When we set out to create the Unknown Community we envisaged a creative global community of sites brought together under one common identity. This is in effect what has been created.

We feel that the Unknown Community occupies a unique position in the internet as a well built, interactive community, bringing together like minded people.

Creativity is a means through which we can make sense and or deal with the ever changing world around us. Creativity is also the very fabric of our evolution. Our aim is to get people, organisations and corporations involved in helping to expand the almost unlimited potential that this community offers as both an interactive and creative forum and as a means for broadening the horizons of all who visit.

A Little Bit Of History

Way back in the year 2000 (which seems forever ago now), the creators of this community were a little company starting out in software and web design. One Englishman and Four Russians. We knew that we had skills but we had nothing to show... How do you get clients if you have nothing to show them? We needed to create something that was interesting and showed skills in design and database development.

Of course we could have created any number of websites but the one idea we kept coming back to was that of creating a community for people who wanted to express themselves. Russia at that time (as it still is) was undergoing huge political, economic and social changes. There was optimism, pessimism, fear and exhiliration of what could be achieved and how life might change. So we wanted to create something that would help embrace creativity in an environment that was supportive for everyone involved (see Site Philosophy). Being big fans of poetry we decided to start with a poetry site. And being in a world where people often feel alienated and alone we decided to call the site 'Unknown Poets'.

As you can imagine, finances are always tight in an small company, so there was no money to tell anyone about the website even though it was and still is probably one of the best poetry sites on the internet. As a result we published the site and then waited to see what happened.

Even though it maybe should not have been a surprise, we were nevertheless amazed and overjoyed when the first people started to sign up. Imagine! ...something you put your heart in to creating is being enjoyed by other people... it is a good feeling!

But just one site was not what we wanted to achieve... we really wanted to build a community covering different aspects of being creative as well a being informative. So, whenever time and budget allowed we carried on building, adding the sites and sections that make up the Unknown Community today. Now the site has 4000's of members and grows primarily through word of mouth.

The Philosophy Of The Unknown Community

People thought we were mad!
'Why put so much time and effort in to something that is not commercially focused?' ...we were asked this question alot.

Our answer was simple... we felt that we could in some small way make a difference. We cannot change the course of world events (which of course is a shame given where the world seems to be going these days), and we cannot solve peoples problems for them. But what we felt we could do is provide an environment where people could at least come and be themselves amongst people who are like minded. This doesnt mean that everyone will see 'eye to eye' but it does mean that people can say what they mean and express themselves in a way that they want to with annonimity!

This is one of the great things about the internet, it allows you to be you and interact with people from all over the world. Try imagining that just 20 years ago!!

There is a serious side to this community. It is not just about being able to express yourself. It is about being able to be part of something constructive. It is about not feeling alone. It is about being able to share thoughts, feelings and experiences.

We get a lot of e-mails from people who find the Unknown Community extremely cathartic. A lot of people who find, often it seems to their surprise, that they are not alone in going through much of the crap that life can throw at you and find a lot of comfort in reading the thoughts and submissions of other members of the community, from feelings of love and joy, to depression and death.

In a world where technology seems to make communication even easier and greatly reduces the time it takes to do anything, is it not ironic that people seem to talk less these days, seem to be becoming more insular and unable to express what they feel.

And this is what the Unknown Community is all about. People can express themselves and through so doing directly and indirectly help others.