Changhua County coin and postage stamp producer Chen Chung-yuan (陳重源) on Sunday said the self-proclaimed Free Republic of Liberland has selected his designs for its official stamps, which are to go into circulation on Sunday.
Liberland, which is not recognized by the international community, was proclaimed independent by its president, Czech libertarian Vit Jedlicka, in April.
The presumptive micro-nation claims sovereignty over the Gornja Siga region on the west bank of the River Danube, a 7 km2 parcel of land that incorporates the disputed border between Serbia and Croatia.
Photo: Tsai Tsung-hui, Taipei Times
Liberland announced that it would take Syrian refugees last month.
Chen, 29, is from Changhua County’s Dachu Township (大竹). He specializes in the design and production of individualized coinage. A graduate of National Shiou Shuei Senior Industrial High School, Chen said that he taught himself numismatics and philately, which are his personal and professional interests. He is also working on the design for Liberland’s national currency.
Chen made memorial coins for the Kuskus Shrine in Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹), a Shinto temple commemorating the Kuskus Aboriginal people who fought on the Japanese side in World War II.
He first learned of Liberland after its announcement it would shelter Syrian refugees and he decided to contact the government via its official Web site and Facebook page, Chen said.
He submitted his designs to the Liberland government, because he believes it will help Taiwan to be remembered in Liberland history, and promote international awareness of Taiwan as an independent and sovereign country, he said, adding that he was “very surprised” that Jedlicka agreed to use his designs following a discussion of their concept and meaning.
On Wednesday last week, Liberland announced the six designs of its national postage stamps on its Web site, which include stamps featuring a portrait of Jedlicka, Liberland’s prominent views and landscapes and its national coat of arms.
Liberland is to print between 500 and 1,000 booklets of the stamps for commercial sale, the proceeds of which will be put into to a trust aimed at furthering the cause of the territory, according to the Liberland Web site.
Chen said he volunteered his designs without asking or receiving financial remuneration.
An interesting incident occurred during his collaboration with the territory when he discovered that the Liberland Web site’s registration page listed Taiwan as “Province of China,” he said.
He lodged a complaint with the secretary of Liberland’s department of foreign affairs. The secretary promised to delete the offending phrase as soon as his IT department was able, Chen said.
Liberland recognizes Chen as its future ambassador to Taiwan. It plans to implement a president-led system of direct democracy, with English and Czech as its two official languages, according to a draft of the Liberland constitution.
The national motto of Liberland is “Live and Let Live.”
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