Talk:Wikinews interviews the President of WSA: today's World Passports and World Citizen Government

Original Reporting Notes

Reporter Information

Reporter:

Sheminghui.WU

Date:

2025-11-16

Reporting Type:

Interview

Interview Details

Interview Type:

Multiple

Interviewee:

David·Galluo

Consent granted?:

Yes

Verification Method:

Through WSA's Official account

Full Correspondence:

Could you please elaborate on what your organisation — or you personally — have been doing to achieve formal legal recognition of the World Passport (which clearly carries significance in international law) and to ensure greater convenience for its holders?(And what work you've been doing recently) How do you think you have managed to accomplish this within the current international system dominated by nationalism? Periodically, the WSA sends either a physical or digital sample of the World Passport and a statement of the legal authority of the passport to government offices such as embassies, consulates, immigration departments, foreign ministries, etc. to inform them of the legal validity and the ongoing recognition and issuance of the World Passport and other WCG-issued documents. We remind national governments of their obligations under international treaty law, customary international law, and national constitutional law to affirm the rights to identification, freedom of travel, and to choose one’s own political allegiance. For example, we refer to Articles 55 and 56 of the UN Charter, Articles 1, 12, 16, 24 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Articles 1, 2, 6, 7, 13, 15, 21, 28, and 30 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the human rights affirmed in the national constitutions. Through these letters and governmental information sharing, we encourage national governments to expand awareness, recognition, and acceptance of WSA documents. Also, some passport and WSA document holders request WSA’s Legal Department to provide legal validity letters to government officials as proof of their being authorized holders of the documents and the documents’ legal validity and recognition. Individual passport holders help to raise awareness and recognition of the documents as they are using them. Many passport holders encourage family, friends, and colleagues to apply for WSA documents which also increases usage and recognition. As more people carry the World Passport and register as world citizens, the recognition of the documents and world citizenship status increases. Every World Passport holder is provided with a copy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in their language, a “Legal Authority of the Passport” document confirming the issuance of their passport and its legal bases, and instruction sheets about their rights, how to claim their rights, and how to speak with government officials about their documents and their rights. The WSA participates in various in-person and online fora, webinars, educational and legal meetings and summits, at which we share information about our work and the legal authority of the organization and the documents. Garry Davis’s book Passport to Freedom: A Guide for World Citizens and his 9 other books provide legal explanations of the passport and the World Citizen Government. The WSA publishes its bi-monthly newsletter, World Citizen News, which shares current activities, actions, usage, and other information with the global public. Governments, NGOs, humanitarian organizations, civil society organizations, etc. contact the WSA for document issuance and/or legal advocacy assistance for individuals in refugee, stateless, or other vulnerable situations. With the current trend toward isolationism and nationalistic authoritarianism, the global public sees the World Service Authority as a beacon of hope, unity, individual empowerment, and respect for the rule of law. The current material is still a bit brief and cannot yet form a complete interview article. If possible, could you please share in more detail how your organisation has recently assisted refugees from Palestine or Ukraine, who have drawn global attention? Or How do they usually contact you for help? Are there any specific examples you could share? Because of the sensitive and private nature of the situations in which refugees and stateless persons have been forced to flee their homes, we cannot provide specific examples that could put their lives in danger if shared publicly. Generally, refugees contact the WSA by email, phone, letter, or through our online application form to request information, document issuance, and pro bono legal advocacy. So, in addition to issuing documents of global identification and travel, the WSA provides human rights information and free human rights assistance through affidavits of support, legal letter-writing campaigns, and amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs. For example, Palestinians, Ukrainians, Rohingya, Somalis, Sudanese, Syrians, Iraqis, Afghanis, and many others facing war, persecution, famine, climate disasters, etc. reach out to the WSA for help. During the recent wars in Gaza and Ukraine, we have received letters and requests for assistance (both from Palestinians and Israelis, and Ukrainians and Russians) who say that they do not want to fight, that they see the other people as brothers, sisters, and cousins -- in other words, as part of the human family. Here are some slightly more specific examples of advocacy and documentary assistance: Children born of parents who do not have the citizenship or ethnicity of the country in which they live are frequently denied their rights. Our World Birth Certificate has helped children identify themselves even when the birth country refuses to provide birth certificates for the children. Being able to present the World Birth Certificate has allowed children to receive medical care and attend school, which they would not have otherwise been able to do. Our amicus briefs have assisted refugees in their claims of asylum based on persecution due to their political opinion, religion, ethnicity, and social group. We also petition immigration ombudsmus and inter-governmental commissions to expose rights violations and demand redress. Our briefs and petitions have prevented deportations and helped refugees obtain residence and work permits. Refugees in camps have been able to present the World Passport to be able to leave the camp during the day to work. Without any document, they would not be able to leave the camp, even temporarily. Other refugees have been able to use the passport to take up residence in other countries. Although the WSA has provided assistance to many displaced people and refugees over the past 70 years, most anyone may apply for the World Passport, no matter their citizenship, immigration, or other status. When individuals apply for the World Passport or world citizenship, they do not give up any other allegiance, identity, citizenship or other status. Regarding the issue of “world territories”: yes, I am aware of the Mondialisation movement. I would like to ask if there are any particular world territories that have interacted with you or your organisation more closely, or have left a deep impression on you over the years — or, if not, perhaps any related experiences you would like to share. Out of the many mondialized locations around the world, Cahors Mundi in France probably resonates the most with the Garry Davis history and with the World Citizenship Movement. Please see their websites at https://www.cahorsmundi.fr/ and https://www.artmajeur.com/en/magazine/2-art-news/cahors-mundi-building-peace-beyond-nations/338641 Over the years, many indigenous groups, unrepresented nations, and populations facing vulnerabilities have contacted the WSA for documents that link their local identity to universal rights. The World Passport contains two affiliation pages in which a passport holder may add a seal, insignia, crest, or other indicia to indicate their affiliation with their local status or allegiance. Frequently, passport holders will request the WSA to insert on their behalf a seal, insignia, or other image and/or text regarding the passport holders’ status. With this option, passport holders can affirm their local and global status simultaneously. Could you also briefly share your personal story or experience — what led you to become a world activist, to join the World Government, and to meet Garry Davis? And, in the words of people accustomed to nationalist countries, what role do you play in the world government now? Thank you. I met Garry Davis when I joined the World Service Authority as its General Counsel (chief attorney). After law school and having studied “international relations,” I was searching for meaningful work where I could engage my passion for human rights advocacy in a global setting. When I heard about the attorney position at the WSA, I immediately submitted my resume, cover letter, and a paper I had written calling for humanity to transform the United Nations into a United World organization. I interviewed with the previous president of the WSA and participated in a day-long interview