Great Mazaloom Symposium: Regional Reform Announcement

(Year 232, Spring) The annual gathering, now with the refined name Great Mazaloom Symposium, took place this weekend at Museum of Classical Music in San Sequoia. Attempting a full regional rotation, this conference finds a new venue every year - last year in Tartosa. It is officially hosted by The Royal Chamber, quite often involving HRM King Tarriot, but other top positions of our community might join as well. This year the local Duke Vibrattore de Aarbyville contributed with a classical concert to celebrate his 50th birthday, and major details regarding the Regional Reform Y233 was announced!

King Tarriot leads the Royal Chamber, and is therefore a central person at the annual Symposium.

The guest list is always topped by the Royal Chamber, the kingdom's 5 dukes, as well as all 8 regional Mayors.

This year Duke Vibrattore de Aarbyville could welcome the Symbosium to San Sequia's Museum of Classical Music.

Some will bring their spouse, but the consortium is basically an arena for debating community matters. It has been criticized that only the five dukedoms are represented, which excludes regions where a Count is the highest nobility, but normally most of those dukes are already members of the Royal Chamber, anyway. Also, the 8 Mayors do represent all regions and therefore the entire kingdom is covered. Besides, journalists make sure to bring any news out to the people. You can even buy a ticket as a private person, meaning the political parties' core groups as well as other Politicians might attend, depending on the agenda. It is definitely not the closed arrangement that some accuses it to be.

King Tarriot, Duke Vibrattore de Aarbyville and Duke Jarret of Rossie all gave speeches.

This year's theme was «Our Children, Our Future». The program covered topics like how bugged marbles are ignored by adult politicians, whether it is right to charge extra taxes or admit tax relief for households with children, playrooms at recreation centers, and various aspects of our primary school system.

Regional Reform Year 233 Announcement 

Everyone awaited the Regional Reform Y233 announcement, which came last in the program. President Wilder has been accused of allowing this reform to take longer than strictly needed, especially the new SIM WORLD Party, not even represented at People Chamber, has been rather loud about this. The critic might have forced the People Chamber to vote a few details earlier than they originally planned:

Several details were already voted:

1. The full reform will be completed Winter of Year 232, with full effect from Year 233. The previous schedule was to debate the final details in Winter of Year 233, one year later. It will now be the formal implementation that takes place in Year 233, not the debate, and this allows for keeping the title of the reform.

2. The three chambers have agreed on the following rules: Mazaloom kingdom shall still have 8 regions. Within Year 243 no region shall have less than 200,000 residents (involving infants). This can be encouraged through future politics. 200,000 residents equals to 1 seat at People Chamber. A region with 920,000 residents will get 4 seats and a "leftover" of 120,000 that will be considered if there is any remaining seats to be addressed. No region will be allowed more than 5 seats. Further adjustments of the election law will only affect details of the routines, like describing the order of how seats are won, and will not affect the election or its result.

3. Church of Similius will have one reserved seat, not two like they had in the past. This is not a direct consequence of the recent debates involving gender equality, but more acknowledging the fact that People Chamber shall be a result of elections rather than of reservations. Our national religion keeps one seat, but to keep their seat they are now forced to actually attend the People Chamber regularly, not only when the agenda suits them. This can be further evaluated in the future.

4. District Oasis Springs, including their annex StrangerVille, has been permitted to switch regions from Region 12 Mazaloom to Region 7 Advorton. Oasis Springs did apply for this change long ago, based on their arid climate involving challenges that exist in Region 7, but not in the rest of the old Region 12. This change also secures Region 7 as a region to keep, because the population exceeds by 100,000. Wilder pointed out that Region 7 will still be one of the smallest regions, and they will be asked to make regional political efforts to raise their population to deserve a seat of the People Chamber. They must reach 200,000 within 10 years, or face another merging. This will represent a 87% population growth and can only be possible through active politics within Region 7. The new Region 7 Advorton will now cover the districts of Advorton, Chestnut Ridge, Oasis Springs (StrangerVille will still have annex status). Changes have effect from 1st Day of Spring in Year 233.

