Esperanto Speakers Gather in Vietnam with Participants from 8 Countries

The Vietnam Esperanto Association (VEA) under the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and the Vietnam Esperanto Youth Organization (VEJO) held the opening ceremony of the 41st Esperanto youth joint conference in Hanoi, as reported by VNA.

The conference is held annually between different countries, serving as a platform for young people to exchange cultures, strengthen solidarity, and promote mutual understanding. Furthermore, it aims to enhance the development of the Esperanto movement across countries.

Esperanto Speakers from 8 Countries Come to Vietnam. Photo: Dinh Hoa

The event, focusing on the rapid development of technology and its impacts on human life, took place in Hanoi and Ninh Binh from December 15-18. The Esperanto youth joint conference included participants from eight countries: India, China, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Pham Mai Lan, a member of the VEA Standing Board, mentioned that the Esperanto youth joint conference initially involved the cooperation of three countries: China, Japan, and South Korea. Vietnam later joined as the fourth participant. Over time, the conference has attracted the participation of other Asian countries and gained interest from individuals of all ages who are passionate about Esperanto.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people have increasingly relied on technology for communication, given the limited opportunities for in-person interaction. Hence, the organizing committee decided to center this year’s conference around the effects of technology’s rapid development on human life. This topic provides Esperanto speakers with a platform to exchange information and discuss issues that may impact future lives.

Hoan expressed hope that the event would offer the Vietnamese public an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Esperanto, as it serves as a language that brings people from around the world closer together.

Vietnamese students enjoy participating in a special Esperanto course with Hungarian Esperantoist Juliana Vas- Szegedi at the Conference. Photo: Ngoc Chau

Ŝnehaĝa Venkatesh, Vice President of the Global Esperanto Youth Organization, pointed out that technology has facilitated online connections and enabled Esperanto speakers to promote the movement, support each other’s proficiency, and popularize Esperanto globally. Consequently, apart from direct activities, internationalists need to harness the power of technology to strengthen solidarity, mutual understanding, and the development of the Esperanto movement among countries.

The delegates discussed various topics, including the role of Asian youths in Esperanto development, the future of the Esperanto youth conference, and the utilization of technology and game applications for language learning.

Esperanto, an artificial language established in 1887 by Ludwik Lazarus Zamenhof, a Polish oculist, aimed to serve as an international second language. Zamenhof’s goal was to eliminate language barriers in international communication and promote world peace. As a result, Esperanto has become the most popular international artificial language globally, with over 2 million speakers. In Vietnam, Esperanto’s introduction in the 20th century has contributed to disseminating and promoting cultural exchanges, thereby fostering friendship and cooperation between Vietnamese people and individuals from other countries.