Estonia planning to open virtual embassy

30.08.2007

TALLINN, Aug 30, BNS - Estonia is planning to open its embassy in the Second Life virtual environment, planning to spend about 100,000 kroons (EUR 6,400) on the project, the daily Eesti Paevaleht reported.

Foreign Ministry Deputy Secretary General Marten Kokk told the paper that the aim of the virtual Estonian embassy would be to showcase the Estonian state and the plans were to open it by the Foreign Ministry's anniversary, November 11.

"The current situation is that the architect designing the house is half the way through his work," said Kokk, who did not want to speak about the plans in greater detail. Kokk said that about 100,000 kroons had been earmarked for opening the embassy. He said the costs of opening were in the same range with those of an ordinary web site.

Second Life is a 3D virtual environment used by nine million people. Sweden for example, has already opened its virtual embassy there.