CYBERSPACE -- Estonia opened an 'embassy' in the internet-based virtual world Second
Life on Tuesday, 4 December.
According to Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, Estonia must keep up with online
trends if it is to maintain is reputation as a hi-tech country. "Second Life's popularity as an alternative environment for
interaction has grown rapidly, which is why we decided to establish an
embassy there," Paet said.
Art exhibits, concerts, lectures and other events will be organised in
the embassy. The first lecture, entitled "Back to the future," will be
given in January by Estonian Ambassador to Great Britain Margus Laidre.
According to Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry Matti Maasikas,
several other countries are planning to open virtual embassies inSecond Life, which means that the prominence of Second Life is growing
in diplomatic circles.
"We expect people interested in Estonia, as well
as people interested in foreign relations and foreign policy, to
participate in events at the embassy," said Maasikas.
The virtual embassy has a conference room, exhibition room, reception
hall and a technology room, where Estonia as an 'e-nation' is introduced.
But surely the main attraction will be the chance to see and hear Estonian news being read by a dog.
