Have you heard of a country, called the Republic of Estonia?

It is in northern Europe,, situated on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea,, with a population of around 1.3 million people.

It has a long and complex history,, with different nations conquering the country, and occupying it.

It gained independence from Russia in 1918, but was later incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940,, though most Western nations never officially recognized this.

Estonia's state identity was preserved, by its government in exile.

In 1991, Estonia proclaimed its restoration of independence from Soviet rule, after decades of struggle.

Due to this experience,, the Estonian government developed ways, to conduct and maintain its activities, over the internet, rather than by using physical documents

Much of the administrative work was handledelectronically as well, so that, even if the physical documents were burned or taken away,, the data would remain in the digital sphere.

The government wanted to protect its records, against possible attacks.

Estonia opened a digital embassy in Luxemburg in 2018;, thus, even if its physical land was occupied,, its identity and sovereignty could remain electronically.

Around the turn of the century,, Estonia started to offer most of its administrative services, over the internet.

This includes the services, offered in residential registration, tax filing, education,and childcare., Even voting can be done, online.

All data management has been made possible. by an IDcard, issued to every citizen

This ID card serves as a driver's license, health insurance information card, and a passport, within the EU.

Bank account information and hospital visitation data , are also linked

Some people might worry, about the security of these cards.

But the data is secure,, and in fact,, many younger Estonians are comfortable with their ID cards, even though the cards carry all their personal information on them.

If you are born in Estonia,, by the time you are old enough, to think about this matter,, you will have had your card all your life,, and you too will feel comfortable with it.

Estonia employs what is called a block-chain method, whereby the data is stored in distributed locations,, not centrally.

This provides robust data protection.

Estonia also uses a technology, developed by its own national company, that detects data falsification.

Government offices and hospitals do have limited access to personal information, on the ID cards,, but this access is all recorded.

The citizens also have the right to claim transparency, when their data has been viewed,, and they can ask, why it was viewed.

There is a severe punishment, for illegal access.

What is interesting is, that Estonia offers an "e-residency system", to those who are not even residents in Estonia

This means, that virtual citizens can also open bank accounts , and establish corporations.

As of April 2019,, 50,000 people have registered from 165 countries,, and 6,600 corporations have been established.

2,500 Japanese people,, including the former prime minister Abe Shinzo,, have become Estonia's e-residents.)

The e-residency system thus helps Estonia, to attract many willing people from different countries, to take part in the establishment and stimulation of its economy

In fact,, even the country's electronic system itself has been developed, out of cooperation, among engineers from different countries,, and Estonia now has one of the highest numbers of venture companies

Estonia is also in the process of launching a digital nomad visa, that allows foreign workers to live in Estonia, and enjoy sightseeing, while they work remotely, for their employers outside Estonia.

Foreigners will be invited to experience Estonia, for up to a year, while legally working for their companies back home

This will lead to greater mobility of talent, and is expected to furtheraccelerate human capital , development in Estonia.

In the year 2020,, the whole world got to a point, where the promotion of remote work to prevent the spread of COVID-19, became necessary.

many corporations, organizations, and individuals had to learn of ways, to cope with the social and physical distance required,, since face-to-face meetings were not possible, or were deemed risky.

Some found remote work unproductive and difficult,, but many found, that the remote work lifestyle gave more time to spend, with their families or for themselves.

Away from their previous ties, to their offices,, they were freed up, from the long commuting distance and hours, that were previously requirements, of their daily lives.

No doubt the world is now at a turning point, when remote work is no longer just an esoteric option for a small minority , but a real and necessary one for many in the world.

With this new turn of events, , a setup like a digital nomad visa sounds, not only desirable but also practical and feasible, in an ordinary person's life.

In fact, , it seems likely, that in a decade or so,, many more people will be working, from quite different locations, by freely choosing where to live.

Buried at the heart of all great children's literature., even the loveliest and most innocent, , is a thread of darkness.

This was ever true of books by Judith Kerr,, beloved author of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, , the Mog the Cat stories, , and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit,, who has died aged 95.

Having narrowly escaped one of the terrible horrors of the 20th century,, Kerr devoted the latter half of her adult life, to telling beautiful self-illustrated children's stories

Kerr fled Nazi Germany with her family, as a child of 9 in 1933, and arrived in Britain in 1936, by way of Switzerland and France.

Her father Alfred Kerr,, who was Jewish, had been a theater critic and columnist in Berlin, , and he openly criticized the Nazis , both in his writing and in weekly radio broadcasts.

Kerr wrote an author's note for When Hitler Stole PinkRabbit, based on her childhood experience

She described how,, during the early 1930s,, her father was escorted home from his radio broadcasts, via a different route every week, by two armed bodyguards.

The risk, that he would be apprehended en route, was so great, that he once left a note, bidding his wife Julia farewell,, fearing that he might really never return.

In February 1933,, Alfred Kerr received a call from a policeman, who liked his work,, warning him, that there was a plan to have his passport confiscated.

Though he was sick with flu at the time,, his wife packed him a bag., and he fled to Prague immediately.

He was followed out of Germany, soon after by Judith,, her mother,, and her brother Michael.

In her later life,, Judith Kerr noted, how her parents had hidden from her and her brother, the severity of the danger, they all faced.

She also noted, how possible it was,, before the internet or TV,, to maintain a degree of innocence, of the horrific events around them.

Her attitude about her early experience seemed almost, unbelievably optimistic

she described life on the run, as a child as "wonderful,", and in her final years,, she said, that given the chance,, she would not change a thing about her youth.

Even as she grew and became more conscious of the, true threat, represented by the Nazis,, Kerr's outlook remained focused on the possibilities, that life presented,, rather than its downfalls.

Ina 2018 interview with The Guardian, , she described her theory, that the first half of life occurs, up to the age of 18,, with the rest counting, as the second half, as children's years pack so very much in.