint trusted officials or form something like a council of ministers to balance out responsibility. Make use of tradition and legal instruments like decrees to exercise your power in an orderly manner. What power you have doesn't matter as much as the structures you build around it. The key is this: build institutions that don’t depend on you. Your state should be able to function and serve its citizens no matter who holds office. That’s how you create stability, and stability is what earns trust. But holding your citizens’ confidence doesn't just mean creating strong institutions. It’s about maintaining the rule of law in how you go about governance day to day. And to do that, you only need to remember three things: Transparency, Bureaucracy, and Accountability. Firstly, transparency means making the information and records of your government easily accessible. Make sure that your nation's key documents and info can be readily found, ideally online: government structure, your constitution, laws, what's happening right now. Try to have as much information about your nation as you can be publicly accessible. Be clear in your communications with citizens. Next, bureaucracy. We’ve already covered it somewhat with respect to creating these government structures as well as transparency. Day-to-day, If transparency is about the publishing of documents, bureaucracy is the making of those documents. Now, it can be easy to hate, but bureaucracy is critical for the rule of law. I’ve talked a lot about institutions, but the following of formal rules and procedures by those institutions and officials ensures that people can trust their governance. Paperwork is your friend. Now, Accountability in this context really just means making sure to always engage with your citizens though your administration. Try to develop a relationship with them that is inclusive, honest and consultative. You don’t have to face election to keep yourself accountable to the people you lead. Now that we’ve talked about building your state - let’s turn to your nation itself: your people. A state can exist on paper, but without engaged citizens who feel connected, invested, and involved, everything you’ve built doesn’t matter. No amount of structure or law can substitute for citizens who care about their nation. Now, there are a variety of make sure people stay engaged, but they mostly fall under two categories: 1, Give them real representation in your government; and 2, Build a sense of community that connects them to one another. To make sure that your citizens are engaged, it's important to make them feel like they have a voice in your government and can contribute to your state. You can do this by holding frequent elections, but also by simply taking people into your government. Seek out citizens who are interested and give them responsibilities where they can contribute based on their skills. This is great both for engagement and your institutions. And remember: always serve the needs of your citizens. Establishing government services and utilizing tools like online portals that make it easy for citizens to access resources is great for this. By doing these things, you’re directly providing value to being a citizen. Next, engage your citizens through building community. A nation is a group of people united by something common, and you want to foster a sense of shared national identity and connection. Creating a national culture is a big part of that - there’s a reason so many focus their efforts on this aspect of nation-building. Holidays, national symbols, traditions, even your own language - these all give your nation its own identity. But secondly and most importantly: hold events. Whether its elections, citizen meet-ups, or independence celebrations, events build and cement that shared identity. And whenever possible, make them happen in person. Nothing is better than real-life interaction. As you grow your community, make sure to embrace diversity. You want a range of people with different backgrounds and interests. The more diverse your citizenry, the stronger your social fabric becomes. A broad, connected community makes your nation more adaptable, resilient, and able to sustain itself. And with that, you’ve now built a nation-state designed to serve its citizens — one grounded in purpose, institutions, and community. But that leads to a bigger question: why does any of this matter? Why do we build micronations? Why is any of this important beyond ourselves? Well, ask a dozen different micronationalists and you’ll get a dozen different answers. But are all here because of one underlying truth: We wanted more. More than what our own nations were willing to offer us. We wanted something different. Despite our amazing diversity as an international community, we are all here today because we were not satisfied with the status quo - and we took it upon ourselves to fix that. Today, people often feel like they have no power over their lives. Look around and you’ll see anger, disillusionment and a growing feeling of helplessness with our current situation. People feel like they have no control over how their lives are dictated. But that’s not true. We do have power. At its core, the power that governments have to make decisions comes from us - the people. Micronations can seem strange to those first coming across us. To many, we appear as outliers, as anomalies in society and international relations. At the last MicroCon conference, someone lept out of the crowd to ask us all point-blank - “Why?” Yet, the fact is Micronationalism represents a natural consequence of popular sovereignty. The power of a government is derived