Dateline 2020: The first EVOKE Bank opens!

The mood was festive and expectations were high yesterday as Belgium had the scoop on being the first country to actually reform their National Bank into the EVOKE Bank of Belgium. The somewhat gaudy new sign (see picture) on the front of what was formerly "De Nationale Bank van Belgïe" in the city of Antwerp was the subject of quite some controversy, but, as the Belgian Prime Minister, Brick de Bois, stated, quoting the late Bob Dylan, "The times they are a changing. And new times ask for new ideas. **** the new sign, the new content is what this is about." He was greeted by loud cheers from an exultant crowd, waving a mix of Belgian an World flags.

De Bois' quote hits the spot, really. Ever since the collapse of the Euro in the mid tens and the subsequent return to national monetary units, European nations, formerly joined in the Eurozone, had been desperately rethinking their monetary system and even money as a wh***. This process, a result of the ever deepening financial crisis which started in 2009 with the collapse of the international banking system and which led to the bankruptcy of several countries on the planet and the demise of millions of people culminated today, in Belgium at least, in the birth of a unique bank.

As the spokeswoman for EVOKE, Riko Kamachi, said "Belgium can be proud to have the first EVOKE Bank on the planet. The new currency, the €VOK€ is not just a national currency but a planetary currency." This is true because Belgium has decided to let the value of the €VOK€ be directly linked to the average wealth of the citizens of the world.

When the second economic crisis within five years hit Belgium severely in 2014, the Belgian government urged suffering Belgians to apply for loans through KIVA.org, the celebrated online micro loan organization, which previously had only catered for people in the 'developing world', as it was until recently, still called. Belgians at first were reluctant but the international response was overwhelming, not only people from western countries, but also, and massively, people from poor countries gave 'mini micro loans', as they are called, to the Belgians.

The succes of these loans was due to the fact that through the micro loan organization KIVA, previously made micro loans by Belgian people to individuals and groups trying to better there living conditions in the 'developing world', a network of goodwill had been established on which the wave of loans just reversed direction.

"The tsunami of love" Belgians call it. One thing led to another. A newly elected government abolished Belgium's army, guaranteed tax free minimum wages to all Belgians and invested people and funds in the intensified research and deployment of sustainable technology, most of which got based on the often brilliant ideas developed by EVOKE's agents. In exchange for the use of these ideas, the profits made on the high tech technological derivatives were shared with all the 'mini micro lenders' all over the world. The low tech inventions are distributed freely through EVOKE centers around the world and through the internet.

History is being written. Amongst rumors that the Netherlands and France are considering joining what then would become the monetary €VOK€-zone as soon as possible, Belgium is celebrating the birth of a monetary unit that is not a financial commodity in itself, it is not a product. You cannot invest in the €vok€. Future development of the average welfare of the planet's citizens will decide the value of the new currency and for now at least, this looks bright, since Belgium is sharing profits on a planetary scale of the newly developed artificial photosynthesis units called "Br€ath".

When the evening fell upon the city of Antwerp, the traditional beer flowed in ample amounts. I went to a café near Antwerp cathedral to join in the festivities. As i got my 'bolleke', as the local brew is called, I wanted to pay with my very first €vok€s, but i was met by what might be a glimpse into an even simpler future that still lies ahead. The bartender looked at my crisp 5 €vok€ bill, then at me, smiled and said: " Nah, this one's on me. Who needs money anyway?"

Oberon Floatstone for EVOKE NEWS