with Garry Davis. I started working at the WSA the next day. Throughout my many years working side-by-side with Garry, he shared his life-long activism, lessons in world citizenship, and his human rights wisdom with me. We spent countless hours together in person at our offices in Washington, DC, at conferences and events around the world, dialoguing by email, speaking by phone, and near the end of his, life talking over Skype. I am currently President and General Counsel of the World Service Authority, coordinator of the World Citizen Government, founder of the World Citizen Club initiative, and Convenor of the World Court of Human Rights Coalition. Could you share your personal assessment of the development of the World Government? For example, has the number of people applying for your passports and formally becoming world citizens been increasing year by year? What do you think the overall trend will be in the next five to ten years? Do you have any specific visions or plans for the future? Throughout my almost 35 years at the World Service Authority, I have seen interest in world citizenship, world government, and the World Passport ebb and flow. Some years, thousands upon thousands of individuals contact the WSA to register as world citizens and to seek out our various services and human rights information. Other years (such as during the pandemic when travel was halted), the number of applicants dwindled. Over the past three or four years, interest has picked up again, especially with the uncertainty in the world situation. Many people like to register as world citizens and carry the World Passport as additional documents to any other travel documents they may already possess. In uncertain times, having more identification documents and travel tools in your “travel toolbox” in addition to those either foisted upon you or withheld from you by the nation in which you happen to be born or reside, the more likely you will have options for exercising your universal rights. Through our educational outreach using social media along with our many projects, initiatives, and programming in which we participate with our colleagues and partners, we expect to dramatically increase awareness and engagement over the next five to ten years. During this upcoming period, we will be focusing on expanding our youth-led World Citizen Clubs on university campuses and building the global Coalition in support of the creation of a World Court of Human Rights. Please see the associated websites: https://worldcitizenclub.org and https://worldcourtofhumanrights.net. The clubs are important because they engage young people in becoming world citizen advocates and world peacemakers. The court is important because it holds the potential to positively affect the lives of individuals whose human rights are being violated, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized. Would you recommend that refugees with sufficient financial means who need documentation purchase a world passport? (For example, some people in the Palestinian war zone) We cannot sufficiently reply to this question because it depends upon the individual’s specific circumstances. For some refugees, the World Passport has meant the difference between imprisonment and freedom. For others whose identification and travel rights have not been restricted, who may still have an unexpired national passport, or who have been issued a refugee travel document, they may not need the World Passport. There are other important uses of funds to consider such as helping others in their community to secure food, shelter, medical care and other life saving assistance. Please note that applicants do not “purchase” a World Passport, and the WSA does not “sell” documents. Applicants, as with national passports, must apply or submit an application form. Once vetted and approved, an applicant is then issued documents. You mentioned your organization has already been serving the world as a global government for many years. To what extent do you personally believe the organization's decisions and policies influence the world? How would you personally suggest people participate in the decision-making process? “Belief” is not relevant to facts. What one believes requires a leap of faith and cannot be questioned by others because a belief is personal to each individual, and is right for them, but not necessarily for others. The World Service Authority’s decisions and policies to educate about world citizenship, to advance universal rights, and to support the global rule of law are important in the “marketplace of ideas.” The WSA acts like a rudder on boat, or a trimtab on an airplane – moving spaceship Earth in a new direction. Each passport we issue, each legal brief we write, each student we teach moves the world toward unity, dignity, respect, justice, and peace. The WSA collaborates with many different organizations and is focused on uniting the peace, justice, rights, and environmental movements under the umbrella of world citizenship and universal respect for universal rights. The WSA encourages the public to participate locally in their communities and to volunteer in support of global initiatives. In conjunction with the Earth Constitution Institute, we are building platforms for globing voter IDs and global voting. We support other grassroots democratization initiatives such as the creation of a World People’s Assembly (e.g., UN Parliamentary Assembly), UN Article 109 Charter review, and earth governance (Mobilizing Earth Governance Alliance), among others. What differences exist between you and the founder regarding policy directions and ideologies, philosophy, if any? Since your leadership began, have there been any policy changes compared to the organization under the founder's leadership? World citizenship, world unity, world peace and justice – these organizational principles and mission remain the same. The WSA is engaged with many other organizations in mutual initiatives. Could you share with us how you succeeded to become the global leader? As Garry Davis would say, “We are each and every one of us leaders. It is up to us to govern our world. It is not only our right but our duty because it is the will of the people that is the authority of government.” As the International Day of Tolerance approaches, is the Declaration of Principles of Tolerance regarded as a legal document of your organization? What legal status do various declarations currently hold within your organization? Should the sections emphasizing nation-states be revised? The WSA considers Declarations as customary international law. They are not binding treaties on states or national governments. They are not world law (law created by humanity through a deliberative process and body such as a World Parliament). All human beings’ rights and duties should be respected and observed. Once a World Parliament is established, Declarations can be reviewed, updated, amended if necessary, and ratified as world law. As the leader of the global government, could you share your personal diplomatic experiences? How has your experience been traveling with a world passport? I am not “the leader of the global government.” I am one leader among many, and among humanity as a whole. The WSA interacts with many governmental authorities. One common concern is that of “impunity.” In other words, national government have the power to violate human and environmental rights and might not be held accountable for those violations. National governments frequently assert “national security or public order” as a cover for their rights violations. This is why we need to establish a World Court of Human Rights. Garry Davis traveled the world with his World Passport. It was the only document he had after giving up his national citizenship in favor of world citizenship. Thousands of individuals around the world carry the World Passport for travel or identification purposes, and many for moral reasons of supporting human rights and human unity. Like Garry Davis, I enjoy identifying myself as a human being first and foremost – because that is truly what you and I are. All the other classifications, divisions, and identifiers only serve to “divide and conquer.” The World Service Authority serves the world public to unite and prosper. How can refugees without identification documents apply for a world passport? Could you outline the specific procedures? Are there any special benefits or support policies in place for them? All applicants are requested to apply on the World Service Authority website at https://worldcitizengov.org/apply. The online application form only takes 3 or 4 minutes to complete. If someone does not have access to a computer, laptop, tablet, or phone, they can send us a letter by post to request forms be sent by post. Or if an applicant has access to email, they can email us a request for a PDF version of the application form that may be printed out, filled out, and mailed in, or that may be filled in and submitted by email. For refugees in refugee camps, and through donations made to the World Service Authority, we may issue gratis documents to these individuals from our World Refugee Fund. We also provide free legal advocacy such as amicus briefs on behalf of refugees and stateless persons. Warm regards, Q1. Could you please elaborate on what your organisation — or you personally — have been doing to achieve formal legal recognition of the World Passport (which clearly carries significance in international law) and to ensure greater convenience for its holders?