from the people in order to serve us. In many cases, they fail in that. There's a reason so many people across the world lack faith in their elected officials. But here’s the thing: When our Governments fail to serve our best interests, we can take that power back by establishing our own. According to international law, all people have the right to decide their own destiny, and to have control over their own affairs. That is called self determination. This is why. I can not think of a purer expression of self determination than micronationalism. Right now, in this room, we have representatives from roughly 40 nations - each with their own cultures, values, and ambitions. My friends: we are the manifestation of self determination! It is easy for those outside this community to be blinded by the current international system of nation-states, to feel like the concepts of nations and sovereignty are set in stone. But that's not true. Like all human concepts, they have never been clear cut. The dominance of the modern nation-state is, in truth, a recent thing. The world is constantly evolving. What makes a nation real and sovereign isn't written in stone. It’s not decided by any one person. It’s fluid. And it's ours to shape. Micronationalism shows us there is another way. We don't have to accept the status quo. We can forge our own. Micronations Are Freedom. Thank You! (Clapping)

President Morber represented Soundland for the third time at the bi-annual international summit, engaging in diplomacy and leading a talk on good governance. A major honor: President Morber was promoted to the Rank of Grand Knight Commander in the Order of the Snowflake by Grand Duke Travis McHenry of Westarctica during MicroCon 2025 (Office of the President). An International Summit Like No Other The Republic of Soundland attend in MicroCon 2025 last month, with President Morber traveling to Montreal to join 125 delegates from 47 nations in the latest and largest edition of the bi-annual international summit. There Morber concluded diplomacy with foreign heads of state, spoke about Soundland to members of the press, and delivered a presentation on how to craft micronations that serve their citizens. The summit opened with a welcome reception the night before the actual conference, giving attendees the opportunity to mingle over dinner and drink, meet new and hold light-hearted competitions such as chess and rock-paper-scissors. The main conference day featured presentations from a range of micronational leaders and scholars , addressing topics such as the the impact of micronations on the larger world, governance, and practical advice. The program also included award ceremonies and a formal gala dinner. Soundland's display at MicroCon 2025, next to displays of the Grand Duchy of Westarctica and the Kingdom of Æfira (Office of the President). Educational displays from each attending nation lined the perimeter of the conference hall, showcasing flags, documents, and cultural artifacts, and provided insight into the history and structure of each nation. Soundland's exhibit included artifacts such as denominations of the Cascadian Dollar, a National ID Card, an authentic copy of National Senate legislation, and a passport stamp. The display detailed the mission, government structure and history of the Republic of Soundland. The summit was hosted by the Aerican Empire, though originally organized by a team that incuded Aerican Empire, the Principality of Sancratosia, and the Newgraviate of Saint-Castin. However, Sancratosia and Saint-Castin both abruptly withdrew from the conference shorty before it was to be held due to internal conflict, leaving the Aerican Empire as the sole host for this year’s event. International Diplomacy During the conference, morber met with a variety of delegations, including many first time attendees and youth leaders, and other Pacific Northwest micronations. Additionally Morber talked with President Christopher Thomas of Ironland, who founded his nation as a educational series on Youtube that has racked up millions of views. Morber's meeting was later featured by President Thomas on his youtube channel. A collection of photos of President Morber from thought the summit. During the summit, Morber met with micronational delegates from around the world and talked to members of the press. (Office of the President). Presentation by President Morber President Morber delivered a presentation titled “How to Create a Nation-State That Works for Its Citizens and Why It Matters.” Drawing on Soundland’s experience, the presentation offered a framework for building stable, citizen-focused governance within micronational contexts, and explored the broader significance of self-determination in a changing world. You can watch President Morber's full speech on Youtube by clicking this link , or in the video below: Click here to view the transcript of President Morber's presentation. Overall, MicroCon proved to be a major success diplomatically for Soundland. The summit provided an opportunity to reconnect with longstanding allies, forge new and meaningful partnerships, and engage in dialogue with emerging micronations. Through its active participation, Soundland not only broadened its international presence but also reinforced its reputation as a serious and credible voice within the global micronational community. The event underscored Soundland’s growing influence and affirmed its role as a committed contributor to the advancement of intermicronational diplomacy and governance. Soundland has already announced that it will be attending MicroCon 2027, hosted by the Republic of Slowjamastan in San Diego.

