Niels Vermeersch

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Monarch
Niels Vermeersch
Nicholas I of Flandrensis
Grand Duke Flandrensis.jpg
Niels Vermeersch in 2021 as Grand Duke of Flandrensis.
Grand Duke of Grand Duchy of Flandrensis
(Micronation)
Assumed office
September 4, 2008
Personal details
Born (1988-02-23) February 23, 1988 (age 34)
NationalityBelgian

Niels Vermeersch, also known by his pseudonym Nicholas de Mersch d'Oyenberghe,[1] is a Belgian micronationalist and the founder of the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis. He has been mentioned in several international publications about Flandrensis and micronationalism. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Since 2021 he is the chairmain of the environmental non-profit organization “vzw Groothertogdom Flandrensis”. [7]

Micronational career[]

Main article: Grand Duchy of Flandrensis

According several publications Niels started Flandrensis in 2008 as a temporally hobby without any longterm intention,[8] but the project quickly developed into a political simulation and later into a cultural organization.[3][5][4] Since 2016 the main focus is on Antarctica and climate change.[6][9] In 2021 Niels registered his micronation in Belgium as an environmental non-profit organization (vzw groothertogdom Flandrensis) that uses the concept of micronationalism to raise awareness on climate change.[7]

Niels is a frequent guest and speaker at micronational meetings and international conferences like the Polination Conferences in London [10] (2012) and Perugia (2015),[11][12] Aigues-Mortes (2016) and Vincennes (2018).[13][14] Some of the subjects were “Hobby-micronationalism in the 21st century”, “The influence of the internet on micronationalism” and “Ecological micronationalism”. In 2014 the French newspaper “Le Journal du Dimanche” described him as the “Woodrow Wilson of micronationalism”.[15]

Environmental micronationalism[]

Niels is one of the first who introduced the concept of environmental micronationalism, using micronationalism to raise awareness for climate change. Due this unique concept Niels and his micronation receives attention from media and academics in publication on micronationalism. He is the co-author of several ecological charters. After President Trump announced in 2017 to withdraw the U.S.A. from the Paris Agreement, Niels took the initiative for the “Micronational Declaration on Ecological Stewardship”, signed at the international micronational convention MicroCon in Atlanta (U.S.A.).[1]

Trivia[]

  • In 2014 the micronation Flandrensis – with Niels as central guest - was the theme of the television show "Normale Mensen" on the Belgian channel Één. [16]
  • During the Flemish regional elections in 2018 Niels was a candidate on the list of a local green-liberal party (Tope8920, place 12) in the town Langemark-Poelkapelle, but was not elected. A key part of his campaign was promotion of a local currency, using the micronation Aigues-Mortes as example.[17]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c BAUDET, M., Voyage dans les micronations, ces pays de fantaisie qui réinventent la démocratie, Le Monde, 16 August 2021
  2. ^ (in Dutch) DAMIAANS, R., DILLEN, R., Uw krant op bezoek bij Europese micronaties Deel 1: Flandrensis, Het Belang van Limburg, 20 July 2012, page 20-21
  3. ^ a b (in Dutch) DAMIAANS, R., DILLEN, R., Dwergstaten Deel 1: Flandrensis, Gazet van Antwerpen, 23 July 2012, page 8-9
  4. ^ a b (in Dutch) GHEERAERT, T., Diplomatieke rel om een deel van Antarctica, Het Wekelijks Nieuws, 05 September 2013, page 10-11
  5. ^ a b (in Dutch) VANSTEENKISTE, A., "Hoogledenaar is Groothertog van micronatie Flandrensis", Het Nieuwsblad, 13 September 2012, page 22-22
  6. ^ a b MIDTSJO, L., Vi eren en nasjon vi med, Finansavisen, 13 October 2020, page 21-34
  7. ^ a b , Registration non-profit vzw Groothertogdom Flandrensis, Kruispuntbank Ondernemingen, 12 August 2021
  8. ^ (in French) Oeuillet, J., Le business des vanités : enquête sur les arnaques à la noblesse, Ed. du Moment, 16 April 2015, pages 207, ISBN 978-2-35417-370-8
  9. ^ BEANLAND , C., King of your castle, Open Skies, Emirates Printing Press, 01 May 2019, page 49-50
  10. ^ PoliNation 2012: 2nd International Conference on Micronations Archived 2013-01-28 at archive.today
  11. ^ THE TELEGRAPH, T. Coote, , Inside the weird world of the micronation, 14 July 2015
  12. ^ (in French) BONZOM, N., « Le sommet francophone des micronations, entre folkore et engagement citoyen », 20 minutes, 26 September 2016,
  13. ^ The Brussels Times, Springtime of micronations spearheaded by Belgian "Grand-Duke" Niels, 8 December 2015
  14. ^ (in French) PLACER, A., Sommet de micronations sur le pavé: folklorique et citoyen, La Voix du Nord, 21 January 2018
  15. ^ (in French) PRUDENT, R., Envie d’être chef ? Toi aussi, crée ta micronation en dix leçons , ‘Rue 89', 12 June 2014
  16. ^ (in Dutch) Alaska TV., "Normale Mensen", video, Één, 23 September 2014
  17. ^ "Interview with Niels about local currencies".

External links[]

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