(And what work you've been doing recently) How do you think you have managed to accomplish this within the current international system dominated by nationalism? A1. Periodically, the WSA sends either a physical or digital sample of the World Passport and a statement of the legal authority of the passport to government offices such as embassies, consulates, immigration departments, foreign ministries, etc. to inform them of the legal validity and the ongoing recognition and issuance of the World Passport and other WCG-issued documents. We remind national governments of their obligations under international treaty law, customary international law, and national constitutional law to affirm the rights to identification, freedom of travel, and to choose one’s own political allegiance. For example, we refer to Articles 55 and 56 of the UN Charter, Articles 1, 12, 16, 24 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Articles 1, 2, 6, 7, 13, 15, 21, 28, and 30 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the human rights affirmed in the national constitutions. Through these letters and governmental information sharing, we encourage national governments to expand awareness, recognition, and acceptance of WSA documents. Also, some passport and WSA document holders request WSA’s Legal Department to provide legal validity letters to government officials as proof of their being authorized holders of the documents and the documents’ legal validity and recognition. Individual passport holders help to raise awareness and recognition of the documents as they are using them. Many passport holders encourage family, friends, and colleagues to apply for WSA documents which also increases usage and recognition. As more people carry the World Passport and register as world citizens, the recognition of the documents and world citizenship status increases. Every World Passport holder is provided with a copy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in their language, a “Legal Authority of the Passport” document confirming the issuance of their passport and its legal bases, and instruction sheets about their rights, how to claim their rights, and how to speak with government officials about their documents and their rights. The WSA participates in various in-person and online fora, webinars, educational and legal meetings and summits, at which we share information about our work and the legal authority of the organization and the documents. Garry Davis’s book Passport to Freedom: A Guide for World Citizens and his 9 other books provide legal explanations of the passport and the World Citizen Government. The WSA publishes its bi-monthly newsletter, World Citizen News, which shares current activities, actions, usage, and other information with the global public. Governments, NGOs, humanitarian organizations, civil society organizations, etc. contact the WSA for document issuance and/or legal advocacy assistance for individuals in refugee, stateless, or other vulnerable situations. With the current trend toward isolationism and nationalistic authoritarianism, the global public sees the World Service Authority as a beacon of hope, unity, individual empowerment, and respect for the rule of law. Q2. The current material is still a bit brief and cannot yet form a complete interview article. If possible, could you please share in more detail how your organisation has recently assisted refugees from Palestine or Ukraine, who have drawn global attention? Or How do they usually contact you for help? Are there any specific examples you could share? A2. Because of the sensitive and private nature of the situations in which refugees and stateless persons have been forced to flee their homes, we cannot provide specific examples that could put their lives in danger if shared publicly. Generally, refugees contact the WSA by email, phone, letter, or through our online application form to request information, document issuance, and pro bono legal advocacy. So, in addition to issuing documents of global identification and travel, the WSA provides human rights information and free human rights assistance through affidavits of support, legal letter-writing campaigns, and amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs. For example, Palestinians, Ukrainians, Rohingya, Somalis, Sudanese, Syrians, Iraqis, Afghanis, and many others facing war, persecution, famine, climate disasters, etc. reach out to the WSA for help. During the recent wars in Gaza and Ukraine, we have received letters and requests for assistance (both from Palestinians and Israelis, and Ukrainians and Russians) who say that they do not want to fight, that they see the other people as brothers, sisters, and cousins -- in other words, as part of the human family. Here are some slightly more specific examples of advocacy and documentary assistance: Children born of parents who do not have the citizenship or ethnicity of the country in which they live are frequently denied their rights. Our World Birth Certificate has helped children identify themselves even when the birth country refuses to provide birth certificates for the children. Being able to present the World Birth Certificate has allowed children to receive medical care and attend school, which they would not have otherwise been able to do. Our amicus briefs have assisted refugees in their claims of asylum based on persecution due to their political opinion, religion, ethnicity, and social group. We also petition immigration ombudsmus and inter-governmental commissions to expose rights violations and demand redress. Our briefs and petitions have prevented deportations and helped refugees obtain residence and work permits. Refugees in camps have been able to present the World Passport to be able to leave the camp during the day to work. Without any document, they would not be able to leave the camp, even temporarily. Other refugees have been able to use the passport to take up residence in other countries. Although the WSA has provided assistance to many displaced people and refugees over the past 70 years, most anyone may apply for the World Passport, no matter their citizenship, immigration, or other status. When individuals apply for the World Passport or world citizenship, they do not give up any other allegiance, identity, citizenship or other status. Q3. Regarding the issue of “world territories”: yes, I am aware of the Mondialisation movement. I would like to ask if there are any particular world territories that have interacted with you or your organisation more closely, or have left a deep impression on you over the years — or, if not, perhaps any related experiences you would like to share. A3. Out of the many mondialized locations around the world, Cahors Mundi in France probably resonates the most with the Garry Davis history and with the World Citizenship Movement. Please see their websites at https://www.cahorsmundi.fr/ and https://www.artmajeur.com/en/magazine/2-art-news/cahors-mundi-building-peace-beyond-nations/338641 Over the years, many indigenous groups, unrepresented nations, and populations facing vulnerabilities have contacted the WSA for documents that link their local identity to universal rights. The World Passport contains two affiliation pages in which a passport holder may add a seal, insignia, crest, or other indicia to indicate their affiliation with their local status or allegiance. Frequently, passport holders will request the WSA to insert on their behalf a seal, insignia, or other image and/or text regarding the passport holders’ status. With this option, passport holders can affirm their local and global status simultaneously. Q4. Could you also briefly share your personal story or experience — what led you to become a world activist, to join the World Government, and to meet Garry Davis? And, in the words of people accustomed to nationalist countries, what role do you play in the world government now? Thank you. A4. I met Garry Davis when I joined the World Service Authority as its General Counsel (chief attorney). After law school and having studied “international relations,” I was searching for meaningful work where I could engage my passion for human rights advocacy in a global setting. When I heard about the attorney position at the WSA, I immediately submitted my resume, cover letter, and a paper I had written calling for humanity to transform the United Nations into a United World organization. I interviewed with the previous president of the WSA and participated in a day-long interview with Garry Davis. I started working at the WSA the next day. Throughout my many years working side-by-side with Garry, he shared his life-long activism, lessons in world citizenship, and his human rights wisdom with