Founder Day Special: An Interview With Kazaman
ICH sits with the EIA Director and former President Kazaman for an exclusive interview on the occasion of Founder Day
Written by ICH
The Interview With Kazaman:
ICH: You have had a long storied career in the region. Could you give your audience a brief overview of your Europeian career (i.e, the positions you have served in etc)?
Kazaman: My earlier career was mostly in the Senate and ERN, as well as a brief stint in the EIA. The ERN continued to be a focal point later on, and the EIA much later, but I branched out to other roles too (most notably President, MoFA, and Justice).
ICH: Do you remember what led you to join Europeia?
Kazaman: Europeia was founded during a time of unrest and decline in the LKE, which is where I met HEM. So I heard about Europeia from him a few days after he founded it, which is the same story as many people from this very early time.
ICH: Throughout NS’ existence, we have seen several large UCRs rise and fall. However, Europeia is one of the few big UCRs that have managed to sustain itself over the years. What might be the reason behind it, in your opinion? What do you think sets Europeia apart from all the other UCRs?
Kazaman: It's a combination of a core of longtime citizens that stick around or come back, and new citizens that get involved and develop over the years. Usually you just need a handful of active people to keep a region afloat, but Europeia has many more than that, and a culture that newcomers often take to. XKI's success is for similar reasons, really, despite the very different cultures. NS regions operate on very simple principles, it's just that they're hard to balance over time, since you need constant direction and activity.
ICH: In a region with such a long history, there are of course going to be gloomy days just like how we have had bright days. At any point during your time here, were you skeptic about the region’s long-term outlook? If so, how do you feel we overcame it?
Kazaman: I've seen a lot of regions die, so every time there's an activity dip I have a voice in the back of my mind wondering whether this is the one, whether it'll be permanent. Similar thoughts come up when the region becomes overly chaotic, for example the FRAs infiltration, or the fallout from the IJCC. Too much negative activity is the second biggest region killer. But I have to say, it's tough to bet against Europeia. We've been incredibly resilient, and as long as we keep that core of active and new citizens going, the long term outlook should always be positive.
ICH: What is the thing you like the most about the region?
Kazaman: The community, its willingness to bounce ideas or try something bold.
ICH: Today’s Europeia is very different from the Europeia you had joined. Is there anything you miss from the Europeia of the past which you wish to see in today’s Europeia as well?
Kazaman: It's hard to say ... mostly I think NS has gotten better over time, including Europeia. I feel nostalgic about the past, but I don't think I'd reverse course.
ICH: Throughout your time here, what is your most memorable moment that you still cherish or think about to this day?
Kazaman: Winning the May 2021 presidential election.
ICH: To ensure Europeia’s long-term growth, what would you suggest us to particularly concentrate on?
Kazaman: Like I said before, NS regions are pretty simple. If you a core group remains active and productive, and new people are trickling in, then we can feel optimistic. For Europeia, being productive mostly means that the Executive and Senate need to keep the region running, keep our presence in the WA, keep talking to our allies, keep setting goals, and so forth. I might be wrong, but I don't see anything about the current moment that requires special action. Writinglegend's second term in 2022 is a nice example. It was very quiet, activity was low, but everything was going well, and eventually things picked up again.
ICH: Thanks Kaz for your time!