Esperanto Congress Draws Enthusiasts from Around the World
Last summer, more than 1,000 paying attendees from over 60 countries gathered at Mendel University in Brno, Czechia, for the 110th annual World Esperanto Congress. The eight-day event, hosted by the Universal Esperanto Association, featured lectures, cultural events, and social gatherings—all conducted entirely in Esperanto. Attendees included nudists, railway enthusiasts, peace activists, and young travellers, reflecting the diverse and often eccentric community that keeps the 137-year-old constructed language alive.
A Language Born of Conflict
Esperanto was invented in 1887 by Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist L.L. Zamenhof, who grew up in the multi-ethnic city of Białystok (then part of the Russian Empire). Witnessing frequent clashes between Russian, Polish, Belarusian, German, Yiddish, and Hebrew speakers, Zamenhof believed that linguistic division was the root of conflict. He published a language manual under the pseudonym Doktoro Esperanto—"one who hopes"—laying out a system of root words, modifiers, and grammar designed to be easy to learn. The language quickly gained traction among anarcho-syndicalists, socialists, and internationalists, earning the nickname "the Latin of democracy."
Persecution and Survival
Esperanto faced severe persecution during the 20th century. Stalin reversed his earlier support and sent speakers to gulags in 1937. Franco's regime targeted Esperantists after the Spanish Civil War. In Mein Kampf, Hitler called the language a Jewish conspiracy; the Nazis banned it in schools, dissolved organizations, and murdered Zamenhof's three children. Despite this, the movement survived the Cold War, flourishing among Soviet youth seeking cross-iron-curtain connections and in China as part of romanization efforts. According to Humphrey Tonkin, former president of the Universal Esperanto Association, "Esperanto has always had a special resonance among those who want to resist hegemony."
The Congress Experience: From Nudism to Railway History
The congress's opening event, the Movement Fair, showcased dozens of Esperantist organizations. The International Federation of Esperanto Railwaymen drew large crowds, while the International Esperanto Naturist Organisation distributed pamphlets featuring naked bodies and tried to recruit attendees for a swimming excursion. "Senpaga!" (Free!) one representative exclaimed. Other sessions included talks on space travel, brutalism, and China's spring festival. A football match pitted young Esperanto speakers against a local Brno club, and about 20 naturists took a tram to a nude beach. "It's fun. I meet interesting people. It's a means to travel," said Thierry Spanjaard, a French cybersecurity retiree and naturist leader. "If that's the endgame, I'm perfectly happy."
Young Travellers and the Pasporta Servo
Many younger attendees relied on the Pasporta Servo (Passport Service), a free homestay network for Esperantists started in the 1970s. Georgos Jurobola, a 33-year-old Brazilian, has been travelling nonstop since 2019, volunteering as a greeter at congresses in exchange for lodging. "I am completely nomadic," he said. "When I arrive to a new place, I write to Esperantists, and immediately I have friends." A German woman learning Esperanto said her cousin was fluent, and together they had crossed Europe using the network; they planned to do Asia next.
Esperanto in Africa and the Catholic Church
Esperanto has deep roots in Africa, where it gained popularity after decolonization as a neutral alternative to European languages. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, local Esperantists partner with Catholic missionaries and aid workers to help orphaned children. "Esperanto is good for Africa because it is not a colonial language," said Espoir Ngoma Kasati, a 28-year-old activist from the DRC. "Esperanto is everyone's property." The Vatican has authorized Esperanto for liturgical use; Radio Vaticana publishes news in the language three times a week. A mass at the congress, held on the feast day of Titus Brandsma—a Dutch friar and Esperantist canonized in 2022—was delivered by a Chinese priest.
The Future: Subculture or World Language?
Esperanto's political ambitions have largely given way to a community-focused ethos, exemplified by the 1980 Rauma Manifesto, which declared the language a "self-chosen diaspora linguistic minority." Today, many Esperantists embrace this view. "If our aim is only to buy a hamburger, then [translation apps] are enough," said Slovakian publisher Petro Baláž. "But it's something totally different to speak about the meaning of life, to have really deep conversations." While the language's grand goal of world peace remains elusive, the congress demonstrated that Esperanto continues to foster genuine connection—one conversation at a time.
