This was the Esperanto Association of Britain's site from 2005 to 2018. You will find its current site at esperanto.org.uk.
Joint Congress clearly indicates that Esperanto is moving forward
A fuller report will follow in due course; but it can already be stated that the British Esperanto Movement is showing strong signs of recovery after going through a difficult period.
What happened at the four-day Congress in Glasgow, which finished on 25 May 2003, to substantiate this assertion?
First of all there were almost one hundred delegates, guests and visitors. This indicates that the "Barlaston factor" is at work in a very positive way.
Another encouraging factor was the significant overseas representation: there were delegates from at least 10 countries, including participants from as far away as Mongolia and Sri Lanka.
The high proportion of young people who took part was remarkable; they were so numerous that guests and civic dignitaries mentioned there presence specifically.
The programme was incredibly diverse in terms of lectures, seminars, cultural items and a range of visits to the attractions of Glasgow: more details concerning all this will follow in due course.
The Banquet in the John Logie Baird Room at the Quality Hotel Central in Glasgow had all the elements appropriate for the double Centenaries of the Glasgow and Edinburgh Esperanto Societies. The Lord Provost of the City of Glasgow was represented by Baillie Stephen Dornan. He expressed warm congratulations to both societies and emphasised that Esperanto was a noble enterprise which merited wide support. He also, of course, reminded everyone that Glasgow is a city of architecture, culture and friendship! Baillie Dornan expressed his delight that Diana Richardson, daughter of John Logie Baird and a member of the Glasgow Esperanto Society, was present.
The Scottish Esperanto Association congratulates Duncan Thomson who fronted arrangements and now becomes Past-President, Hugh Reid the new President, Jean Bisset the new Vice-President; and the hard-working local committee
The venues are near the Charing Cross end of Sauchiehall Street and are conveniently situated for hotels, restaurants, shopping, transport and culture.
Glasgow is an outstanding Victorian and Edwardian city with some of the best art galleries and museums in the UK. The Science Centre on the banks of the Clyde is the latest of its visitor attractions. Glasgow is the city of Charles Rennie Mackintosh whose iconic School of Art is only five minutes away from the Kongresejo. Glasgow is an ideal centre for day visits to the Burns Country, the Clyde Estuary, Stirling and the Trossachs and, of course, historic Edinburgh, the capital (only 40 minutes by train).
French guest: Flavie Audibert, mime artiste and teacher
Other lecturers include: Paul Gubbins, Ed Robertson, Jack Casey and Hugh Reid.
The Congress Banquet will hopefully be a convivial occasion! A perambulation of the central Glasgow Outstanding Conservation Area will take place; and several interesting local excursions are being planned.
The Congress will have a significant IT dimension.
The ethos of the Congress will be interactive with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and make appropriate points!
The Local Committee intends to provide elements of particular interest to young people. The booking form and full programme will be distributed early in January 2003 with Update and Scottish Esperanto Bulletin, and should be on the Associations' web sites. This will contain all the booking options; but the intention is to permit participants to decide what they wish to do independently and what they wish to do communally.
It can already be indicated that the booking fee will be modest: approximately £15.00 per person with substantial reductions for younger participants.
Please request information from the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board, 11 George Square, Glasgow, G2 1DY. Telephone: 0141 204 4480; web site: http://seeglasgow.com/