https://bitcoinnews.com/labitconf-2023-argentina/

In the midst of a heated presidential battle with the promising libertarian pro-Bitcoin candidate Javier Milei, Argentina hosted the 11th edition of the Latin American Bitcoin and Blockchain Conference (LABITCONF) on November 10th and 11th. The event took place in Buenos Aires, a city known as “The Paris of South America”, with beautiful architecture and vibrant culture.

Labitconf And the Economic Landscape

Argentina is currently grappling with an economic crisis, characterized by 140% annual inflation, high corruption and around 43% poverty rate of the population. The parallel economy is highly dollarized, while the national statistics agency estimates that Argentines hold about $250 billion in foreign currency outside of the traditional banking system, accounting for more than 10% of bills in circulation globally.

Thus, in few other places, the idea of Bitcoin falls on more fertile ground than in Argentina: Many Argentines have turned to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a way to preserve their wealth and access alternative financial services.

A Thriving Community

Despite these challenges, the country boasts a very active crypto community. The Bitcoin Argentina meetup group alone has almost 10,000 members. Crypto adoption (Bitcoin and stablecoins) in the country is high, with several thousand attendees at LABITCONF reflecting this enthusiasm.

The Conference

LABITCONF, organized by the Bitcoin Iberoamerica Foundation and the Bitcoin Argentina NGO, serves as a meeting point for industry experts. The founder, Rodolfo Andragnes, stated:

“LABITCONF is the world’s oldest event dedicated to Bitcoin and Blockchain.”

The event featured seven stages with approximately 200 activities full of creativity and quality content. The conference was bilingual, catering to both Spanish and English speakers. It covered a range of topics, including Austrian economics, Bitcoin philosophy, legal and social impacts, use cases, Layer 2 projects, and the state of Bitcoin adoption in various Latin American countries.

As one of the main sponsors and an original Argentinian venture, Bitcoin Layer 2 project Rootstock (formerly RSK) was very present in the exhibition, the talks and people’s discussions. Interestingly, the openness of the conference towards other blockchain projects resulted in fruitful discussions about what could be learned from one another.

The event also catered to beginners with a program designed to introduce them to the world of crypto while safeguarding them from common scams.

Notable Speakers

Even though it was not a Bitcoin-only conference, it featured many important figures in the Bitcoin space, including Michael Saylor (livestreamed), Elizabeth Stark (the co-founder and CEO of Lightning Labs), Lunaticoin (a popular Spanish podcaster), and Hong Fang (the CEO of OKX).

Saylor, who the audience greeted particularly cheerfully, emphasized why he sees Bitcoin as the most unique and smartest asset of all: It is an asset, a network, a protocol, and an ideology at the same time.

Related reading: Bitcoin Is an Unprecedented Blend of Invention And Discovery — Michael Saylor

A Cultural Experience

True to its Latin American roots, LABITCONF was a colorful event with warm people, extravagant fiestas, and a significant presence of local artists showcasing their remarkable works around crypto culture. Regarding entertainment options, it offered gaming tournaments, escape rooms, workshops, and art exhibitions.

Conclusion

LABITCONF 2023 was a resounding success, providing a platform for learning, networking, and entertainment. It served as a beacon of hope for a country in the midst of an economic crisis, demonstrating the potential of Bitcoin and blockchain technology as viable alternatives to the traditional financial system.

As Argentina continues to navigate its economic challenges, events like LABITCONF play a crucial role in educating and empowering its citizens about the need for decentralized economies. True to the motto of the conference, “LABITCONF is not a conference, it’s an experience”, the event definitely stands out and should not be missed by anyone interested in Bitcoin in Latin America and beyond.

The post LABITCONF 2023 Argentina: Bitcoin Celebration in Economic Crisis appeared first on Bitcoin News.

https://bitcoinnews.com/economic-independence-liberty-in-our-lifetime/

Recently, the stunning city of Prague played host to a remarkable event on economic independence that brought together freedom-loving individuals from around the globe. The “Liberty in Our Lifetime” conference was a vibrant gathering of unconventional thinkers, academics, digital nomads, traveling families, Bitcoin enthusiasts and entrepreneurs from exotic destinations, all cooperatively seeking to make the world a freer place.

