Swedia tercatat sebagai negara kedua di dunia yang membuka "virtual embassy" di
SecondLife. Sebelumnya, Maldives (Maladewa) tercatat sebagai negeri pertama
yang mencatatkan diri. Ini baru pijakan awal dari mimpi kedutaan besar virtual
di masa depan. Saya pribadi yakin, di masa depan sebuah negara tak perlu
membuka kedutaan besar di setiap negara sahabat, apalagi negeri yang banyak
hutang seperti Indonesia. Pembukaan kedutaan besar memakan biaya yang amat
besar. Belum termasuk hitungan kalau para pejabat dan staf diplomatiknya
melakukan tindak pidana korupsi untuk memperkaya diri demi mengisi koceknya.
Dengan adanya "virtual embassy", beberapa negara yang banyak musuhnya tak perlu
takut dengan demo-demo jalanan yang bisa membahayakan para diplomatnya.
Artikel terkait dimuat oleh The Jakarta Post edisi 31 Mei 2007 berjudul
"Sweden opens virtual embassy", bersumber dari AFP.
-------------------------------------------------
Sweden plans Second Life embassy
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6310915.stm
Second Life fans can live out their fantasies through avatars
Sweden is opening an embassy in the internet fantasy world called
Second Life - the first country to do so.
The project is being run by the Swedish Institute - a promotional body
which works alongside the foreign ministry.
Institute director Olle Waestberg said the virtual embassy would reach
many young people and provide information about Sweden.
Second Life has about three million users worldwide, who create and
develop virtual characters - called "avatars". Several real-world companies
have created virtual shops in Second
Life.
The Swedish Institute says the embassy will not issue passports and
visas, but it will inform users how to get them in the real world.
The embassy will be "primarily an information portal for Sweden," said
Mr Waestberg, quoted by the AFP news agency.
-------------------------------------------
Sweden Inaugurates Virtual Embassy
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=199170
STOCKHOLM, May 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Second House of Sweden - Sweden's
embassy in the virtual world of Second Life - has opened its doors to
the public. Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt this
morning cut the ribbon at an inauguration ceremony Broadcast
simultaneously to press conferences in Stockholm and in Budapest.
Second House of Sweden is inspired by the real-life House of Sweden in
Washington, D.C., which houses the Embassy of Sweden to the United
States. The setting for the virtual embassy is the picturesque
Stockholm Archipelago.
Inside and around the Second House of Sweden there is a wealth of
exhibits and information. Some examples:
- A recreation of Raoul Wallenberg's office in Budapest, with a re-
enactment of his last day of freedom on January 16, 1945. (In
cooperation with the OSA Archivum in Budapest)
- An art exhibit, curated by Nationalmuseum in Stockholm
- Royalty-free images of Sweden, fact sheets about politics, industry,
design, art as well as virtual Swedish food, with real recipes
attached
- Throughout the region, listen to Radio Sweden's daily news podcasts
in English
- Furniture by Swedish wood manufacturers and IKEA - some of which
visitors can use to furnish their virtual homes in Second Life.
"The role of the Swedish Institute is to generate goodwill and
confidence in Sweden. As the media landscape changes, so does the way
people gather information. It is important for us to be a part of these
developments, " says Olle Wästberg, Director-General for the Swedish
Institute.
Second House of Sweden has already generated great interest both in
Sweden and abroad, according to Stefan Geens, project leader at the
Swedish Institute: "Now that we have a platform in Second Life to
promote the culture and lifestyle of Sweden, many Swedish companies and
organizations are interested in collaborating. Discussions are underway
with a number of potential partners, including Karolinska Institutet
and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency."
Wästberg adds: "It is a real pleasure to see that so much media, above
all the foreign press, has recognized how progressive Sweden is. The
great interest that this has generated in the media is estimated to
have already paid off tenfold."
To get to the Second House of Sweden, go to www.sweden.se/secondlife
and follow the instructions.
Images at: www.sweden.se/second_life, User name: second_life, Password:
sweden
Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of Swedish Institute
---------------------------------
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