NON-NATION

At least ten million people worldwide are stateless, living in limbo, without a nationality, citizenship or government to protect their rights. Interviewing a number of them, Alex Szwaj was struck by how lonely, invisible and powerless they all feel, having no say in their own future whatsoever. She documented their life stories, and searched for ways to help them gain more control. One of those is to belong to a nation, have a common territory. The Web offered the space, and Alex offered a place to start with. ‘NON-NATION’ is an online platform where stateless people can commune and connect. The open-source set-up allows them to co-create their own virtual state that, in time, may gain a seat in the UN and give them a voice in the public debate.