me. We spent countless hours together in person at our offices in Washington, DC, at conferences and events around the world, dialoguing by email, speaking by phone, and near the end of his, life talking over Skype. I am currently President and General Counsel of the World Service Authority, coordinator of the World Citizen Government, founder of the World Citizen Club initiative, and Convenor of the World Court of Human Rights Coalition. Q5. Could you share your personal assessment of the development of the World Government? For example, has the number of people applying for your passports and formally becoming world citizens been increasing year by year? What do you think the overall trend will be in the next five to ten years? Do you have any specific visions or plans for the future? A5. Throughout my almost 35 years at the World Service Authority, I have seen interest in world citizenship, world government, and the World Passport ebb and flow. Some years, thousands upon thousands of individuals contact the WSA to register as world citizens and to seek out our various services and human rights information. Other years (such as during the pandemic when travel was halted), the number of applicants dwindled. Over the past three or four years, interest has picked up again, especially with the uncertainty in the world situation. Many people like to register as world citizens and carry the World Passport as additional documents to any other travel documents they may already possess. In uncertain times, having more identification documents and travel tools in your “travel toolbox” in addition to those either foisted upon you or withheld from you by the nation in which you happen to be born or reside, the more likely you will have options for exercising your universal rights. Through our educational outreach using social media along with our many projects, initiatives, and programming in which we participate with our colleagues and partners, we expect to dramatically increase awareness and engagement over the next five to ten years. During this upcoming period, we will be focusing on expanding our youth-led World Citizen Clubs on university campuses and building the global Coalition in support of the creation of a World Court of Human Rights. Please see the associated websites: https://worldcitizenclub.org and https://worldcourtofhumanrights.net. The clubs are important because they engage young people in becoming world citizen advocates and world peacemakers. The court is important because it holds the potential to positively affect the lives of individuals whose human rights are being violated, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized. Q6. Would you recommend that refugees with sufficient financial means who need documentation purchase a world passport? (For example, some people in the Palestinian war zone) A6. We cannot sufficiently reply to this question because it depends upon the individual’s specific circumstances. For some refugees, the World Passport has meant the difference between imprisonment and freedom. For others whose identification and travel rights have not been restricted, who may still have an unexpired national passport, or who have been issued a refugee travel document, they may not need the World Passport. There are other important uses of funds to consider such as helping others in their community to secure food, shelter, medical care and other life saving assistance. Please note that applicants do not “purchase” a World Passport, and the WSA does not “sell” documents. Applicants, as with national passports, must apply or submit an application form. Once vetted and approved, an applicant is then issued documents. Q7. You mentioned your organization has already been serving the world as a global government for many years. To what extent do you personally believe the organization's decisions and policies influence the world? How would you personally suggest people participate in the decision-making process? A7. “Belief” is not relevant to facts. What one believes requires a leap of faith and cannot be questioned by others because a belief is personal to each individual, and is right for them, but not necessarily for others. The World Service Authority’s decisions and policies to educate about world citizenship, to advance universal rights, and to support the global rule of law are important in the “marketplace of ideas.” The WSA acts like a rudder on boat, or a trimtab on an airplane – moving spaceship Earth in a new direction. Each passport we issue, each legal brief we write, each student we teach moves the world toward unity, dignity, respect, justice, and peace. The WSA collaborates with many different organizations and is focused on uniting the peace, justice, rights, and environmental movements under the umbrella of world citizenship and universal respect for universal rights. The WSA encourages the public to participate locally in their communities and to volunteer in support of global initiatives. In conjunction with the Earth Constitution Institute, we are building platforms for globing voter IDs and global voting. We support other grassroots democratization initiatives such as the creation of a World People’s Assembly (e.g., UN Parliamentary Assembly), UN Article 109 Charter review, and earth governance (Mobilizing Earth Governance Alliance), among others. Q8. What differences exist between you and the founder regarding policy directions and ideologies, philosophy, if any? Since your leadership began, have there been any policy changes compared to the organization under the founder's leadership? A8. World citizenship, world unity, world peace and justice – these organizational principles and mission remain the same. The WSA is engaged with many other organizations in mutual initiatives. Q9. Could you share with us how you succeeded to become the global leader? A9. As Garry Davis would say, “We are each and every one of us leaders. It is up to us to govern our world. It is not only our right but our duty because it is the will of the people that is the authority of government.” Q10. As the International Day of Tolerance approaches, is the Declaration of Principles of Tolerance regarded as a legal document of your organization? What legal status do various declarations currently hold within your organization? Should the sections emphasizing nation-states be revised? A10. The WSA considers Declarations as customary international law. They are not binding treaties on states or national governments. They are not world law (law created by humanity through a deliberative process and body such as a World Parliament). All human beings’ rights and duties should be respected and observed. Once a World Parliament is established, Declarations can be reviewed, updated, amended if necessary, and ratified as world law. Q11. As the leader of the global government, could you share your personal diplomatic experiences? How has your experience been traveling with a world passport? A11. I am not “the leader of the global government.” I am one leader among many, and among humanity as a whole. The WSA interacts with many governmental authorities. One common concern is that of “impunity.” In other words, national government have the power to violate human and environmental rights and might not be held accountable for those violations. National governments frequently assert “national security or public order” as a cover for their rights violations. This is why we need to establish a World Court of Human Rights. Garry Davis traveled the world with his World Passport. It was the only document he had after giving up his national citizenship in favor of world citizenship. Thousands of individuals around the world carry the World Passport for travel or identification purposes, and many for moral reasons of supporting human rights and human unity. Like Garry Davis, I enjoy identifying myself as a human being first and foremost – because that is truly what you and I are. All the other classifications, divisions, and identifiers only serve to “divide and conquer.” The World Service Authority serves the world public to unite and prosper. Q12. How can refugees without identification documents apply for a world passport? Could you outline the specific procedures? Are there any special benefits or support policies in place for them? A12. All applicants are requested to apply on the World Service Authority website at https://worldcitizengov.org/apply. The online application form only takes 3 or 4 minutes to complete. If someone does not have access to a computer, laptop, tablet, or phone, they can send us a letter by post to request forms be sent by post. Or if an applicant has access to email, they can email us a request for a PDF version of the application form that may be printed out, filled out, and mailed in, or that may be filled in and submitted by email. For refugees in refugee camps, and through donations made to the World Service Authority, we may issue gratis documents to these individuals from our World Refugee Fund. We also provide free legal advocacy such as amicus briefs on behalf of refugees and stateless persons. Warm regards,

