Giovanniland

@ZakkuRakuishi @Nova Angelus @Gerald @Tartarinan @East Pal Giulia All accepted! Welcome to the Hall. @Islamic-Nations You're already a citizen through the @Berke Khan account, so no need to apply again. @Ilya_Smuzi Your nation isn't a resident of the West Pacific anymore. @ricardotimoteo1@hotmail.com Please fill the application form in addition to posting the oath. @Mohorde I see you've filled the form, but please post the oath in this thread in order to complete the application.

No worries! Thank you for translating it. I think the first flag design looks good, I like wreaths on flags as seen by my flag.

Are you seeking opinions on which flags to choose through a poll? I've voted on one, but this forum is an English language forum so please make your posts in English, that way others can understand without needing to translate.

TWP stands with its treatied allies, so this embassy has been closed following recent events impacting two of them.

Thanks for the update!

Thank you for sharing this edition of the newspaper, it was a really great read!

Please register a forum account and post the oath in the English language this time. Also, I believe you haven't filled the form.

Good morning, everyone! I am Karlo Nakamura-Edrense, and am pleased to say that the Rugby Report has returned after four days, as the Giovannilandian rugby team enjoyed a bye in Matchday 3. Therefore, we'll talk about Matchday 4, which had the third match played by our rugby team. We'll discuss how it went, other teams' performances, and what to expect next! Giovanniland 24-25 Larxia (Halftime: 12-10) Tries: Demetro Gianluka (12'), Rivano Markellana-Tarrutio (25', 66'), Amelia Severina-Albugio (78') Conversions: Demetro Gianluka (13'), Rivano Markellana-Tarrutio (67') The Rugby Match — Matchday 4 saw our team play against another Andolian team, this time Larxia. They opened the match five minutes in, with a try and then a successful conversion scored by their captain Jake Kirk. However, seven minutes later, Giovanniland's Demetrio equaled the match after similarly scoring a try and a conversion. Loosehead prop Rivano then increased the score with another try, although failing to gain two more via a conversion. Larxia diminished the point gap after their player Richie Rich scored a drop goal, but Giovanniland stayed in the lead during halftime, with a score of 12-10. However, the second half wouldn't be so good as the first one for the Giovannilandian team. Two sudden tries by the Larxians Brodie Whitelock and Cameron Kubrick turned the tables, although captain Rivano would later bring the Giovannilandian score closer with another try, this time succeeding to convert. The final minutes of the match were tense, with a try by outside centre Amelia giving Giovanniland a glimpse of hope after taking back the lead 24-20. However, in the stoppage time, Larxia's Brock Levi would score a try and return the score into a loss for the Giovannilandian team, whose players tried to reply with at least a drop goal but were eventually stopped by the referee's final whistle. The coach Aquila Pinario-Oddo commented on the match, stating that it was a very close match and that they were proud of the Giovannilandian players for being a significant challenge for the opponents to overcome. Furthermore, while fans were distraught by another defeat, Aquila noted that the close score against Larxia, especially the 24 points scored, may very well be the decisive factor for a Giovannilandian qualification or not, provided the team wins their next match against Blue Bubble, as then it would come down to point differential. What's Next? Mathematical Analysis Shows — Following the two MD4 results for Group C, Larxia has guaranteed the group's first place with 12 points after passing through all four matches unbeaten, whereas Hanita Gracse has not won any match thus far and is eliminated. However, for the other three teams—Blue Bubble, Giovanniland, and Hertfordshire and Jammbo—their results as well as others' may decide whether they qualify or not. Therefore, the team here at our Rugby Report has put together a detailed table of every possible match result and their impact on the group standings, except for the already decided 1st place. PD means point differential, and the scenario marked with (*) means that, depending on PD and points scored, pretty much any combinations between GIO, HEJ and HGS alternating between 3rd, 4th and 5th can happen. Lavender means Giovanniland qualifies, orange means Hertfordshire and Jammbo qualifies, and blue means Blue Bubble qualifies. Therefore, this shows that Blue Bubble has the most chances, needing only to draw their game to secure their spot. Giovanniland has the second highest, albeit small