Launching the “Nomad Matters” Initiative

The pandemic has reshaped the global landscape of the ways people live and work worldwide. With an increasing number of Chinese-speaking individuals relocating, moving, and adopting nomadic lifestyles worldwide, Matters.Town, a decentralized creator platform, in partnership with the 4Seas community, is launching the 'Nomad Matters Project'. This initiative offers funding, a publishing platform, community support, and local resources. It aims to encourage more people to embark on journeys with an observant eye, explore the world, and reflect upon themselves.

Vision

Discover a way of living that lets you depart yet linger,
Become a traveler in motion, wandering the world, nurturing every corner.

Nomad Matters Funding Program, initiated by Matters.Town, co-organized with the 4Seas community, aims to advocate for a responsible digital nomadic lifestyle. We wish to assist more people in exploring diverse worlds through nomadism, encouraging reflection and connection, and rediscovering themselves in new ways.

We firmly believe that journeying through lands afar ignites the torch of creativity. Holding this torch and venturing into the wilderness, seekers venture beyond conventional rules, engage with unknown perspectives, delve into societal introspection, and experience unique encounters. Through creation, liberation, and autonomy are attained.

We are also convinced  that venturing out is as important as writing down. Documentation helps us reflect inwardly and communicate outwardly, allowing worldly experiences to enrich our personal growth. The nomad’s observations become a part of themselves.

Every landscape traversed by a traveler is a local’s homeland. We believe that choosing a nomadic life entails sensitivity to one's impact. It's about participation, not exploitation; creation, not consumption. Engage with locals and their real issues, not merely through the lens of a smartphone. Be a bridge between locales and the distance, not a replicator of global inequalities.

In today's world, localism and globalism need to work together, and responsible nomads have the opportunity to best take actions in this. We hope to support the emergence and actions of these nomads.

Matters invites everyone willing to explore a new order of living and work to join us. Respond thoughtfully, create without geographical constraints, and imagine and act beyond borders. We acknowledge that this path is still shrouded in mystery and needs exploration and shared experiences.

Therefore, we launched the "Nomad Matters Project" to provide initial funding, publishing platforms, and community support to enable thorough exploration.

During this exploration, we value communication and sharing. Winners are expected to continually publish their journey, insights, and experiences, offering the community a chance to see the world through their eyes.

Application Process

The initial total prize pool for the Nomad Matters Project is $5000 USDT or its equivalent. Applicants must publish their "Nomad Matters Project Proposal" on Matters.Town within a specified timeframe, with the community voting for the winners.

• Eligibility: Open to all aspiring to be responsible digital nomads and explore new life and work orders as nomads. Applicants must register or log in to the existing Matters.Town account linked to an Ethereum wallet to receive appreciation through claps and the grant if selected.

• How to Apply: Write your proposal in text, optionally accompanied by images or videos, and publish it on Matters with the tag '#nomadmatters'. There's no word limit.

• Application Format: Your application should be in a Q&A format, addressing these five questions:

1. Self-introduction.

2. Where do you want to go and why?

3. What is your specific nomad plan? (Include itinerary, themes, budget, etc.)

4. How do you hope to interact with the locals if possible?

5. How do you plan to document the YOUR journey? (Consider include formats and narrative perspectives.)

• Submission Dates: Please submit your application between 00:00 on December 15, 2023, and 23:59 on January 15, 2024 (GMT+8). Applications submitted outside this time period will not be considered.

Prize Pool

Basic Awards:

• First Prize (1 winner): 1288 USDT each.

• Second Prize (2 winners): 988 USDT each.

• Third Prize (3 winners): 588 USDT each.

Community Contribution Award:

Winners are required to share their nomadic experiences in the community (see details in the winner's tasks). To encourage active sharing, the project includes a special "Community Contribution Award" for one winner, with a prize of 200 USDT equivalent.

Gitcoin Grants 19 Bonus:

The Nomad Matters Project is also participating in the 19th round of Gitcoin Grants' crowdfunding campaign. Upon successful funding, excluding gas fees:

• For every $588 received, an additional Third Prize will be added.

• If the amount is less than $588, the funds will be allocated to the Community Contribution Award winner.

Additional Resources:

In addition to the prize money, Matters, in collaboration with different communities, will provide other resources to assist with travel. Details will be announced in due course and include but are not limited to:

• Accommodation spaces in various digital nomad cities.

• Local community connections in different cities around the world.

• Opportunities to engage in local public issues for nomads.

Prize Payment Method:

Winners must sign a contract with Matters. One month before departure, after confirming the winner has purchased insurance, three-quarters of the prize money will be disbursed. The remaining quarter will be paid after the completion of the "Community Contribution Award" evaluation.

• Payment will be made in USDT via the Polygon chain. Winners must have their Matters account linked to an Ethereum wallet, and the prize money will be transferred to this wallet address. Refer to the guide for the wallet linking process.

Winner's Tasks

During the journey, winners are required to:

• Maintain a Nomadic Journal: The minimum requirement is five complete, rich, and shareable contents, in any format. The most popular and highest quality notes will receive an additional 200 USDT equivalent as a "Community Contribution Award" (evaluation criteria detailed below).