Morber secures 87.5% of the vote amid a 42% turnout President Clark Morber has lead Soundland as President since independence in 2020. This is his second election after the adoption of the 2023 Constitution. (Soundland Government) President Morber secured a third term in office after running unopposed on the ballot in an election that concluded yesterday, receiving 87.5% of the vote amid a small number of write-in votes. Turnout stood at 42%, down from 56% in 2023 but up from a disappointing 30% recorded in the National Senate elections last month. That election was also uncontested. Morber, who ran under the banner of his Soundland Liberal Party, did so alongside a fresh pick for Vice President: Territorial State Representative Parker Yun, who has governed the state of Bill Point since its annexation in 2023. All but two write in votes in this week's election were cast for the Morber-Yun ticket. One write-in vote was submitted for Aidan Kraft and Rider Blanchard, both senators in the National Senate. Kraft served as acting chair of the National Senate for much of the last year in his capacity as Speaker pro tempore and is the frontrunner to be Speaker when the National Senate reconvenes after May's election. The other write-in vote was submitted for Clark Morber, but omitted any pick for vice president, rendering it invalid. A graph of the final vote percentages for the election including write-in votes. ( Soundland Government) The president’s campaign, while relatively subdued due to the absence of serious opposition and the upcoming MicroCon 2025 summit - which he is slated to attend next week, focused on Soundland’s growth under his leadership while setting ambitious goals for the nation’s future. Morber pledged to establish a functioning Soundlandian economy anchored in the Cascadian Dollar, pursue expanded diplomatic ties with other micronations, strengthen the national constitution, and further develop Soundland’s institutions to ensure their long-term stability. “I bring experience, dedication, and an unwavering belief in Soundland’s future. I’ve led us this far - and I’m ready to take us even further [...] Let's make Soundland Better - Together!" Wrote Morber in his election statement. This marks Morber's second election after being last re-elected in 2023 when the adoption of the current constitution reduced the term length of a president from four years to two. Both the President and Vice-President elect will be sworn in to office this July 26th.

Secretary of State Diego Vinoly resigned his leadership of the State Department last night to focus solely on his role as Chief of Staff of the Army and de facto leader of the Soundland Armed Forces. Secretary of State Diego Vinoly has announced that he has stepped down in his role as top diplomat to focus entirely on his responsibilities in the armed forces. In addition to his leadership in the State Department, he has served as Chief of Staff of the Army and de facto leader of the Soundland Armed Forces since indepence. In his letter of resignation, he thanked President Morber and stated that he looked forward to "continuing to serve the republic in my defense position" and to collaborate closely with the administration. Ahead of today's National Senate session, President Morber nominated former Senator Cyrinne Labaied as Vinoly's replacement. Reviewing the appointment, the National Senate voiced a high degree of confidence in Labaied and voted unanimously to confirm her without an additional hearing. Labaied was a member of the 1st term of the National Senate and is the party leader of the Liberal Democratic Republicans, but did not run for reelection this year. Stepping into her new role, Secretary Labaied faces a broad array of responsibilities. Chief among them will be working closely with President Morber to craft and execute Soundland’s foreign policy, administering the nation's diplomatic missions abroad, and overseeing the naturalization of foreign nationals. She takes the role at a time of global turmoil, when there has been a surge of anti-democratic victories and worldwide crisises. It is also a time of expansion of Soundland's foreign relations, with President Morber still yet to fully launch his "Campaign of Diplomacy" that he announced last summer in his independence day address.