Mark as Verified!

-- Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:35, 17 November 2025 (UTC)

Neutrality, OR notes, and further development

Journalism is a discipline of verification.

– Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism

As we covered extensively at the Wolfendale interview, full transcripts are required for original reporting. Please provide the complete interview text here on the talk page, with any sensitive details removed. In the OR Notes you describe the interview type as “multiple.” Please clarify what that means. If any questions and answers occurred over chat or social media, those exchanges also need to be transcribed here.

I can verify receiving the following two emails via Scoop on November 16:

Subject: Fwd: Site Visitor Message (no attachments)
Subject: Fwd: World Citizenship RE: Site Visitor Message (7 attached PDFs) Note: It would help the review process along if you explain how and where those seven attachments were used.

All formal Q&A's in the emails, whether included in the article or not, should be transcribed into the OR notes above, preferably using the OR Wizard.

OR concerns

Per OR policy, "The onus is on you as the reporter, to make sure those facts [presented by the interviewee] are correct." Some examples of things that need to be verified explicitly here in the talk page would include:

• "We have issued over 800,000 World Passports and over 5 million other documents."
• "I have served as President and General Counsel for nearly 35 years."
• "WSA is a legally registered nonprofit in Washington, D.C., with a charitable license from the District of Columbia, carrying out humanitarian and human rights work since 1954."

Neutrality concerns

The introduction mixes background facts, evaluative language, and reported speech without consistent attribution. Several claims appear in wikivoice that should instead be sourced or clearly attributed to Mr. Gallup, critics (specific when possible, sourced always), or published reporting. Strengthening attribution and removing promotional or loaded phrasing will improve neutrality and balance. The following are some examples:

• “the famous ‘fantasy document’ World Passport”
  • Needs attribution (who calls it “famous”, who calls it "fantasy"?)
• “has received formal legal recognition from six UN member states”
  • Requires sourcing or attribution; otherwise implies endorsement in wikivoice.
• “some still valid today (e.g., Tanzania)”
  • Needs a source or attribution. (if the source is the interview, the answer must be verified per WN:OR)
• “personal cosmopolitan philosophy”
  • Needs attribution (who described it as cosmopolitan?)
• “shared his vision for the future”
  • Promotional phrasing; should be framed as what he said.
• “WSA has a tradition of helping refugees”
  • Should be attributed or supported with evidence.
• “has also been criticized by some refugees as ‘useless’”
  • Needs to be attributed and preferably clarified (who, when, where) otherwise this is weaselly.

Style concerns

Also check the article thoroughly against the Style guide. I have spotted a few things such as titles of books not italicized, images need attribution, etc.

Reassess all of the images for relevance. For instance, the photo from the w:Pioneer plaque doesn’t appear connected to the interview topic. Its caption says the figures are caucasian, but it’s unclear why that detail is included or who made that determination. This risks pulling the article into a seemingly unrelated debate.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 15:03, 17 November 2025 (UTC)

Thank you for your review. Reference regarding refugee criticism is provided at the end of the article. The PDF file is meaningless; it's just something they automatically distributed from their official account.

"We have issued over 800,000 World Passports and over 5 million other documents." That's what they say on their official website homepage too, but I can't verify it independently. You can choose to delete it if you have time.

Regarding Tanzania, I sent an email to the embassy to verify (I think it might be forwarded in Scoop's emails), but I hope the email will not be made public. Please check it.

“has received formal legal recognition from six UN member states” I can verify the documents provided on the official website to see their credibility. If official correspondence is provided, then I believe my statement is reasonable. However, I actually meant to say "had received" rather than "received," because many recognitions may be invalid now. But this is still rare for documents not issued by a state/UN.

The image was added to make the reading experience more visually comfortable, as the interviewee mentioned things related to the Earth and humanity. The phrase "Caucasian race" was copied from the image description on Chinese Wikipedia and can be removed.

All the interview transcripts are here; I may have chosen the wrong category. @Michael.C.Wright I will try to revise some issues after work, and you can also edit if you have time; this report does need some minor revisions. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 22:32, 17 November 2025 (UTC)

> Regarding Tanzania, I sent an email to the embassy to verify (I think it might be forwarded in Scoop's emails), but I hope the email will not be made public.
That message was not received by Scoop. If you have a reply from the Tanzanian embassy, please forward it to Scoop for verification. If no response was received, the statement should be removed from the article as unverified. I listed the two Scoop emails above; please confirm that list and send anything not included.

The claim that the World passport “received formal recognition from six UN member states” must be verified before inclusion or we must clarify what kind of recognition he means. Are they recognized as official passports legal for entry into those states, or are they recognized for use along with other documentation? If you can't verify each country via their embassies or other official routes, consider asking Gallup for proof (and we'll need to verify whatever is sent).

Under WN:OR, all interviewee statements require verification by the interviewer. We cannot repeat claims without confirmation. As our guidance notes:

[I]t is important to consider what slant the person may want to give your final story, and to make sure that you, rather than the source, decide which details are relevant.

I can’t proceed with a review until the interviewee’s statements are verified in accordance with WN:OR and WN:Source. Verification is required for all original reporting, so the article isn’t ready for review until that’s complete.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 16:20, 20 November 2025 (UTC)

I have independently verified this(Tanzania), and screenshots have been sent to Scoop. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 22:40, 20 November 2025 (UTC)

I can verify that an email containing three screenshots from a chat were received on November 20. From the screenshots, it is clear the individual stated "the suitable Passport is your Country's Passport
But if you don't have... you can use that one." I assume attached a copy or photo of a World passport and that is what "that one" refers to. Is that correct?

Do you have any reason to keep that source anonymous in the public-facing article? Using their name and title in the article would significantly strengthen our statement.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 14:24, 21 November 2025 (UTC)

@Michael.C.Wright Yes, based on the contents of the email, it appears that I may do so even if I hold only the World Passport.

You may add (independently confirmed with the Immigration Head Quarters through the Tanzanian Embassy in Japan by a reporter). Sheminghui.WU (talk) 00:38, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

@Michael.C.Wright Regarding the claim of "had received," their official website lists some official letters, which I think is a reasonable statement, meaning they once recognized it. To my knowledge, some of these have been formally revoked. However, merely "recognizing" it carries a different significance under international law. You could help me revise the wording to be more neutral, emphasizing "admitted" rather than "still admitting". ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 22:44, 20 November 2025 (UTC)

[1] I have read the documents, and I feel we have no reason not to believe that the recognitions made by Tanzania, Zambia, Togo, Upper Volta, Ecuador, and Mauritania were real. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 22:46, 20 November 2025 (UTC)

I’m not confident in the claim of recognition as presented. For example:

• The 1954 Ecuador letter does not show acceptance. It calls the World Passport an “interesting idea” and says it would be accepted “providing all requirements are complied with and security maintained.” We don’t know what those requirements were or whether the passport ever met them.
• The Mauritania letter is from 1975, issued under a government that was overthrown in 1978.
• The 1972 Haute Volta letter predates a later coup and even the country’s name change.