5. District Del Sol Valley will switch from Region 12 Mazaloom to Region 3 Tredony. This is based on geography as well as common history. Back in the Medieval era Tredony was the national center of trades, making for strong alliances with the Monarch. Today the Royal Palace is located in Del Sol Valley, even closer to Tredony than in those early days. Although Del Sol Valley is much bigger than the existing Region 3, this dramatically expanded region will be named Region 3 Tredony, in honor of our common past. The new Region 3 Tredony will cover the districts of Tredony, Tartosa (with Effenmont), and Del Sol Valley. Based on current population they will have 910,000 residents, which gives 4 seats at People Chamber and a leftover of 110,000 residents for a battle over any additional seats. By this, Region 3 Tredony will be among the three biggest regions. Changes have effect from 1st Day of Spring in Year 233.

6. Region 1 Windenburg and Region 6 Aarbyville will face no changes. Region 8 Ticktop will join either Region 2 Rossie or Region 4 Crafthole. Region 12 Mazaloom will be split into two regions, but it remains to decide the exact borders.

No changes will get formal before Year 233, but some administrative preparations might occur.

Journalists wanted to know what benefits a large region will have over a smaller region, but the answers were not very enlightening. Beyond more seats at People Chamber, there are currently no such benefits on national level, but of course a bigger region will normally have more possibilities locally. This is also a reason why the previously small regions need to merge with their neighbors. With no obvious changes, this topic will need to be addressed after the reform.

Royal Court line-up Year 232

First day of Winter is Investiture Day, aka Royal Court, where new high nobility Peers officially get their Peerage investiture and the Monarch's blessing, and where new members are knighted for the many orders. Due to the ongoing Regional Reform Year 233, which will make some district orders go extinct, the Royal Chamber has decided not to accept any new knights for the district orders this year.

Right before the closing of this year's Great Mazaloom Gatrhering, HRM King Tarriot traditionally announced this year's line-up. This is traditionally done minimum 6 months before Investiture Day.

The line-up will be as follows:

1. Grand Marshal Robert Calves to be knighted for the High Order of Warriors.

2. Mila Munch to be knighted for the High Order of the Golden Lion for her lifelong dedication for the Historical Society.

3. High Priest Ansgar Profedius of Church of Similius to be knighted for the High order of the National Sprout, on behalf of Church of Similius for many decades of providing their Vicarages with farming conditions.

In addition several consorts will be officially acknowledged.

Dinner and Entertainment

Then there was a grand dinner in the Museum of Classical Music's restaurant, followed by a concert, which was formally donated by Duke Vibrattore de Aarbyville to celebrate his 50th birthday.

Guests dressed up for the birthday celebration, and on front row we recognize Duke Charlopold de Cavalier, Count Helfert of Ticktop (red jacket), Duke Merlin von Windenburg, Duchess Ribra Lynn and Duke Jarret of Rossie. The first woman wearing an orange dress is unknown, probably a fill-in for Old-Duchess Claudine de Cavalier who was reported sick last minute.

On the balcony: HRM King Tarriot, Duchess Prudence, Duke Vibrattore de Croismare and HRH Queen Venezia.

Duke Vibrattore and Duchess Prudence enjoyed the concert from their private balcony, and HRM King Tarriot and HRH Queen Venezia were their official guests.

This venue is unique with its fantastic outdoor feel, changing with both the hour, season and weather. It is known to add dramatic effects to some concerts, but the funny thing is that such effects can never be well planned. Musicians love this unexpected touch that might bring a totally new flair to their performance, and the audience never know for sure if and when the backdrop might change.

Tonight the night sky was calm and the weather grey, but still a nice backdrop to a concert worth remembering. With a sunset or thunderstorm you would easily never forget.