Fmr. US President Joseph R. Biden addressing the session of youth delegates from across the world in New York  (Office of the President). President Morber has recently returned from a visit to New York City, where he engaged in a range of diplomatic and cultural activities during the near-week trip. There, Morber met with a conference of youth delegates from across the world, where he participated in discussions on pressing global issues. The conference, which brought together young leaders from diverse range of countries, provided a platform for young leaders to exchange ideas on variety of topics, debate potential solutions, and explore collaborative approaches to addressing these challenges. Morber was in attendance for an address to the conference given by the former American President, Joseph Biden, who spoke on the importance of diplomacy and youth leadership in shaping the future. During his speech, Biden reflected on his decades in public service, sharing insights from his beginnings in local government and the lessons he learned throughout his career. He also emphasized the power of political action in driving meaningful change, encouraging young leaders to stay engaged and actively participate in shaping their communities and the world. In addition to his time at the conference, President Morber, along with several youth members, was additionally received by representatives at the Norwegian Permanent Mission to the United Nations. During his time at the mission, he engaged in discussions with diplomatic staff about Norway’s role on the world stage, their work within the UN, opportunities for youth involvement, and issues relating to climate change. Photos from the Norwegian Permanent Mission to the UN in New York ( Office of the President). Pictured: a Portrait of their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and diplomatic plaques bearing the national arms of Norway. President Morber also took the opportunity to visit several of New York City’s most well-known landmarks. He toured the Statue of Liberty, a national symbol of liberty and freedom, and explored Ellis Island, the gateway to the United States for more than 12 million immigrants between 1892 and 1954. Morber also visited the 9/11 Memorial Reflection Pools, pausing to take in the significance of the site and pay respects to those who lost their lives in the tragic attacks. The trip served as a clear demonstration of President Morber's commitment to fostering youth political action and leadership on the global stage. The underscored his dedication to engaging with other youth leaders abroad and the importance of this new generation of leadership during turbulent times.

Photo: Flicker (jbdodane) In a landmark move, the National Senate has ratified the Rome Statute , the governing framework of International Criminal Court, or ICC. The ICC is an international court which tries individuals for "the gravest crimes of concern to the international community," including genocide and crimes against humanity. The ICC holds jurisdiction over its 124 member states. The ratification, approved in a session last weekend, follows the treaty's signing by President Morber in October and aligns Soundland with international efforts to combat such crimes. The National Senate also passed the International Crimes Act , bringing the Republic of Soundland into compliance with the Rome Statute and providing for the Soundlandian prosecution of such crimes. The act, which President Morber signed just today, includes one crime that is not listed in the statute: ecocide. Ecocide is an emerging legal concept that is broadly defined as deliberate or negligent acts that cause large scale or long term damage to the environment. The reason for the delay between the act's passing and Morber's signing was due to a delay in acquiring Speaker Pro Tempore Aiden Kraft's signature before both he and the President left for an informal diplomatic visit to the New Mexico capitol Santa Fe. Under the International Crimes Act, or ICA, Soundland is obliged to honor arrest warrants issued by the ICC and to follow the court's criminal code. In addition, the act enables the Department of Justice and Civil Security to prosecute international crimes of its own accord. This power is based upon the legal doctrine of Universal Jurisdiction , that some crimes are so heinous it is the responsibility of every state to prosecute them on a global scale. While the theory is widely accepted, it is up to each state to define the scale and power of Universal Jurisdiction, as the International Crimes Act does. By ratifying the Rome Statute and enacting the ICA, Soundland joins a large international community of states that recognize the ICC's jurisdiction - one that does not include the United States. This membership comes on the heels of a series of high profile arrest warrants issued by the court in recent years that included the likes of Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the assumed dead Mohammed Deif.

