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Free Cities Podcast

054 - Christopher Beaumont & Swen Lorenz: Sark. Past, Present & Future

Dec 1, 2023
01:21:25

Island of Sark, Repopulation, Independence, Channel Islands, Move to Sark, Investment in Sark, Sark Masterplan.

Timothy Allen talks with Christopher Beaumont & Swen Lorenz.

On today's show I'm in discussion with two gentlemen involved in the self-governing island of Sark which is located just off the coast of Normandy.

Christopher Beaumont, the 23rd Seigneur of Sark and Swen Lorenz, a Sark immigrant who helped revitalize public interest in the island by creating the hugely successful 'Move To Sark' repopulation campaign, sat down with me in the Czech Republic and we talked everything Sark.

This is a fascinating conversation with these two Sarkees who are deeply involved in creating a long-term masterplan for this little-known Crown dependency. We discuss the past, present, and future of Sark in a thoroughly informative conversation.

Thanks to Christopher and Swen for taking the time to not only speak to me on the podcast, but also for presenting the project to the Free Cities audience at our annual conference.

Enjoy the conversation.


LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME CONFERENCE

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://libertyinourlifetime.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠


TIMESTAMPS

(0:30) Introduction.

(5:00) Life experiences and connections to Sark Island.

(9:01) The challenge for Sark.

(14:12) Sark Island's history and feudal system.

(18:42) Relationship to UK government.

(23:05) Financial regulations and industry in the Channel Islands.

(27:27) Sark Island government, taxes, and culture.

(34:26) Population size and community needs in a remote island community.

(38:34) Revitalizing Sark Island's real estate market.

(44:42) Proposal to buy property on Sark.

(47:24) Sustainable development in a small island community.

(54:26) Politics and governance in a small island nation.

(1:04:49) Homeschooling and education options in Sark.

(1:08:12) Sark Island's unique attractions and challenges.

(1:12:49) Guernsey island development and community engagement.

(1:19:00) Challenges of living on a remote island.


TWITTER:

Christopher Beaumont: https://twitter.com/SeigneurOfSark

Swen Lorenz: https://twitter.com/uv_shares⁠

Timothy Allen: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/MrTimothyAllen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Free Cities Foundation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/freecitiesfound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


OTHER LINKS:

Isle of Sark website: https://www.sark.co.uk/

Move to Sark: https://www.swen-lorenz.com/move-to-sark/

Sark Presentation at LIOL 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qgv0qXCUu4

Free Cities Foundation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://free-cities.org/⁠

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