chance, as they just need to win by a large margin and hope that the one scenario of H&J doing the same doesn't happen. Last but not least, H&J needs to not only win their game and have a higher PD than both Blue Bubble and Giovanniland, but also hope for Giovanniland to defeat Blue Bubble by any score. GIO vs. BLB HEJ vs. HGS 2nd 3rd 4th 5th GIO wins (15+ points) HGS wins (5+ points) GIO (6) BLB (6) HGS (3) HEJ (3) HGS wins (3 points) HEJ (3) HGS (3) Draw HEJ (4) HGS (1) HEJ wins, has PD ≤ BLB HEJ (6) HGS (0) HEJ wins, has PD ≤ GIO HEJ (6) BLB (6) HEJ wins, has PD > GIO HEJ (6) GIO (6) GIO wins (3-14 points) HGS wins (5+ points) BLB (6) HGS (3) HEJ (3) HGS wins (3 points) HEJ (3) HGS (3) Draw HEJ (4) HGS (1) HEJ wins, has PD ≤ GIO HEJ (6) HGS (0) HEJ wins, has PD ≤ BLB HEJ (6) GIO (6) HEJ wins, has PD > BLB HEJ (6) BLB (6) Draw HGS wins (5+ points) BLB (7) GIO (4) HGS (3) HEJ (3) HGS wins (3 points) HEJ (3) HGS (3) Draw HEJ (4) GIO (4) HGS (1) HEJ wins (any score) HEJ (6) HGS (0) BLB wins (any score) HGS wins (any score)* BLB (9) GIO, HEJ and HGS (3)* Draw HEJ (4) GIO (3) HGS (1) HEJ wins (any score) HEJ (6) GIO (3) HGS (0) Elsewhere in the Cup — As a follow up to our previous report, we will also be covering both Matchday 3 and 4 results for other nations! Let's start by Group A. In MD3, Denieria's 13-17 defeat to Santos-Dominius saw them eliminated from the competition, whereas Zoran climbed to the top of the group after winning 27-15 against Teralyon. The Teralyans were also unlucky on the next matchday, defeated 0-10 by Saint Mark and thus eliminated as well. Zoran's MD4 victory of 21-7 against Santos-Dominius cemented their qualification, while Saint Mark and Santos-Dominius' MD5 match will define who gets the other spot. Regardless of the result, Aurans should be proud that their continent dominated Group A! Aura wasn't so lucky in Group B, however. Dilber, the only team representing our continent, was eliminated after successive defeats to Dalimbar and Fujai, 5-23 and 7-10 respectively. The same fate happened to Einherfell after losing to Nieubasria 16-31 and so far not winning any game. Meanwhile, MD4 saw a Dalimbari 10-3 win against Nieubasria that also confirmed the former a spot in the knockout round. This leaves two other Polarian teams, Nieubasria and Fujai, in contention for the second spot—both have to win the match against the other, or else risk elimination. In Group C, besides Giovanniland's matches, MD3 saw a Larxian 17-3 victory against fellow Andolian team Hertfordshire and Jammbo, who had decisively defeated Giovanniland one matchday earlier. The elimination of Hanita Gracse also happened on the same day, when they lost 20-22 to our Lavender Island neighbors Blue Bubble in a close match. Talking about Blue Bubble, they have also been on a two-win surge after losing their initial match, their second win also coming against H&J with a score of 32-16. As you can see in the table above, it will be an exciting MD5 for Blue Bubble, Giovanniland, and H&J as the three all fight for the second place spot in Group C—whereas Larxia has guaranteed the first place. Last but not least, Group D's third matchday saw a close match between Cambria and United Adaikes result in a 19-24 win for the latter, whereas Nagaraningrad defeated Qostaoyae 22-8. However, following MD4 results, both Nagaraningrad and Qostaoyae, as well as Min-Su, were all eliminated from competition as United Adaikes and Cambria won their respective matches and surged to nine points each. United Adaikes won against Qostaoyae 24-10, whereas Cambria defeated Min-Su 23-20, with the former standing in first place due to point differential. Cambria has a bye on MD5, but depending on United Adaikes' future performance against Nagaraningrad, the two teams may switch places. Odds and Ends — Five days ago, the Giovannilandian Rugby Confederation published a statement strongly urging Blubberman, head sports correspondent of the Santo-Dominian Cable-Satellite Network Channel 3, to apologize for making inciteful comments about various nations of Esferos, especially the host nation Zoran. Furthermore, the statement also suggested the SDCSN to consider another head sports correspondent to take their place. Following our last edition of the Rugby Report, calls for Blubberman's removal intensified in his home country Santos-Dominius, and tensions rose to a high after Zoranian rugby fans even denied the Santo-Dominian rugby team entry in the stadium before the two countries' match, until Team SD also condemned Blubberman's actions in a statement. The end result has been successful, with the reporter not only fired from SDCSN, but also facing charges from the Zoranian Ministry of Justice for violating the nation's Hate Speech Act.

