Kalistan

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Empress visits Luncasi and tours base
"We seek to build connections to the people of Kiezenia," said Empress
Luncasi, Tripartite Kingdom
November 15, 5696


Her Imperial Majesty speaks with Maj Gen James Howard, CO of Luncasi Naval Logistics Center during visit to Kizenia

Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto flew to Luncasi in Kiezenia, NEKK last week to visit the base and review progress on the Luncasi Commercial Port. She was accompanied on the trip by Her Imperial Majesty's new Defense Minister Nav Cmdr. Jane Smith, as a representative of Her Imperial Majesty's Government. Lady Ericka Donahue could not make the trip, as she is in budget talks. While on base the Empress spoke with the commanding officer of the bases' permanent contingent, Marine Maj. General James Howard, about operational needs and ways to increase engagement with and through the Kalistani expat community located at Luncasi. She sees the base not only as a service port to the elements of the Imperial First Regular Fleet who are stationed there, but also as a doorway for shared values and cultural diffusion.

"The Kalistanis who live in Luncasi make up an important part of the population of the Free City," she said in a speech in a speech to not only the Marines and Sailors who were previously inspected, but also to tens of thousands of citizens from Luncasi who came out to hear the Empress speak, both Kizenian as well as members of the Kalistani expatriate community. "They retain nationality in both the Empire and in Kizenia--they have lived here, worked here, and died here for generations and as such have a foot in both nations. They are true cosmopolitans, and we should do whatever we possibly can to strengthen that spirit while also strengthening ties with the home country as well. Our friendship and cooperation stretches back generations, and we are about to begin a new chapter in that relationship."

The Empress conducted a command wide inspection of all facilities, operations and personnel over the course of a week while on base, and met with local civic leaders and civil engineers to view the progress on the Luncasi Commercial Port, which is being constructed about a mile east of the Logistics Center. "We are pleased with the progress our builders are making to the port, and are happy to announce that construction is on-schedule to be completed in two years," said Her Imperial Majesty. "The main work of deepening and widening the old channel east of the River here in town has been completed, the foundations of the dockyard is laid in and the work remaining over '97 and '98 is to bring the facilities online. The Port's rail head is connected to the nation's railroad infrastructure, and this has been a godsend with regard to moving building material and supplies into the Port yard to speed construction. We expect to hand the fully completed commercial port over to the Free City of Luncasi in early 5699, in time for the season to begin, and meanwhile, Kalistani port operators will be working with Kizenian longshoremen to train on the new fully modernized and computerized equipment."

The Empress said she was very proud of the cooperation between Kalistanis and Kizenians living in the Free City. "We have far more in common than we have different," she said. "We may speak different languages, but as a matter of fact, we know the concepts of hard work, of that feeling of accomplishment, and of friendship and comradery radiates above the language barrier. Luncasi is a significant outpost for Kalistanis living abroad, who came here for business or family, or whatever reason, but on this foundation we have been able to build ties with the larger community of the Kizenia's Southern Coast in both Luncasi and to a smaller extent, in Delatbor as well. The building of this port by our two people will improve the economy for more than a quarter of a million people in the region and we should all be very proud of this accomplishment."

Kalistan's lease for the Luncasi Naval Logistics Center continues for the next 23 years, so during this time the Empress said would like to use the base to foster deeper cultural interaction between Kalistanis and Kizenians in the Free City of Luncasi. "We have communicated our desire to Major General Howard that the base will house a number of cultural facilities that are open to the citizens of Luncasi as well as Kalistani regulars who are stationed on base," said the Empress. "We are working with Kalistani expatriates to develop a new Cultural complex which features a Kalistani-Kizenian Friendship center, that will include meeting rooms for comparative cultural classes, language learning, especially for our Regular Marines and Sailors, and social spaces where Kalistanis and Kizenians can meet and mingle." The Complex will also feature a new auditorium for plays and concerts, as well as a new post exchange that will feature items from both our nations, so that both Kalistanis and Kizenians may be exposed to the elements of soft culture including food, music, fashion, and literature. "Last but certainly, not least," added Her Imperial Majesty, "it will also host a radio station affiliated with KRTVN which will produce programming for both Kalistani and Kizenian listeners. All these efforts will be made with the desire to more fully integrating with our hosts in Luncasi, and bringing a more cosmopolitan flavor to the town as a result of repeated interaction between our two people." The Empress also noted that the Egelians would be welcomed to participate, given their expansion of culture throughout northern Kizenia and New Endralon, and she would also like Dolgavan influences to be celebrated as well.

"The future of Luncasi," said the Empress as she finished her speech, "even more so than Deltabor, is one which merges Kalistani and Kizenian into a new, and fused culture. The goal, of course, is that the City's cosmopolitan makeup, which consists primarily of Kizenian and Kalistani parts with admixtures from other nations in Keris, will represent a truly international city, where all people from around the world are welcomed to come and see everything our region is and can become. It is wonderful to be a part of this journey and as a promise we make, this will not be our last visit to Luncasi. We will come back regularly, to encourage progress and to celebrate Luncasi's truly unique culture here in Southern Kizenia."

The Empress' very forward leaning and optimistic speech was very welcomed by the crowd of some 25,000 Kalistani expatriates living in Luncasi who attended, despite the cold and damp of the day. Her Imperial Majesty, in all, spent a week on base and travelling around Lucasi, meeting with the Kizenian Lord Mayor of the Free City, important members of the city's government , and regional business leaders who told her what the opening of the Commercial Port would do for business, not only in Luncasi, but also across the region. Kalistan has invested hundreds of millions of Imperial Rubles into the development of both the Naval Logistics center, as well as the construction of the Commercial Port, and businesses suggested that the Commercial Port could earn Kizenia as much as ₭150 Million annually in cargo handling fees alone, as it will represent the first major port along Kizenia's southern coast and a major conduit for Anantonese trade into and out of Keris.

@TheRepublic