https://memdeklaro.surge.sh/

Summary of Memdeklaro: Self-Declaration of Identity

Website: https://memdeklaro.surge.sh/

Github: https://github.com/memdeklaro/

Memdeklaro is a philosophical and humanitarian initiative that empowers individuals to self-declare their own identity, independent from traditional state or familial authorities such as birth parents, cultures, or countries. It advocates for freedom of name, belief, and association, positioning itself as an alternative to the restrictive and exclusionary state monopoly on identity.

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Key Insights

• Problem Addressed:
• Millions globally lack access to official government-issued IDs due to statelessness, refugee status, unregistered births, or escaping abuse.
• Lack of government ID leads to severe economic and social exclusion, affecting access to employment, housing, healthcare, education, travel, and basic life necessities.
• Current identity systems punish individuals for circumstances of birth—something beyond their control.
• Nation-states often refuse to issue stateless passports or emergency travel documents.
• Collectivist citizenship can force individuals to remain tied to cultures or governments they reject, including compulsory military conscription.

• Philosophical Foundation:
• Advocates a world where character, beliefs, and actions matter more than birth circumstances.
• Emphasizes individual autonomy and the right to self-define identity to escape oppressive or hostile environments.
• Memdeklaro uses Esperanto, an anational language symbolizing peace and freedom of association, for its identity declarations.

• The Memdeklaro Identity Document:
• A physical CR-80 plastic card or paper business card (85.6mm x 54mm).
• Not stored in any central database, requires no third-party authorization.
• The individual is the sole authority over their identity.
• Contains:
• Self-chosen first name and surname
• Birth date
• Photo and signature
• Notes field (e.g., conscientious objector status)
• Arbitrary ID number, issuance and expiry dates, issuer, and MRZ (Machine Readable Zone)
• Excludes:
• Place of birth (to allow detachment from hostile environments)
• Citizenship or stateless status (to allow existence outside state control)
• Parents’ names (to protect abuse victims)

• How to Obtain:
• Use an online generator that operates locally in the browser (no data sent to servers).
• Download a template to edit and print as a business card or order as a plastic card.

• Broader Context & Alternatives:
• Other non-government IDs include:
• World Passport (possible application with fingerprints only)
• Digitalcourage ID (self-chosen name, no government ID required)
• These alternatives reflect growing movements against reliance on state-issued identity documents.

• Critique of State ID Systems:
• ID requirements often harm more than help.
• Many everyday transactions can be anonymous or secured through alternative trust and authentication mechanisms (e.g., web-of-trust, cryptographic keys).
• Historically, self-declared identity was common before modern state systems; some legal systems still recognize it.

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Timeline Table of Relevant Identity Documents

| Document/Procedure | Status/Notes |
|--------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| United Nations Nansen Passports| Discontinued despite previous life-saving role |
| Red Cross Emergency Travel Docs| Rarely issued |
| Stateless Passports | Legally exist but rarely granted by nation-states |
| Memdeklaro Self-Declaration | Active, decentralized, no state involvement |
| World Passport | Available, no government ID required |
| Digitalcourage ID | Available, self-chosen data, no government ID required |

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Features of Memdeklaro Self-Declaration Card

| Feature | Description |
|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| Format | CR-80 plastic card or paper business card |
| Language | Esperanto |
| Identity Elements | First name, surname, birth date, photo, signature |
| Additional Notes | Optional notes field for personal statements |
| Exclusions | No birthplace, citizenship, or parents’ names |
| Authority | Individual is sole issuer; no third-party needed |
| Data Storage | No central database; local control |

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Core Concepts

• Self-Declaration: Individuals define their own identity.
• Freedom of Identity: Freedom from birth-imposed identity constraints.
• Decentralization: No centralized control or database.
• Esperanto Usage: Symbolic use of an anational, peace-oriented language.
• Humanitarian Alternative: Provides identity access to marginalized populations.

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Conclusion

Memdeklaro offers a radical rethinking of identity, prioritizing the individual's right to self-define over state or familial impositions. It addresses urgent humanitarian issues faced by stateless, refugee, and abused populations by providing a practical, decentralized identity document free from the limitations and exclusions of traditional state-issued IDs. Its use of Esperanto and emphasis on personal autonomy underscore a vision of a more inclusive, peaceful, and free world where identity is a matter of personal choice rather than birth circumstance.

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Additional Resources for Further Reading

• Passports as Temporary War Measures (Speranta Dumitru)
• Identity and Statelessness Issues (Privacy International, Vicki Prais)
• Dangers of KYC (Know Your Customer) Systems (Anarkio)
• Historical and philosophical perspectives on identity (The Economist, Common Thread)

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Keywords

• Self-declaration, Identity, Statelessness, Refugees, Humanitarian alternative, Memdeklaro, Esperanto, Non-government ID, Stateless passports, Freedom of association, Freedom of belief, Freedom of name, Decentralization, Economic exclusion, Personal autonomy, Identity monopoly.