Thank you for delivering the monthly foreign report and the update about the new Director of FA! Congratulations to them as well.

Welcome Ist! Glad to see you here.

SPORTRAVEL Iconic Rugby Stadiums of Giovanniland: Part One Posted 15/02/1422 Rugby is a sport with a recent but respected Giovannilandian presence on the world stage. The sport was first introduced in Giovanniland in the early 14th ceuntry, and in 1325 the National Rugby League of Giovanniland was founded by various teams across the nation. Four years later, the first national team was formed in 1329 at the Stadio Purpuro in Giovannia, with some of the best players from the leading national teams. The Giovanniland Rugby Confederation has since then earned various notable international results, such as 3rd place in the 1st Rugby World Cup (Rugby Union), and also 3rd place in the 1420 and 1421 editions of the Esferiad (Rugby Sevens). Therefore, Giovannilandians and sport-loving tourists might want to visit some of the best rugby pitches and stadiums in Giovanniland, even when they're not actively having games, to appreciate these beautiful buildings and the rugby sport itself. This list will hopefully be a several-part series over the next few weeks, but for Part One, we have chosen to list three. Stadio Giordano, Quorivo, Lavandula Prima - Capacity: 75,920 Esferiad fans will definitely remember this stadium, as it was the Rugby Sevens host venue for the Quorivo & Kharventhin Summer Esferiad of 1421. The stadium is located in eastern Quoriv on the margin of the Purpuro River, and currently bears the name of a famous Giovannilandian player of both Rugby Sevens and Rugby Union, who formerly coached the national team from 1402 to 1421. It's also the oldest rugby stadium of the country, founded in the early 14th century. Stadio Purpuro, Giovannia Capital City - Capacity: 90,675 The national team's home stadium and also the largest one in all Giovanniland! Although it is not the oldest stadium in the nation, it is certainly the most important one, since it has held every final match of the National Rugby League of Giovanniland, bringing thousands of rugby fans into the national capital to watch pivotal matches. Due to this role, the stadium does not have a home team and is instead reserved for the national team's training most of the time. Kampo Montane Lavande, Urbolina, Verdiante - Capacity: 5,260 While there are certainly many other big rugby stadiums in Giovanniland's most populous cities, we have decided to go with something different for the last featured one of the first part of this series. Off the beaten track in the sparsely populated Verdiante region, this pitch has the distinction of being the highest rugby pitch of Giovanniland, with an altitude of 1875 meters. Its capacity is very small, but a fair number considering Urbolina's population of around ten thousand people. Nevertheless, it is home to the Urbolina Unikorni team of the National Rugby League, and often gets many visitors due to the iconic nature and mountains around it, besides the rugby matches themselves. That's all for the first part of this series! Thank you for reading, and we wish you good and safe travels if you are looking to visit these and other rugby places in Giovanniland. If you've got suggestions for the next parts, email us at sportravelgiovanniland@giovamail.com!

That is a well-detailed update, thank you for sharing! Congratulations to the new King, and to those recently elected in the January 2022 General Election.