The conference served as a platform for various libertarian projects, autonomous zones and intentional communities to showcase their offerings and progress. It was organized by the Free Cities Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes the idea of free cities as a way to achieve more liberty and autonomy for individuals and communities.

Related reading: Cypherpunks, Galt’s Gulch, and Bitcoin

The guiding spirit of libertarian philosophy was adequately summarized by the foundation’s founder Titus Gebel quoting Salman Rushdie: “The freedom to reject is the only freedom”.

Bitcoin: A Beacon of Hope in Economic Independence

The conference was a melting pot of ideas and projects, with a wide range of topics discussed, from intentional communities, investment ideas, libertarian philosophy, longevity research, the network state, flag theory, to freedom-focused technologies.

However, Bitcoin stood out as a central theme. Many speeches highlighted how it serves as a tool for achieving free cities, an idea explored in depth in the book “Strategies for Liberty: Free Cities & Bitcoin” by Alexander Voss.

The Austrian philosopher Rahim Taghizadegan narrated the history of the digital money’s predecessors, such as e-gold. He also mentioned that the book ‘The Sovereign Individual’ had already mentioned ‘cryptographic cyber money’ in the 1970s.

Related reading: The Crypto Anarchist Manifesto

In a memorable quote, he stated, “We all know that real estate is a shitcoin”, emphasizing the value and potential of Bitcoin over traditional assets. Highlighting its community aspect, he also said: “Among others, finding positive contrarians is one of the main benefits of Bitcoin.” We couldn’t agree more.

Knut Svanholm spoke about Madeira and its burgeoning community. He also mentioned the upcoming Bitcoin Atlantis conference in March 2024, which is set to take place in nothing less than a huge football stadium.

Regarding libertarian projects, the Free State Project was highlighted as one of the most advanced ones currently, with up to 1% of New Hampshire’s population being “Free Staters”.

Another fascinating and entertaining speech was about the hidden treasures of pirate democracy and what libertarians could learn from pirates, which then tied into the latest developments of the seasteading projects presented by Joe Quirk of the Seasteading Institute.

Coincidentally, one such Caribbean pirate hideout gem could also  be found at the conference:  Guanaja Hills, an up-and-coming intentional community in tropical paradise aiming to become the favorite retreat of freedom-minded individuals, with memberships, luxury holidays and villas being available for purchase with BTC.

A Glimpse into the Future

The conference also touched upon future trends and developments. Longevity expert José Cordeiro expects significant breakthroughs in longevity research by 2045, potentially leading to immortality. It certainly is exiting to be able to witness BTC block rewards go to zero in 2140.

One player that’s definitely becoming future-proof is the special economic zone of Próspera on the Caribbean Island of Roatan, Honduras, which not only established BTC as legal tender but also hosts a related education center focusing on financial education for locals.

The People

The conference was not just about discussions and debates; it was also about networking and building connections. Attendees had numerous opportunities to interact with like-minded individuals and share ideas.

Several Bitcoin projects were present at the conference, including AmityAge and sovbtc.io.

A few lucky attendees got a branded “21M” hat at our BitcoinNews.com booth as a souvenir.

One of the unique aspects of the “Liberty in Our Lifetime” conference was its family-friendly nature. Children were welcome at the event, making it an inclusive space for individuals and families alike.

Conclusion

The “Liberty in Our Lifetime” conference was more than just an event; it was a celebration of freedom, innovation, and the power of BTC. It provided attendees with valuable insights into how it can serve as a tool for achieving free cities and offered a glimpse into what a future underpinned by liberty could look like.

As we look forward to future conferences and developments in this space, one thing is clear: Liberty and Bitcoin are intrinsically linked, and together they have the potential to shape our world for the better. We highly recommend anyone who is interested in liberty and Bitcoin to attend this conference next year and check out their website and whitepaper for more information.

It was truly an inspiring event showing that liberty is achievable in our lifetime, even more so if we truly become immortal.

Related reading:

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