GOLDMAN MILL — Stepping off the national air terminal ferry early this afternoon with a warm smile and a travel-worn briefcase, Prime Minister Regina Goldman returned home from the ninth European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Dublin—just in time to trade international roundtables for solar lanterns and spiced cider at tonight’s Harvest Fest opening.

Speaking with The Mill Messenger on the State Hall plaza shortly after arriving, the Prime Minister looked energized despite a whirlwind forty-eight hours of diplomacy beside the River Liffey.

Her core objectives going into the summit were straightforward: carry Goldman Mill’s message of Absolute Peace into a security-obsessed room, advocate for climate-resilient renewable energy grids, and deepen working relationships with fellow small and non-EU nations.

“We met every single objective we set,” Goldman confirmed. “When you represent a 136-year-old demilitarized microstate in a room dominated by defense budgets and military hardware, you might expect polite skepticism. Instead, I was received with genuine respect and real curiosity. Leaders wanted to know how our total solar micro-grid works, how our unarmed Gardai maintain public safety through de-escalation, and how a small nation stays economically self-reliant without ever compromising its pacifist principles.”

One of the standout highlights of the summit, Goldman noted, was the growing camaraderie among the non-EU partners at the table—including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and leaders from the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, and the Western Balkans.

“I love them—we are genuinely bonding as a unit,” Goldman said warmly. “There is a unique solidarity among those of us who sit outside the formal European Union structure yet remain deeply connected to Europe’s stability, trade, and shared future. Watching President Zelenskyy carry the immense weight of his people with such fierce resilience, and working alongside Prime Minister Carney—who brings steady, clear-eyed economic wisdom and a real commitment to democratic cooperation—was inspiring. We found ourselves comparing notes in the hallways, backing one another up in the working sessions, and realizing how much strength we have when we move together.”

Over the past year, Prime Minister Goldman’s presence on the international stage has grown noticeably—a deliberate shift that she believes is vital for the future of the Sovereign Microstate of Peace.

“For a long time, some folks wondered why a peaceful, self-sustaining microstate needed to spend energy at major international summits,” Goldman explained. “Here is why: in an era when authoritarianism, fossil-fuel extraction, and endless warfare are treated as inevitable facts of life, Goldman Mill has to be visible. We are living proof that another model works. Every time we take our seat at a table like the EPC, we protect our sovereignty, build friendships that keep our citizens safe, and remind the world that radical empathy and clean energy aren’t utopian dreams—they are practical statecraft.”

Wrapping up the dockside interview so the Prime Minister could unpack before tonight’s 6:00 PM lantern lighting in Verdant Square, I noted that it had been a long, demanding few days abroad and asked what she was looking forward to most now that she was safely back on home soil.

Prime Minister Goldman laughed brightly.

“Kissing my husband—and having an absolute blast at Harvest Fest!” she said.

“Ari and I plan on stopping in every single district over the weekend to see our neighbors, taste the harvest bounty, and dance a little. And after Sunday evening? Taking a very, very long nap.”