Hello and good morning to everyone watching this special Rugby Report! I am Karlo Nakamura-Edrense, the main host of this program that aims to keep Giovannilandians informed of the latest happenings of the 3rd Rugby World Cup, and today I bring you news about Matchday 2. We'll talk about the second match played by our rugby team, how it went, as well as other teams' performances and what to expect next. Giovanniland 0-19 Hertfordshire and Jammbo (Halftime: 0-8) The Rugby Match — Matchday 2 saw our team play against the Andolian team of Hertfordshire and Jammbo and lose with a score of 0-19, an unfortunate defeat for a match expected to be roughly equal. In the first half of the match, Giovanniland attempted many times to score first, but those attempts did not lead into any points. Instead, Hertfordshire and Jammbo opened the score when they were awarded a penalty after Giovannilandian player Alessandra Giovene-Tarrutio was offside and did not make an effort to return onside. The Hertfordians further increased their score after scoring a try near the end of the first half. The scoring was 0-8 when teams returned, so the Giovannilandian players tried to score and level the game, but those goals eventually failed. The second half wasn't great for Giovanniland either, with Hertfordshire and Jammbo scoring another try 10 minutes into the second half, with two drop goals following in minutes 58' and 71'. These eleven points widened the gap to 19 points between the two teams, and despite Giovannilandian attempts to score even a few points, the score finished with no points for the Giovannilandian team. Following the match, head coach Aquila Pinario-Oddo commiserated with the team over the defeat, and also announced a few changes in the main lineup. The Giovannilandian team will train during the bye in Matchday 3 to bounce back from the defeat, their next match being against group leader Larxia. Elsewhere in the Cup — I'll also talk a bit about the other games of Matchday 2. In group A, the match of Zoran vs Saint Mark was a close encounter between two Auran nations, with Zoran prevailing 10-7. Meanwhile, the other match saw Denieria lose 17-19 to Teralyon, whereas Auran team Santos-Dominius enjoyed a bye. In Group B, our continent is only represented by Dilber, who won 15-3 against Einherfell. However, all eyes were cast down the other match, Dalimbar vs Fujai, pitting against each other two nations with tough political relations. The Dalimbar Union da Rugby eventually won 14-7 against the Landslag. In Group C, besides Giovanniland's match, Hanita Gracse played against Larxia, the latter winning 14-3 against the former, while our Lavender Island neighbors Blue Bubble had a bye. This means that both teams have achieved the same results as their respective first matches—Larxia winning twice, and Hanita Gracse sadly losing twice. Last but not least, Group D had two very close matches! Cambria prevailed over Nagaraningrad by just one point, the final result being 8-7, while the Adaikesians' victory against Min-Su had a final score of 12-10, meaning a difference of only two points. Odds and Ends — In other sports-related news, many sport fans around Esferos have enjoyed reading or watching their favorite news broadcasters or publishers talk about the 3rd Rugby World Cup, but one particular news outlet has had many people raising eyebrows. Santo-Dominian Cable-Satellite Network Channel 3, or SDCSN3 for short, is a known television channel from Auran nation Santos-Dominius that is currently providing news about the Cup. However, their head sports correspondent Approctoflecticus Blubberman has been more known for their news reporting gaffes recently. In the latest SDCSN broadcast, Blubberman talked about Matchday 2 results. However, they also raised some offensive opinions about our Zoranian neighbors, stating that "all that war and destruction must've hardened them - maybe a bloody civil war is good for rugby training." This is an unnecessary remark that serves nothing but to incite unneeded turmoil, whereas the intent of the Rugby World Cup is to bring nations together and celebrate the rugby sport. Due to these remarks, the Giovannilandian Rugby Confederation strongly urges Blubberman to apologize for making these inciteful comments, and the SDCSN to consider another head sports correspondent to take their place.

Good morning Giovanniland! I am Karlo Nakamura-Edrense, the main host of the Giovannilandian Sports Report and of its special rugby edition that aims to keep Giovannilandians informed of the latest happenings of the 3rd Rugby World Cup. After yesterday's report that served as an introduction to the 3rd Rugby World Cup, today we'll talk about the first match played by our rugby team and how it went. Giovanniland 14–7 Hanita Gracse (Halftime: 8-7) Tries: Samanta Alba-Nyima (5') Drop Goals: Hettor Martiano-Gaio (13'), Nikolo Hortense (43'), Lukio Katullo-Vittori (51') The first half of the match was the most active of both halves, with both teams scoring a total of 15 points. Samanta scored a try five minutes in, and even though she failed to earn two more points that would have been given if she scored the conversion, these five points from the try were important for Giovanniland to start well in the game. Eight minutes later, backside flanker Nikolo scored a drop goal and rose Giovanniland's score to eight, although the Hanita Gracse team soon scored a try and a conversion to bring the score to a close 8-7, which persevered during halftime. After returning to the field, the team swiftly followed her orders, with drop goals by Nikolo and Lukio scored within 11 minutes of the second half's start. After those, the Giovannilandians took a more defensive strategy in order to secure the 14-7 score, and there wasn't much else to report about the match. The Hanita Gracse team was hoping to score another try and conversion to level the score, but these hopes never came to fruition and the match was won by Giovanniland. Nevertheless, captain Rivano commented that the opponents' performance was very impressive for a World Cup newcomer and respected the Hanita Gracsean team. Following the match, head coach Aquila Pinario-Oddo congratulated the team, and noted that Matchday 2 has a tough challenge ahead for Giovanniland, as they will meet 1st Rugby World Cup champions Hertfordshire and Jammbo. Our head of state, King Giovanni VI, also praised the team for its Matchday 1 performance and wished the team good luck in future matches, during a casual meeting with Prince Marcarius of Saint Mark at New Zoradia, hundreds of kilometers away from Leo Rugiet where our team is stationed. This is reporter Karlo signing off, as our TV channel will move on to non-sports news. See you in two days for the Rugby Report about Matchday 2!

