In the Footsteps of Zamenhof in Montréal, Esperanto Capital in 2020

PRESS RELEASE­—FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Esperanto World Language: In the Footsteps of Zamenhof in Montréal, Esperanto Capital in 2020

MONTRÉAL, Québec, December 10, 2019 — Montréal Esperanto speakers—indeed of the whole world—are about to celebrate on December 15th the 160th birthday of Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof (also known as Doktoro Esperanto), the initiator of Esperanto, a constructed international language for the purpose of facilitating communication on an equal footing between peoples of different languages, whose base was published in 1887.

This anniversary takes on special importance this year in the Québec metropolis: the local Esperanto community is making preparations for hosting—from August 1st to 8th, 2020 at the Sheraton Centre—the 105th World Esperanto Congress. Organized by the World Esperanto Association, this is the great annual get-together of Esperantists, each year in a different country.

This Congress will be a first in Québec and the second time in Canada after the 1984 Congress held in Vancouver. The World Esperanto Congresses are one-week events attracting participants from more than 70 countries, all understanding each other—without any interpretation system—thanks to this unique international and fair language. The occurrence of this event in Montréal has already received the support of different personalities, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the Premier of Québec.

It is also the second time only that such a Congress will be held on the eastern coast of North America. The last Congress held in that part of the continent, in 1910 at Washington, D.C., had attracted Zamenhof himself from Europe. He then travelled to Montréal to visit family living there. Besides conferences participants will also have the opportunity—following Zamenhof 110 years later—to discover the city and its surrounding regions with tours organized as part of the Congress activities.

“Zamenhof’s birthday is also the opportunity to inform people in our midst about the singular world phenomenon that is Esperanto,” explains Normand Fleury, president of the local organizing committee. “Furthermore, it is still time to learn the basics of the language! Esperanto can be learned generally easier than other languages,” he adds. There will be courses for beginners in Montréal and Québec City during the days preceding the Congress and several learning methods are available online for free (Lernu.net, Duolingo.com, etc.). “We invite all interested people to try the language because they will have the exceptional opportunity to discover the world of Esperanto right here in Montréal,” explains Mr. Fleury.

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This press release has been released by the Local Organizing Committee of the Esperanto World Congress: www.esperanto2022.ca

For further information and interviews: info@esperanto2022.ca