Venues
The Al-Andalus Caliphate Project is a Second Life attempt to reconstruct 13th Century Moor Alhambra and build around this virtual space a community of individuals willing to explore the modalities of interaction between different languages, nationalities, religions and cultures shaped by authentic Islamic principles.
Those principles include political participation, separation of powers, justice and the rule of law. Membership in the community is open to all, regardless of sim land ownership, second life premium status, species of avatar, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or any other traditionally separatist classification, either real or apparent. The plan is to create a system of political and legal governance, based on notions of community self-governance, active citizen participation, equality, dignity, social justice, democracy and human rights. Idealistic? Absolutely. Possible? Let's find out.
Central Nexus, Extropia Core
Extropia is a rapidly growing community in Second Life, currently covering six sims, or approximately 400,000 virtual square meters. It was founded in November 2007 as an alternative to the dystopias and dark, grimy urban visions often created in Second Life. Its founders, currently constituted as a Board of Directors, believed that given a strong core of architecture and social events, a community could coalesce around the notion of collaboratively creating a city and a culture sharing a clean, bright, respectful and positive ethos. Their belief is succeeding, as Extropia has become a haven for persons exploring their identity in virtual worlds, a home to a growing number of prominent organizations, businesses and Honorary Citizens, and a locus of the intellectual exploration of digital society.
Extropia is home to regular weekly events, from fishing tournaments to a science fiction book club to Sophrosyne's Saturday Salon, one of Second Life's most widely attended talk show/discussions. The Board has organized numerous large events, including Yuri's Night - The World Space Party in Second Life, which drew triple-digit crowds for a tribute to Arthur C. Clarke, a special Salon with noted science fiction author David Brin, and NASA-sponsored interactive exhibits. Extropia previously hosted a 12 hour Solstice Party as a fundraiser for Uthango Social Investments/Virtual Africa, to help underwrite the launch of a portal designed to introduce Africans to virtual worlds, and Africa to the virtual-world community.
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