Welcome to the third edition of the Giovannilandian Rugby Report! I am Karlo Nakamura-Edrense, the main host of the Giovannilandian Sports Report and of its special rugby edition that aims to keep Giovannilandians informed of the latest happenings of the 3rd Rugby World Cup. If you didn't know yet, this edition of the World Cup is being hosted in an Auran country for the second time in a row, namely Zoran! After the 2nd edition was hosted in the far away lands of northern Aura, this time it's closer to home, as the beautiful waters of Darkesian Sea separate our northern coast to their southern one. We've already dispatched a team of reporters to the northern Zoranian city of Leo Rugiet, whose Markanus Stadium will host all matches of Group C, the group where our team will play during the group stage. This city certainly has an interesting history, as its northern location made it a key point of contact between Zoran and Saint Mark during the Pax Markana, the era of Saint Markian domination of all of Aura except for our Lavender Island. Furthermore, smaller teams of journalists are also present in Divando Gadoalatesv, Marelitus and Yemiduga City, the hosts for groups A, B and D respectively. Furthermore, we've also received news that King Giovanni VI will travel to Zoran soon and possibly visit heads of state from some of the 19 other nations present in the tournament. It is expected that the Prime Minister, Amore Gile Abrente, will stay at Giovannia, although Minister of Sports Fernando Nimmeranese may also go along with the King and his security guard. Anyways, now we'll talk about the group stage! In addition to our team, Group C brings together champions of the 1st Rugby World Cup Hertfordshire and Jammbo; hosts of the recent T20 World Cup Larxia; Lavender Island neighbors and tournament newcomers Blue Bubble; and last but not least the Polarian team and also newcomer Hanita Gracse. With two nations from Aura, another two from Andolia, and one from Polaris, this group of the World Cup brings five very different countries, only two of which will move forward to the knockout stage. While our team has the second-highest score in the rugby rankings authored by the nation of Dalimbar, only lower than H&J, the other three teams cannot be underestimated. Our first match will be against Hanita Gracse, and we wish good luck to our team in the opening round. After that, it is against the southern Andolian nation that the Giovannilandian team will then play against, in a match pitting two of the strongest rugby teams of Esferos against each other. Matchday 3 will see a bye for the Giovannilandians, after which they will play against Larxia and lastly Blue Bubble. In order to bring this first report to a perfect end, we have also prepared a special interview for you. Madalena Vindemia, former head of the press corps covering the Kharventhin events of the 2nd Summer Esferiad, has made a comeback and now leads the live coverage of the Giovannilandian team at Leo Rugiet. She has managed to contact Rivano Markellana-Tarrutio, captain of our national rugby team, for an interview, so we'll now connect with her. "Hello, Madalena!", greets Karlo. "Hey there!", answers Madalena. "This morning, we're here for an interview with Rivano Markellana-Tarrutio. Rivano, you've represented the Giovannilandian team as its captain for all three editions of the Rugby World Cup including this one. What are your feelings about the upcoming matches?" Rivano answers: "Greetings! I think our team will be able to perform greatly in this World Cup, and am excited to play again in an official capacity since I played as part of the Rugby Sevens Esferiad team at home and helped it earn a bronze medal there." "Now for the second question," Madalena continued, "what are some changes that the team has had since the last Rugby World Cup?" "In the World Cup of 1421 our team did not have a result as good as the 1420 one, but this time we are under new management. Furthermore, we've also brought new talents from all across Giovanniland, making a team more nationally inclusive than before," remarked Rivano. "Thank you for the well-thought answer!", noted Madalena. "Last but not least, I have a legacy question for you. Being a member of the Giovannilandian squad for all three editions of the cup, what is the best rugby memory you have from either of the two past ones?" "Ooh... this is hard," thought Rio. "There are many, but if I were to choose one, it was assisting Skipio Abudia-Lukullo and Pietro Numeriani in both their 3-point scoring during the Giovanniland vs Dalimbar 3rd place match of the 1st Rugby World Cup. Our team went from behind to win the match and finish third in the tournament, and that was certainly a great match to remember for many years." "That sounds like a nice memory indeed," commented Madalena. "Thank you for your time in this short interview, Rivano. Now I give you back the floor, Karlo, if you have anything else to talk about." "Actually, that's it for this first episode of the Rugby Report's third edition, I'm afraid my time is up anyways. Our TV channel will move on to non-sports news, so see you in two days for another Rugby Report, where I'll talk about the results of the first match!