These historical letters do not demonstrate present-day recognition, and only a few suggest recognition even at the time. Presenting them as evidence of acceptance underscores the need for caution with Gallup’s broader claims. For example, the letter from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees simply asks for “a list of the countries accepting the Authority’s passport.” That request does not itself indicate recognition by the UN or any other organization.

If we include this point in the article, it needs protective wording. For example:
According to Gallup, the World Passport has been recognized by six UN member states. The documents offered in support are historical and do not establish current recognition.

At this point, the verification issues are significant enough that I have serious concerns about the article’s reliability in its current form.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 15:08, 21 November 2025 (UTC)

@Michael.C.Wright Thank you for reviewing the content. The key point here is the phrase “was once recognised.” Please help me adjust the wording so that readers understand it means only that it had been recognised in the past. Indeed, I don’t quite remember the contents of every letter, so we can remove Ecuador and change the number of countries to five. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 00:24, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

I don’t see it that way. The letters from the United Nations and the Vatican clearly do not show any form of recognition, yet according to the WSA they also count these two, as well as Ecuador. As an independent media outlet, we should exclude such cases and only count those that explicitly expressed recognition — and those would be considered historical recognition. At present, the only one I can independently verify as still valid is Tanzania, though I believe there may have been a second one. It doesn’t really matter; we should simply state the number of UN member states that once recognised it, once recognised. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 00:28, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

(In addition, I didn't receive the email you sent to Tanzania. However, since such inquiries seem to involve a certain amount of work, perhaps we should send another letter that does not require further verification.) Sheminghui.WU (talk) 01:03, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

@Michael.C.Wright I've made some changes, please check them. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 00:59, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

“the famous ‘fantasy document’ World Passport”, see w:fantasy passport, Perhaps we could add "as shown in the ICAO documents". Sheminghui.WU (talk) 22:36, 17 November 2025 (UTC)

I believe it's not easy to have an independent Wikipedia entry. I rarely see a Fantasy Passport with its own entry, which is quite notability and could be considered famous. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 22:38, 17 November 2025 (UTC)

Please feel free to edit it ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 22:59, 17 November 2025 (UTC)

I'm not trying to do too much editing because reviewers must remain independent of article development in order to qualify to review the article. So my edits will be minimal and primarily focused on getting it publishable.

I believe the term "fantasy passport" is meant to be dismissive or derogatory, so we should limit our use of the term in wikivoice and attribute or explain it in some way to distance ourselves from the bias.

As you mentioned, the 2023 ICAO document[2] might be a good source since that document defines the term and the ICAO publishes passport standards. They classify fantasy passports as fraudulent.

This one[3] might be better. Though we'd have to work through if we should consider it, as a blog, to be a reliable source. If you use it, you might prepare to defend[4] the use. That blog article discusses Gary Davis and the World Passport and could provide support for needed balance in our article.

If you wanted (and I think it would strengthen our article), you could dig into all of this para-passport/pseudo document/fantasy passport thing a bit more and do a more lengthy explainer. Done well enough, it could serve as a foundation for a dedicated Wikipedia article. That also gives you an opportunity to balance the article; by countering this bold statement: "The only risk lies in the nation-state system increasingly being seen as outdated and destructive to human rights, human dignity, and planetary survival. Those few “state leaders” who cling to power will eventually be replaced by the force of the world’s people."Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 00:07, 18 November 2025 (UTC)

Thank you for your editing. I was genuinely at a loss for words regarding a news article on "fantasy passports," and I didn't have many ideas on how to balance the information. Was such a rebuttal necessary? That was indeed a very radical viewpoint on his part. I welcome your continued contributions on ideas, such as how to balance the term "fantasy passport," as simply using "passport" could be misleading from the reader's perspective. Frankly, the exact nature of a passport remains a subject of debate in academia. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 01:10, 18 November 2025 (UTC)

@Michael.C.Wright I added image sources and optimized some wording issues. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 03:56, 18 November 2025 (UTC)

Ecuador said "In summary, Ecuador accepts your world passport as travel document for personal identification." I believe it was at least recognized as a travel document at the time; it's a yes or no question. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 05:25, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

I changed it to this: but it has also been formally recognised by six UN member states at some point in the past (three of them did not impose any conditions) ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 05:47, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

Togo, Tanzania and Zambia Sheminghui.WU (talk) 05:52, 22 November 2025 (UTC)

Minor bits

I think I've waded a bit too far in on c/e etc. to review now. The top-most source appears to be an archived grab of a pay-walled article, but part of it is there and might be enough to be OK.--Bddpaux (talk) 18:12, 19 November 2025 (UTC)

Thank you ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 02:22, 20 November 2025 (UTC)

I'd really like to see this one make it!--Bddpaux (talk) 21:39, 20 November 2025 (UTC)

Hi @Sheminghui.WU

If you have any private notes such as

• David's official contact email
• a copy of the interview audio if it was audio,

It would help me to review. Please provide this information to this address

• scoopwn-reporters.org email here privately (do not provide this information here on wiki)

Regards, -- Gryllida 01:34, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

@Gryllida Hi Gryllida!! However, the information here and that has already been forwarded to Scoop is all the information we have. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 05:38, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Didn't see it. What date? Gryllida 07:32, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

20/11 for Scoop ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:16, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Thanks. Replied to the email. Gryllida 08:24, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Done. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 10:50, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Replied. Gryllida 11:39, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Forwarded for another time. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 11:54, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Thanks. FYI - opened a discussion. Gryllida 12:49, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Is this part of normal process... and please feel free to change any word choice or content according to the original text. The original text is just too long any some times speak in a bureaucratic tone. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 13:09, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

It is first time an interviewee requests minor changes. This should happen before submitting for review. I have to provide that information to you. Gryllida 09:28, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

I really don’t understand all of this. Are we even a media organisation? It’s really strange that you communicate with the interviewee but not with me, and the version submitted for review has already been seen by Mr. David. It’s just that, this time, after your discussion with him, he made a new suggestion.

