Romania Launches Government-Backed NFT Marketplace
Not long ago, Romania declared its intent to adopt Web3 and blockchain technologies at a national level. While officials often seize the opportunity to bask in the spotlight of innovation, the Romanian authorities have already started to deliver on their promises.
In the final weeks of April 2023, Romania's National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics, known as ICI Bucharest, introduced a national NFT marketplace. The platform, dubbed ICI D|Services, is being brought to life with the support of the Romanian General Secretariat, as well as the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitization. The project saw the light of day thanks to a partnership with MultiversX, a company that had previously engineered a decentralized domain name system (DNS) and a top-level domain (TLD) ecosystem for ICI Bucharest.
The primary goal of the government-backed marketplace is to create a collaborative space for innovation, where both government entities and ordinary Romanian citizens can create NFTs together.
Our institute wants to create a bridge between the young generations and the public institutions’ values, initiating a comfort zone for the interactions with the digital space,elaborates Paul Niculescu-Mizil Gheorghe, the ICI Bucharest blockchain laboratory coordinator.
The marketplace hit the ground running with five distinct NFT collections, born out of collaborative efforts with distinguished state institutions that hold a special place in the hearts of Romanians.
Additionally, rising star David Popovici has announced the launch of his debut NFT as part of the ICONS of the Generational Circle collection. Popovici, hailed as one of Romania's most promising athletes, gained widespread attention in 2021. At a mere 16 years old, he broke the world junior record for the 100m freestyle swim twice during the European Championships. In the subsequent year, he achieved two gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships, solidifying his remarkable success.
NFT ICONS of the Generational Circle with David Popovici Source: ICI D|Services
In contrast to its somber reputation as the home of Count Dracula, Romania is making decisive strides toward technological transformation. However, it does so without forgetting its roots, dedicating a portion of its ICI D|Services collection to pivotal moments in the nation's history. For example, a limited-edition series of rare historical NFT photographs, titled 'Memories of Future Self', has been crafted with the backing of Romania's national news agency, AGERPRES.
NFT Collection: Memories of Future Self by AGERPRES Source: ICI D|Services
Moreover, an additional NFT collection housed on ICI D|Services, called 'Our AI Story', has been brought to life. Central University Library “Carol I”, in tandem with artificial intelligence, produced twenty pieces of digital artwork. These creations encapsulate the cultural importance and diverse facets of the library's operations.
NFT Collection: Our AI Story by Central University Library “Carol I” Source: ICI D|Services