Giovannilandian National Rugby Team Esquadra Nationale Giovanniterrana Ovalsfere Style mod: -3 Stadium: Stadio Purpuro, Giovannia Manager: Diokletio Ventomar Coach: Aquila Pinario-Oddo Previous Appearances: 3rd Place, 1st Rugby World Cup 3rd Place, 1st Summer Esferiad 3rd Place, 2nd Summer Esferiad Group Stage, 2nd Rugby World Cup Roster: Name Gender Age Number Position Home City Rivano Markellana-Tarrutio (C) Male 27 1 Loosehead Prop Giovannia Samanta Alba-Nyima Female 21 2 Hooker Abrentopole Eugenio Akerrone Male 19 3 Tighthead Prop Medottone Demetro Gianluka Male 25 4 Lock 1 Vinikiano Alessandra Giovene-Tarrutio Female 24 5 Lock 2 Zampessa Hettor Martiano-Gaio Male 22 6 Backside Flanker Porto Violeto Nikolo Hortense Male 26 7 Openside Flanker Artena Giovanna Antonia Female 28 8 Number 8 Salvoregno Pietro Numeriani Male 21 9 Scrum-half Annavilla Erasmo Montemor-Pauli Male 20 10 Fly-half Sonserina Helena Quavilla Female 22 11 Left Wing Quorivo Rosangela Altanese Female 27 12 Inside Centre Islamagna Teresa Torio-Albinia Female 25 13 Outside Centre Bayabella Lara de Abreo-Florino Female 23 14 Right Wing Amorante Lukio Katullo-Vittori Male 21 15 Full-back Porto Violeto Lauro Nero Portovini Male 19 16 2nd Loosehead Prop Augusterra Kesar Tallone-Alliga Male 20 17 2nd Hooker Imperano Amanda Gargilio Female 24 18 2nd Tighthead Prop Villaflori Sandra Allamore Female 25 19 2nd Lock 1 Gioseppole Tommaso Kandido Silva Male 20 20 2nd Lock 2 Flaviopole Paldena Lartidiano Female 27 21 2nd Backside Flanker Uryde Massimiana Angilio-Visellio Female 21 22 2nd Openside Flanker Quorivo Katia Uriarte-Histrino Female 24 23 2nd Number 8 Potestana Daria Masurio Female 18 24 2nd Scrum-half Abrentopole Anna Volkatio-Giusti Female 20 25 2nd Fly-half Giovannia Markio Telliano Ulpio Male 28 26 2nd Left Wing Porto Violeto Gellio Flamma-Fortunato Male 26 27 2nd Inside Centre Sonserina Amelia Severina-Albugio Female 21 28 2nd Outside Centre Giovannia Virginio Pakario Asprena Male 18 29 2nd Right Wing Purpurana Benditta Kastrigio Female 23 30 2nd Full-back Kyene Jerseys: If my opponent RPs first, they may... Choose my try scorers: Yes Choose my kicker: Yes RP injuries: No Godmod scoring events: No Godmod injuries: No Godmod other events: No

Please create a forum account and then fill the form & post the oath correctly.

Since the transition has now happened, I can be masked as Delegate of the West, and @Dilber as Former Delegate and Guardian (although Dilber's Admin mask overrides both of them I think, so perhaps it's not needed?). Furthermore, @Overthinkers, @United Adaikes and @Saint Mark have all recently been appointed as Guardians, but I believe that hasn't been updated forum-side. Thank you!