Established last summer, the Departments of Justice and Culture were created through the passage of NBS-1003 and NBS-1001, respectively. The National Senate has confirmed President Morber's picks for secretaries of the two departments established last summer . This afternoon, the National Senate met to consider the appointments of Dashiell Tibbals as Secretary of the Department of Justice & Civil Security, and Amos Tremble as Secretary of the Department of Culture and Heritage. Both departments were established just last summer through the passage of NBS-1003 and NBS-1001, respectively. In an unexpected demonstration of confidence towards President Morber and the competency of his appointees, the National Senate voted with three in favor and one absent to forgo confirmation hearings and instead confirm the appointments immediately. The National Senate has both held hearings for key appointments in the past, such as the confirmation of the High Justice, and has skipped hearings for less critical positions, such as for State Representatives. While the National Senate was widely expected to confirm the appointments, the decision to skip the confirmation process when dealing with these important positions signals strong support for the President and his agenda among senators. The confirmation marks the true start of the new departments, as the secretaries will now take on the role of charting the courses for their respective departments. The Department of Justice & Civil Security, under Secretary Tibbals, comes with wide powers to prosecute civil and criminal cases, investigate government agencies, and more. The department also oversees the previously independent National Police. The Department of Culture and Heritage, under Secretary Tremble, will focus on the promotion and enrichment of Soundlandian culture, as well as the preservation of the nation's heritage.

A photo of a podium on the front deck of the Capitol building, not long before President Morber's Independence Day address. On August 2nd, Soundland marked its fourth Independence Day with a grand celebration in the capital Sunset State. The festivities not only commemorated four years of sovereignty from the United States but also featured President Morber's first ever Independence Day address. The festivities, attended by Soundlandian officials and elected leaders, included a celebratory banquet, highlighted by a specially prepared Independence Day cake. The atmosphere was one of pride and reflection as citizens gathered to celebrate the nation's achievements and look forward to its future. In his speech, President Morber underscored the progress made over the past four years, remarking on the simple beginnings of Soundland, and outlined new initiatives to further enhance the nation. Watch President Morber's 2024 Independence Day address ( Youtube/@soundlandgov ) . He proudly announced a renewed effort to provide National ID cards to all Soundlandians at no cost, emphasizing their importance as symbols of national identity. Citizens can obtain their IDs through the Citizen Portal. Morber discussed the significant progress made under the new Constitution ratified in 2023, talking of the National Senate and Judiciary that were established by the 2023 Constitution, as well as recent major developments posed to bring significant advancements to the nation. Chief among them was the launch of the Cascadian Dollar, marking the start of the Soundlandian economy. In a poignant segment of his speech, Morber tackled the rising global threat of authoritarianism and the far right. "The same authoritarianism, the same fascism we emerged from and so boldly defied back in 2020, is sweeping the globe." He warned, going on to declare that "Soundland must, and will stand against this rising tide of fascism." Morber urged all Soundlandians to actively engage in shaping the nation’s future, saying, "Your contributions are vital". In photos: the celebration held in Sunset State to commemorate the day that Soundland became independent from the United States. (Pictured: President Morber's speech on the front deck of the Capitol Building, the celebratory banquet, and the First Dog of Soundland.) A major announcement of the speech was President Morber declaring a new focus of his administration on international relations, in a "campaign of diplomacy" towards other unrecognized states. He promised to solidify Soundland's position on the world stage through a series of new diplomatic partnerships that would "foster [...] mutual benefits". Morber concluded the speech with a powerful declaration: "after four years of independence: The Republic of Soundland is strong. The Republic is prospering. The Republic is unwavering. The Republic of Soundland prevails. Long live Soundland! Long live the Republic!" This year's Independence Day celebrations served as a powerful reminder of Soundland’s progress since 2020 and the Morber Administration's commitment to further national development and global outreach.