Furthermore, I really don’t understand—every interview on the market, including other language versions of Wikinews and any non-profit citizen media, can freely modify the raw material once obtained. Why can’t ENWN do the same? Is this really a policy requirement? Doesn’t the policy state that content should be determined by the journalist?

And speaking factually, after all this time we’ve spent, what benefit is there for the readers? I don’t see any, except that we ended up with a more mundane, run-of-the-mill headline. This is Wikinews, a free news source—how can journalists have so many constraints?

I mean, these are some of my questions. If there are no answers to these questions, then we need reform. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 10:23, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

I needed to communicate with interviewee to ask to confirm that the interview text is indeed his. That's normal as part of peer review. Usually the answer is 'yes, it is' and they walk away.

We have got a difficult case when they keep asking to make edits practically on each contact. When I saw this I forwarded them to you and included you in the email chain. Doing this is not a reviewer's task. Gryllida 10:41, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Ok. But I didn't notice many changes, what else besides about The Cosmocitizens Tribune? Sheminghui.WU (talk) 10:45, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Probably just that, they kept asking to modify the phrase. Let's see what they say now to last request. Gryllida 10:52, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

@Gryllida Hi, may I ask why can't we use the original title? As the reporter who spoke with him, I knew (and that was also my plan) that the topic of this interview is "Today's World Passports and World Citizen Governments." Also, his name doesn't seem particularly significant to be included in the title (readers will see it when they click through), so I'm wondering if it's necessary? ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 11:37, 24 November 2025 (UTC)

I just needed active voice. Changes are welcome. Gryllida 09:27, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Done. Please check @Gryllida Sheminghui.WU (talk) 10:31, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

lowercase the 'interviews' and 'today' as headlines are in sentence case not camel case thanks Gryllida 10:33, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Done @Gryllida Sheminghui.WU (talk) 10:37, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Thanks, i'll publish in around 10h if no major objections from interviewee or on this page Gryllida 11:55, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Thanks;) Sheminghui.WU (talk) 12:32, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

i just published and sent the interviewee a stern disclaimer that they are not going to be forever owner of the page i will update a documentation about interviewing in next couple days, so that it is not this painful in future. thanks a lot for your attention to the incoming requests Gryllida 02:35, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

??? Sheminghui.WU (talk) 02:50, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Ah, I see, Ok, seems good. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 02:50, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Do we have {reflist} template? Thank you. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 02:59, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Update

Hi @Michael.C.Wright please summarize which concerns are still pending, ideally in less than 200 words. This will help me with publishing. I do not have capacity to read the entire page above. I would greatly appreciate your help! Gryllida 09:27, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Please do that within next 10 hours if you can, thatd help a lot, thanks Gryllida 10:53, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

I don't expect to have time to review this article in the near future. I do not make any claim to exclusive reviewer rights of any article unless I mark it as 'under review.'

I would recommend to whoever reviews this article to consider at least the following:

• The interviewee has provided the interviewer a list of suggested changes to our draft article. These were not accurately represented here. Several of the proposed changes seem innocuous and aimed at accuracy, at brief glance.
  • That email was sent directly to Gryllida and then forwarded to Scoop by her, with the subject line "Fwd: World Citizenship RE: Site Visitor Message" on November 24.
• Verify that interviewee answers in the article are verbatim to responses from the interviewee or are minimally and transparently clarified by WN contributors.
• Pay close attention to the evidence provided for the statement "it [the World Passport] has also been formally recognised by six UN member states." I disagree that the evidence provided supports that statement. The relevant discussion above starts here.
• Note also that in 2012 the ICAO explicitly considered (and may still consider) the World Passport a "psuedo document" with no legal value (Introduction to Fraudulent Methods used in travel, Identity, and Visa Documents, pp 20-30). That document states (with my emphasis):

> Pseudo documents comprise a range of documentation which has no legal value and therefore proves neither the identity nor the nationality of an individual. A pseudo document has the appearance of an existing document, however it is not issued by an existing and legally recognized authority of a given State or Organization, recognized under international law.

I’d urge caution before publishing this as written. We should avoid giving the impression that the World Passport is legally accepted anywhere unless we have clear, explicit evidence to support that claim.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 18:27, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

1. I disagree with the note that they were not accurately represented there. The interviewee was suggesting new changes from email to email. I checked that particular one and it was already implemented.

2. This is OK with me as interviewee approves of current revision. I don't have the motivation to pursue the requirement not to make modifications to the interview answers. I do recommend that in the future this should not be done but given the interviewee checked the content and approved it, I am comfortable leaving it as is in interest of time. I have re-sent request to David asking to check current revision. To further alleviate this I added a 'Interview answers have been minimally edited by Wikinews for formatting and clarity' disclaimer at the top of the interview section.

3. I disagree with the argument 'government had a coup'. That is a waste of time. 'recognized by (a country/six countries) at one time in the past' remains valid.

4. That seems covered by a note ICAO calls it a fantasy document. Gryllida 18:46, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

The following is based on the evidence provided by this page:

• ❌ Ecuador 1954: "[Y]our idea is interesting and, providing all requirements are complied with and security maintained, Ecuador would accept such documents..." is not official recognition.
• ✅ Haute Volta 1972 "The Ministry of the Interior and Security accepts the entry into Upper Volta of holders of the neutral passport issued by the ‘World Service Authority’." Authorization predates a later coup (change in government) and even the country’s name change. No evidence it is still recognized.
• ✅ Mauritan 1975 "[I]t's recognition will be granted in the framework of the Mauritian laws." Authorization issued under a government that was overthrown in 1978 (change in government). No evidence it is still recognized.
• ✅ Tanzania 1995 "[C]onfirms the official recognition..."
• ✅ Togo 1983 "[T]he Government of Togo has decided to recognize the travel documents that your organization may issue to any individual considered a world citizen, for humanitarian reasons." No evidence of change in recognition. No verification attempt by en.WN that it is still accepted.
• ❌ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1981 "[W]e would be interested in receiving a list of countries accepting the Authority's passport." is not official recognition.
• ❌ The Vatican 1983 "I sometimes come in contact with people who would particularly benefit from a World Passport, knowledge of which recently came to my attention." is not official recognition.
• ✅ Zambia 1973 "I am pleased to inform you that my Government has recognised and accepted the Passport as a genuine and valid travel document of identity."