Hello everyone! I am Giovanniland, 51st Delegate of the West Pacific, and today I will deliver an opening speech just like my predecessor. Firstly, I would like to thank @Dilber for the time and effort he has put into the region for his 14 months of delegacy. Dilber's reign has been the longest in the history of the West, and during it we saw numerous new initiatives that have benefited our region in multiple spheres of NationStates. I am thankful that he has chosen me as the next Delegate of the West, and am happy to announce that Dilber will continue to serve as a Guardian and advisor to our region. Talking about Guardians, I also have another announcement to make: @Saint Mark (Halo) will return to the team as well, so congratulations to both Dilber and Halo for their new positions! Here I will also announce some other major changes in our regional leadership. As @Fuentana has already led the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with myself during Dilber's delegacy, I am pleased to announce that he will now assume the full duties of this position. Fuentana has done a great job so far in advancing this key part of the region, and I am confident that this will extend to my delegacy. Furthermore, @Fujai will return as the main editor of The Western Post after my leadership for most of 2021, and I believe our regional newspaper will continue to flourish just like when Fujai previously oversaw it. Now, I would like to talk about some of my plans for the West Pacific. In the World Assembly, I wish to increase our activity both internally and externally. Internally, this means there will be campaigns to encourage not only endorsements for myself and the Guardians, but also cross-endorsing between the other WA member nations in our region, as this is often one of the first steps for new nations to get more involved in our community. Externally, I wish to continue our increasing presence in resolution authorship and interregional cooperation, especially in the Security Council, as our region has seen great progress in that area during 2021. Promoting this part of the game within the region and getting other people interested in writing resolutions is one of my goals. In regards to Foreign Affairs, one of the big achievements of Dilber's delegacy was to greatly expand our Foreign Affairs horizons, and I wish to continue this legacy. A working relationship with another region means to actively collaborate with them in many ways; exchanging active ambassadors, holding cultural events, cooperating on World Assembly and military affairs, and many more. So this will be one of my key points to ensure that the West Pacific continues to have active ties with the current regions we have diplomatic relations with, as well as working on newer ones if opportunities arise. Meanwhile, our Hall of Nations has seen great reforms spearheaded by Dilber, especially on the field of transparency, and events such as government Q&As and community cabinet meetings will continue to happen under my delegacy. There will also be another election cycle taking place from January 10th to 19th to elect a Speaker and Guardian of the Hall of Nations for the next 3 months. Last but not least, the Regional Guides keep their mission to foster gameside involvement through welcoming new nations and hosting the daily Today in the West activities, while the Cultural Trust and its many communities will also continue promoting our culture to the entire region: Roleplay Community, Card Club, News Group, West Pacific Gaming, Fine Arts Society, and The West on The Waves have all achieved many things recently and deserve not only a spotlight, but also encouragement to reach even more goals. On a closing note, as I highlight many of our recent regional achievements and outline future plans, I also leave my thanks to everyone that has contributed in any way to the region: the community is what turns the West Pacific into the Best Pacific. And for the residents looking to start their NationStates journey, I invite them to look at some of the great opportunities our region has to offer. I look forward to leading the West Pacific and its community, and I am open to any suggestions or ideas. Giovanniland, Delegate of The West Pacific

Thanks for the update and a happy New Year to you!

Lavender Festival Finishes while Esferos welcomes 1422 After a coverage of the first four days of Giovanniland's Lavender Festival, the correspondent Amalia Elisa-Montana of the Giovannilandian Gazette's northern branch is back to report on more news! The fifth day featured interesting purple-colored soap made of lavender, which was sold with a discount on its price at various markets of the Lavender Fair, while for the sixth day it was lavender bath salt. Lavender is used to relieve anxiety and boost mood in aromatherapy, thus the bath salt can also help one to relax after a tiring day. During the latter day, the governors of the Lavanda Prima and Lavanda Sekunda regions, Teodoro Anario-Lauro (Partito Soquale-Verde) and Plinio Tassi Dazano (Partito Violetista) made a joint public appearance thanking the city of Uryde for the organization and the people of Giovanniland for celebrating once more the festival. Furthermore, the sixth and seventh days also saw the notable Lavender Arts Exhibition happen. Due to its prominence in Giovannilandian culture, the lavender has of course been represented in many paintings, poems, music pieces, and more. The Uryde Museum organized a special part of its art gallery for artworks related to the theme, and is also hosting a popular art contest about the best lavender-themed modern artwork, with entries open for another day as I write. Good luck to the contestants! Meanwhile, poems such as Lavender Island by Giovannese poet Gyalba Tuditano-Poska could be heard being recited by people, just like songs about the special plant. Lavender bath salt and lemonade, for the 6th and 7th days respectively. About the seventh day, the featured lavender product was the famous Giovannilandian lavender lemonade, which could be seen in restaurants and bars in the city of Uryde during that day. It is a popular drink for Giovannilandians to celebrate the New Year with, as they watch purple fireworks in the night sky during the hot summer. Giovanniland isn't the first country in Esferos to celebrate the New Year, but celebrations are plenty as it has arrived to the International Atomic Time. As I write this newspaper article, I can still see many purple fireworks above Uryde's buildings, although they will probably end soon as New Year celebrations come to a close and Giovannilandians go to sleep while thinking about this coming year of 1422. This means that the Lavender Festival also comes to an end, so thank you for reading this two-part report by the Nuntikarta Giovanniterrana's northern branch, and a happy New Year to you!

