The 109th World Esperanto Congress takes place in the Northen Tanzanian city of Arusha from the August 3 to 10, 2024.
More than 594 people have now registered for the 109th Universal Congress of Esperanto.
At least, this is according to the statement from the Universal Esperanto Association, Communications officer, Louis Wunsch-Rolshoven, and the President of Esperanto Youth of Tanzania, John Magessa, sent to The Tanzania Times.
The event takes place at the Arusha International Conference Center in Tanzania, from 3 to 10 August 2024.
This is the first time that the Universal Congress of Esperanto takes place on the African continent and Tanzania hosts the maiden event.
Participants hail from 64 countries around the world.
Countries to be represented include Australia, Japan, China, Nepal and a number of European countries.
Also to attend are delegates from the United States, Brazil and Bolivia.
There will also be people from sixteen African countries such as the East African Community states like host Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo.
Other African countries attending the congress are Benin; Madagascar; Senegal; Angola; South Africa; Togo; Central African Republic; Gabon; Gambia and Cameroon.
Main theme: Language, people and environment for a better world
Many dozens of lectures and workshops will take place during the Universal Congress.
Many of them will focus on this year’s main theme: “Language, People and Environment for a Better World”. Popular science lectures will also be offered as part of the Congress University.
In addition, the various bodies of the Universal Esperanto Association will meet, such as the Board, the General Assembly, as well as various commissions.
There will also be meetings of many specialist Esperanto organizations, such as railway workers or Esperanto teachers.
Bookshop, cultural events and excursions
The bookstore will offer the latest publications in Esperanto as well as more classic works. There will also be concerts and plays in Esperanto.
The congress will as well offer the opportunity to get to know the city and the country through excursions.
Common language: The international language Esperanto
The participants will communicate in the international language Esperanto.
This language has existed for more than 130 years and is used for international contacts.
It was composed of several languages, mainly from Europe, such as English, French, German and Russian.
Today, depending on the estimate, it is spoken by a few hundred thousand or a few million people from more than 120 countries.
Can be learned in a quarter of the time it takes to learn English
One of the great advantages of Esperanto is that it is a regular language and therefore quicker to learn than languages such as English or French.
It usually takes about a quarter of the time to learn other languages.
At the same time, this means that you will reach a higher level of proficiency in Esperanto than in English, for example, in the same amount of time.
After about three years, most Esperanto learners find that they speak Esperanto better than their other foreign languages.
A more neutral language, equally open to all people
Another advantage of Esperanto is that it is relatively neutral. People from many dozens of countries learn it and feel equal.
The literature of Esperanto is continuously created by people from dozens of countries and reflects the different cultures and views of the world.
Because Esperanto is easy to learn, its speakers have a better chance of participating in the creation of cultural goods, whereas in languages such as English or French, the culture is mainly created by the native speakers. Esperanto thus brings speakers of different languages closer together.
Esperanto as part of human progress
The idea of developing a language specifically for international communication, and in such a way that it can be learnt in a quarter of the time it takes to learn national and ethnic languages, is part of human progress.
In fact, this undertaking was successful, and an international community of Esperanto speakers was created, with a common international culture in Esperanto.
It is no wonder that this idea and its implementation are attracting more and more interested parties, followers, students and speakers. In this way, an increasingly international Esperanto community with equal rights is being created.
Cultural heritage
Two states of the European Union, Poland and Croatia, have recognised Esperanto as a cultural heritage and good (in 2014 and 2019).
UNESCO took note in 1954 “of the results attained by Esperanto in the field of international intellectual relations and the rapprochement of the peoples of the world”; it recognized “that these results correspond with the aims and ideals of Unesco”.
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