Today is the first day of 2026; more than halfway through this decade. The beginning of the year marks the beginning of a new goal for some, hoping to set forth a change for the better. While some take the New Year to jump into a lifestyle or commitment to change, others may not feel they are ready to jump in, even with the year resetting and the feeling of “fresh starts” anew.

You’re never ready. Sometimes you just need to take that opportunity to do.

It was 20 years ago today, on New Year’s Day of 2006, that the first Pirate Party came into being: the Pirate Party of Sweden. Formed in the wake of the Pirate Bay raid, Pirates from Sweden set forth in motion a movement dedicated to the protection of a free and open culture. It was young, future focused, privacy minded and willing to call out intellectual property on the farce it was.

Months after Sweden, on the campus of the University of Georgia, came the second ever Pirate Party: the United States Pirate Party.

While that event occurred on June 6th, 2006, and is an event we shall celebrate the anniversary of later this year during our 2026 Pirate National Conference in Boston, that is not the focus of this post.

Instead, as we go into our 20th year as a movement, the time must be taken to acknowledge some folks. Pirate Parties have popped up worldwide, and while the European peninsula plays host to the most Pirate Parties, it is far from a European movement.

We wish to take a moment to recognize the grassroots efforts of Pirates across the world that have worked to build up this movement.

To our partners in América, the Pirates of Argentina, Brazil and Chile, we are proud to stand with you all as representatives in the New World and in commitment to our own Pan-Americanist platform, dedicating ourselves to bring the United States from a paradigm of U.S. dominance to genuine collaboration and friendship. With you all, we hope to see ourselves as “the first four”, but not the “lone four”.

To our friends in Greece, who provide a fire and energy this movement so desperately needs to continue to grow and thrive. Thank you for speaking up in defense of our movement and refusing to compromise on our ideals. The U.S. Pirate Party greatly looks forward to your success and progress towards the future.

To our candidates, some of whom we have announced and endorsed and some of whom we have yet to tell you about: thank you for believing in this movement. Thank you for caring about your neighbors. Thank you for fighting for a society and culture that is truly free and open.

To the volunteers within the United States Pirate Party: you are the beating heart of this vessel. This ship doesn’t run without their crew, and to our volunteers actively seeking to form Pirate Parties in their state: it is your leadership that is making the difference. Whether you are from one of our PNC member states like Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania or Texas, or one of the volunteers from Alabama, Colorado, the DMV, Kansas. Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio or West Virginia. Your work is recognized and appreciated to the highest degree.

To our leadership in Young Pirates USA, thank you for taking the time to build up the next generation of Pirate. We look forward to having a more lively YPUSA in the coming years.

To supporters of the Pirate Party, be it the United States or elsewhere: you have seen us grow from a seemingly single issue party to one more fleshed out and unique. No long just privacy, copyright and patents, but also Pan-Americanism, police reform and clean water. This party is a living, breathing reflection of all those who have taken the time to contribute. We hope you can see your reflection from the polish we plan to apply in 2026.

The Pirate Party’s goal was always fighting for “a free and open culture”. Adding clean water, police reform and Pan-Americanism were natural expansions of that idea. Protecting the commons, your privacy, your neighbors and our communities from overreach and profit-first-and-only-minded corporations.

It has been said that the Pirate Party is a bit of an open source project itself; people come in and out and contribute as much or as little as they’d like. It is here I believe our strengths truly lay.

To those looking from the outside in: thank you for checking us out! Maybe you thought we were a joke party (because Pirate Party is a silly name). Maybe you were convinced we existed but did little to nothing. While you might think a slow burn towards success isn’t ideal, I counter by saying that surviving twenty years is only the first obstacle. Sometimes parties and organizations linger before finding their footing, an example being the Democratic Socialists of America. While I am not insinuating we are next in line for that type of relevance, I insist that we are not stagnant in the background. If you have gotten so far as to visit our website or read this article, I invite you to check out our platform. You might not realize it, but our goals aren’t “for Pirates”; they’re for everyone. It just so happens everyone might just be a Pirate.

In the middle of this War on Privacy waged against the average citizen, assisted by the post-Citizens United major parties, in collaboration with those seeking to profit off of your data, we cannot afford to stop pushing. It’s been a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come.

We have plenty in 2026 and beyond for supporters to sink their teeth into. Beyond volunteer opportunities, we look forward to running more candidates (including what is looking to be a record number of Pirates running in 2026), holding more camera walks, organizing more protests, creating more literature, and giving you all the more reason to Vote Pirate.

Happy New Years to all, and Happy Birthday to this movement we call our own. May these next twenty years be even more fruitful than the first, and may the change we all wish to see come by our hands and hard work.

Because, after all: if not you, then who?

uspirates.org/happy-new-years-…