The following have never been members of the UN:

• Vatican City State

I have updated our article to reflect the above and self-sighted the change to avoid misrepresentation of documented evidence. As stated above, we should avoid giving the impression that the World Passport is legally accepted anywhere unless we have clear, explicit evidence to support that claim.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 14:09, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

We simply said "it was recognized before," "some point at past"—isn't that clear enough? Recognition by a UN member state is significant, regardless of whether it is revoked or not. and The WSA has never said that the Vatican has recognized it. @Michael.C.Wright Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:46, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

I believe Ecuador’s position is one of conditional recognition. If you do not recognise something as a travel document, it is impossible to allow its holder to enter your country（especially in official documents); at most, you could issue them another passport or Visa but no passport. It’s just like how I could never enter the United States using a blank sheet of paper as a travel document. Ecuador’s stance is clearly conditional recognition, and the preface at the time of issuance explicitly stated this. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:48, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

i agree with Michael here, it is better to be conservative as 'recognised' is a strong word. i'd approve Equador though. Gryllida 08:55, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

My suggestion is to immediately revert to the previous version and discuss changes to the wording. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 09:01, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

"The Government of Togo has decided to recognize the travel documents..." This word is not an exaggeration. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 09:04, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

We can use "acknowledging or recognizing" Sheminghui.WU (talk) 09:06, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

First, I don't understand why the first paragraph of the preface was changed. I also don't understand why the sections about Ecuador, the Vatican, and the UNHCR are presented as if the WSA is lying. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 09:08, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

I honestly don't understand why we're so dedicated to writing news introductions like encyclopedias??? Who wants to read something like this? If readers want more details, here's a link to the Inter-sister project. I'm speechless. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 09:16, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Review of revision 4949023 [Passed]

Revision 4949023 of this article has been reviewed by Gryllida (talk · contribs) and has passed its review at 02:26, 26 November 2025 (UTC). Copyright: Passed Newsworthiness: Passed Verifiability: Passed NPOV: Passed Style: Passed Comments by reviewer: Was a difficult case. Will need to revise OR protocol so that changes to content are not required. The reviewed revision should automatically have been edited by removing {{Review}} and adding {{Publish}} at the bottom, and the edit sighted; if this did not happen, it may be done manually by a reviewer.

Revision 4949023 of this article has been reviewed by Gryllida (talk · contribs) and has passed its review at 02:26, 26 November 2025 (UTC). Copyright: Passed Newsworthiness: Passed Verifiability: Passed NPOV: Passed Style: Passed Comments by reviewer: Was a difficult case. Will need to revise OR protocol so that changes to content are not required. The reviewed revision should automatically have been edited by removing {{Review}} and adding {{Publish}} at the bottom, and the edit sighted; if this did not happen, it may be done manually by a reviewer.

• Thank you both for your assistance! ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 03:06, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Further editing

I recommend the original author and/or others edit the page for WN:Style issues. For example writing in past tense, ordering the sources newest to oldest per WN:Source, etc.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 14:53, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

@Michael.C.Wright However, I am dissatisfied with the changes made to the preface. The previous version was neutral and clear, but the new one now seems to imply that WSA might be lying. I don’t see any reason why we should assume those official documents are fake rather than trust it's genuine; and I have checked the contents one by one, and three of them explicitly mention refugee use while the other three do not. (Also, why do we keep running into this kind of hindsight criticism?)

Furthermore, the WSA has never claimed recognition from the UNHCR or the Vatican, but has only listed official correspondence. I don't know why this point is being emphasized, but I feel it significantly compromises the neutrality of this article. Please make corrections as soon as possible. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:45, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

@Michael.C.Wright I have already submitted a retraction request. We should revert to the previous wording before discussing any minor adjustments. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:53, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Additionally, the only "nonexistent" country here is Upper Volta, which has merely changed its name to Burkina Faso, meaning "Land of Upright People." ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:56, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Moreover, even if it were annexed like Democratic Germany, it would not change the fact that it was a UN member state recognition. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:58, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

@Gryllida Sheminghui.WU (talk) 08:58, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

1. Past tense is content edit that does not qualify for being sufficiently important for a correction. I would not do it.

2. Reordering sources is a minor non-content edit. This can be done. Gryllida 11:48, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Please at least fix the Ecuador one Sheminghui.WU (talk) 12:26, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Come on! Why not Ecuador? @Gryllida Sheminghui.WU (talk) 06:53, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

This is not Wikipedia. After 24 hours after published, have to issue a 'correction'. Would you like one to be added for Equador, if so, requires a new section on talk page, and consensus reached. Gryllida 06:58, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

Correction

add Ecuador(1954) and "Tanzania’s recognition is still valid, as independently verified by Wikinews with the country’s Immigration Headquarters via the Embassy in Japan." @Gryllida Sheminghui.WU (talk) 07:01, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

Please provide a quote from the source document here than indicates Ecuador officially recognized the World Passport in 1954. Also provide support that recognition is still valid.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 01:49, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

I did not say that any country other than Tanzania "has recognized" it to this day; I only said that it "once recognized" it. Singling out Ecuador is a factual error. Sheminghui.WU (talk) 03:08, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

"In summary, Ecuador accepts your world passport as travel document for personal identification." @Michael.C.Wright Sheminghui.WU (talk) 03:09, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

For the following reasons, I am not persuaded that the 1954 Ecuador letter demonstrates formal recognition of the World Passport. Because this is a complex and controversial subject, and because Wikinews contributors are citizen journalists rather than legal or immigration-law professionals, we should be especially careful about how we phrase claims in wikivoice. This concern was raised before publication.

Concerns with the Ecuador letter (especially when contrasted with Tanzania’s explicit and formal statement of recognition):

• Uses conditional language (“would accept… providing all requirements are complied with”).
• The required conditions are not defined.
• Cites no legal authority or directive authorizing recognition.
• The summary sentence does not override the conditional operative text.
• Tone and structure align with a diplomatic courtesy reply, not a formal recognition instrument.
• Provides no instruction to immigration or border authorities.

Taken together, these points suggest the letter is insufficient to demonstrate formal recognition. Given the discrepancies within the letter itself, Wikinews should avoid wording that overstates or implies official recognition without explicit supporting evidence. If the original reporter can independently verify formal recognition by Ecuador, either historically or presently, a correction might be appropriate.Michael.C.Wright (^Talk/_Reviewer) 21:26, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

This is somewhat a bit like a AI analysis... However, the circumstances under which acceptance or rejection is made are not necessarily related to recognition. This statement alone is sufficient to prove that passports are recognized as travel documents, nothing more. I believe this is a typical case of conditional recognition, and the ambiguity of the conditions does not affect this point. ~ Sheminghui.WU (talk) 22:16, 2 December 2025 (UTC)