• Engage Online: In addition to recording your nomadic experiences, you need to interact with readers on the Matters platform. We expect your experiences to stimulate more discussions within the community.

• Host a Voice Event: During your journey, you must oraganize at least one online voice event. The theme of this event will be planned by the winner and co-organized with Matters.

• Your nomadic notes must be first published on Matters (exclusive for seven days, after which the content can be shared on other platforms). All content must comply with the Matters Community Charter.

Before departure:

• Winners must depart within six months of confirming the award and signing the contract.

• Each winner must purchase insurance independently. Departure can only occur after insurance confirmation.

• Any behavior that violates the Matters Community Charter is prohibited, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fraud, cyber-attacks, unfair voting practices, or any other actions that might result in unfair results or infringe on the rights of others. Violators will be disqualified.
  

Voting and Selection Mechanism

Public Selection: First, Second, and Third Prize will be voted by Community Voting

• Eligibility for Voting: All Matters users are eligible to vote. New users can register and participate in the selection process.

• Voting Method: The application period for the Nomad Matters Project is also the voting period for readers (December 15 - January 15). During this time, voters can 'clap' or 'support' their favorite "Nomad Matters Project Proposal". Specific voting instructions are provided at the end of this document.

Scoring Method:

• Clapping: Each account's clap counts as one vote (regardless of how many times it claps for the proposal), multiplied by the account's weight.

• Support: Each account's support counts as ten votes (regardless of the amount of support or if it's multiple times), also multiplied by the account's weight.

• Example: Xiaomei has the "Meteor" badge (which corresponds to a voting weight of 2). If Xiaomei claps once and supports once for Proposal A, the total votes Proposal A receives from Xiaomei are: (1+10) x 2 = 22 votes.

• The top six proposals based on voting scores will be awarded.

Community Contribution Award Selection: Committee Selection

• A committee composed of Matters and various partnerg communities will select one winner of the Community Contribution Award based on the nomadic notes published in the community by the winners of the first, second, and third prizes. The selection is based on the richness, completeness, and community discussion of the notes.

Community Voting Weight Mechanism and Badges:

• The selection for the first, second, and third prizes of the "Nomad Matters Project" is based on a community voting system. To prevent vote manipulation, a weight mechanism has been designed for participating community users. The basic principle is: depending on the depth of user participation in the project, corresponding badges and weights are given, with more active participants having a higher voting weight.

Badge Settings: 

• Matters will issue "Nomad Matters Project Participation Badges" to users who participate in the project, whether by competing or voting. There are four types of badges: "Moon Dream," "Meteor," "Light Wheel," and "Flash Lightning," each like a magic broom, aiding nomads in exploring the world.

• How to Check Your Badge: Badges are displayed in real-time on the user's personal homepage and can be checked at any time to understand the current badge and corresponding weight.

• How to Increase Weight: Users participating in the project can share their favorite proposal URLs and invite more people to vote, helping deserving contestants stand out. The more people you invite to participate, whether in competing or voting, the higher your weight will increase. Specific methods are explained at the end of this document.

• How User Weight Affects Counting: On the deadline for voting (January 19, 2024, 23:59 GMT+8), the system will calculate the total number of votes received by the project during the voting period and the accumulated weight of voters as of January 19 to determine the final ranking and winners.

Event Schedule

All dates and times are based on GMT+8 (East Asia Time Zone).

• December 15, 2023, 00:00 - January 15, 2024, 23:59: Application Submission

• December 15, 2023, 00:00 - January 19, 2024, 23:59: Voting Period

• January 26, 2024: Announcement of Voting Results and Scores

• January 26, 2024 - January 30, 2024: Public Display Period. During this period, users can raise questions about the results, and Matters will provide corresponding responses.

• February 1, 2024: Final Result Confirmation and Announcement. Matters will start contacting the winners to discuss follow-up matters, including purchasing insurance, signing contracts, and award disbursement.

• Beginning February 2024: Winners Start Departing

  • Winners must depart within six months of signing the contract.

  • If a winner is unable to travel, a replacement will be selected based on the voting results.

• August 2024: Community Contribution Award Selection and Announcement

Co-organizer: 4Seas Community

4Seas is an innovative community focused on crypto-nomadism, with its first physical node located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We are dedicated to integrating cryptographic technology with innovative social concepts, creating an ideal work and living environment for digital and crypto nomads. We advocate for using new technologies to drive global change while enjoying the journey around the world.

The first node of 4Seas in Chiang Mai, called Mountain View, is situated on Highway 1269 at the foot of Doi Suthep—a famous coffee route. It is only a 30-minute drive from Chiang Mai Airport and the city center. The location gathers various restaurants, cafes, and resorts, surrounded by numerous hiking trails and waterfalls, making it an ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and connect with nature.

X: https://twitter.com/4seasDeSoc 

Nomad Matters Project Committee

Matters.Town, in collaboration with 4Seas and other partner communities, will form the "Nomad Matters Project Committee." The responsibilities of this committee include:

• Ensuring the fairness of the event.

• Verifying the vote counting results from Matters.

• Leading discussions and making decisions in the event of disputes.

• Selecting the winner of the "Community Contribution Award" from among the awardees.

The list of committee members will be announced before the start of the voting period.

For any inquiries regarding the event, please contact: nomad@matters.town.