Thank you for the update!

First Four Days of the Lavender Festival! On the 25th of December, the nation of Giovanniland started its celebration of the Lavender Festival. Throughout the country, one can spot many gardens and fields made purple by the color of the lavender plant, as well as wonderful decorations and perfumes inside houses. People prepare their bunches of lavender to leave at the doorstep, waiting for good fortunes in 1422, which will also start with beautiful purple fireworks. On the first day of the celebration, an opening speech was given by the Mayor of Uryde, Gyalseno Velanio-Lodeno, mentioning the longevity of the Lavender Festival and officially declaring the Lavender Fair open. The first two days were interesting for culinary connoisseurs, as lavender cupcakes were highlighted for the first day, and lavender tea for the second. The Prime Minister of the nation, Amore Gile Abrente, notably visited the second day of the fair, and told reporters that she was pleased with Velanio-Lodeno's innovative idea, and hoped for further cultural collaboration between national, regional, and municipal governments. The lavender cupcakes and tea for the 1st and 2nd days respectively. Later, the 3rd and 4th days had lavender healthcare products featured, such as lotion bars and face cream. Furthermore, on the 28th of December, many people went into the Lavandulan Mausoleum of Uryde to mourn the death of Emperor Tsering I (reigned 1132-1111 BF), with lavenders placed near his tomb. Besides being the father of the emperor Tsering II that created this very celebration, he also founded a dynasty that contributed a lot to the Lavandulan Empire internally, and prepared it for further expansions during the peak of the empire in the following next centuries. Anyways, that is all that has happened during the first four days of the Lavender Festival! Tune in again later for a retrospective of the next three days and the New Year, in a festival full of culture and history that is worth celebrating. This is correspondent Amalia Elisa-Montana of the Nuntikarta Giovanniterrana's northern branch, signing off.

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The Lavender Festival of Giovanniland The Lavender Festival is one of the most prominent Giovannilandian holidays, along with New Year (January 1st), Empire Day (January 16th), Kingdom Revolution Day (June 15th), Harvonian Day (August 29th), and Constitution Day (October 30th). It happens during the week before New Year, starting from December 25th, meaning it's also often considered together with New Year composing its final day. The festival dates back to the age of the Lavandulan Empire, with archaeological records pointing to the first edition being held around 1100 BF during the reign of Emperor Tsering II. The capital Uryde, at the time known as Lavandula, had prominent lavender fields around it and was thus chosen as the main location for the event. The tradition has passed down generation to generation ever since, from the days of the Lavandulan Empire, then the post-imperial Duchy of Quorivo, and continues to the present day. The flag of the Lavanda Prima region. The green represents the soil, the lavender represents the plant's fields, and the blue represents the sky. The lavender is commonly seen in Giovanniland as a symbol as prosperity and renewal, hence the festival's date just before the New Year. However, since the modern calendar was only introduced in Giovanniland through the Abrentans, the celebration has not always happened during the same time of the year. Only after Emperor Giovanni II the Great unified the entire island under the Giovannilandian Empire did the celebration expand beyond the Lavandulan region and start to happen all across the nation. The festival passed on to the modern Kingdom of Giovanniland, and its holiday status was enshrined into law after the passage of the Holidays Act of 1253. Giovanniland celebrates the holiday with various activities. Lavender is planted into home gardens some months in advance of the event in order to have them fully grown, and lavender bunches are used to decorate the insides of houses. Lavender aroma compounds and perfumes from lavender oil are also used to give a pleasant odor, and various food recipes also use parts of the lavender and are commonly baked during the festival. Last but not least, it is a common tradition to leave some lavender bunches at the doorstep, so that good fortunes can ensue for the following year. Therefore, one can see how important this festival is for Giovannilandians from all the nation, and especially the northern part where it originated from. The current mayor of Uryde, Gyalseno Velanio-Lodeno from the Partito Librale-Demokrata, has capitalized on this opportunity to improve the city and the nation's economy through the creation of the upcoming Lavender Fair, with several markets across the city taking part. Each day, a different lavender product will be featured in those markets and have a discount on its price, while other lavender products will be sold normally, although the specific items won't be revealed until their own day. Furthermore, Prime Minister Amore Gile Abrente is expected to visit the fair and deliver a speech about this important celebration, helping on visibility. Lavender products on sale at a market in Uryde.