World Esperanto Congress

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Mark Fettes, president of the World Esperanto Association, during the 100th World Esperanto Congress in Lille (France), 2015 100-a UK-a solena fermo.JPG
Mark Fettes, president of the World Esperanto Association, during the 100th World Esperanto Congress in Lille (France), 2015

The World Esperanto Congress (Esperanto : Universala Kongreso de Esperanto, UK) is an annual Esperanto convention. It has the longest tradition among international Esperanto conventions, with an almost unbroken run for 119 years. The congresses have been held since 1905 every year, except during World War I, World War II, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the 1920s, the Universal Esperanto Association has been organizing these congresses.

Contents

These congresses take place every year and, over the 30 years from 1985 through 2014, have gathered an average of about 2,000 participants (since World War II it has varied from 800 to 6,000, depending on the venue). The average number of countries represented is about 60. Some specialized organizations also gather a few hundred participants in their annual meetings. The World Congress usually takes place in the last week of July or first week of August, beginning and ending on a Saturday (8 days in total). For many years ILERA has operated an amateur radio station during the conventions.

Until 1980, meetings were held in Europe and the United States, with the exception of Japan in 1965. Since then, other countries have been Brazil, Canada, China, Cuba, South Korea, Australia, Israel, Vietnam and Argentina. In 2024, the congress will be held in Africa for the first time, in Arusha, Tanzania.

The attendance at each World Esperanto Congress from the 1st in 1905 until the 100th in 2015. Attendance At Each Universala Kongreso 1905-2015.png
The attendance at each World Esperanto Congress from the 1st in 1905 until the 100th in 2015.
World Esperanto Congress 1908 UK 1908 Dresdeno Weisser Hirsch.jpg
World Esperanto Congress 1908

History

Countries that have hosted the World Esperanto Congress, 1905-2018 World Esperanto Conference host countries.png
Countries that have hosted the World Esperanto Congress, 1905–2018
NumberYearCityCountryNumber of
participants
1092024 Arusha Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania  
1082023 Turin Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1318 [1]
1072022 Montreal Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 859 [1]
1062021 Internet [2] The Congress was originally planned to happen in Belfast but it was transferred online due to the
COVID-19 pandemic [3]
1853 [4]
1052020 Internet [2] The Congress was originally planned to happen in Montreal but it was transferred online due to the
COVID-19 pandemic [5]
2006 [6]
1042019 Lahti Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 917 [7]
1032018 Lisbon Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 1567 [8]
1022017 Seoul Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1173 [9]
1012016 Nitra Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 1252 [10]
1002015 Lille Flag of France.svg  France 2698 [11]
992014 Buenos Aires Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 706 [12]
982013 Reykjavík Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 1034 [13]
972012 Hanoi Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 866 [14]
962011 Copenhagen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1458 [15]
952010 Havana Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 1002 [16]
942009 Białystok Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 1860
932008 Rotterdam Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1845
922007 Yokohama Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1901
912006 Florence Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 2209
902005 Vilnius Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 2235
892004 Beijing Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 2031
882003 Gothenburg Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1791
872002 Fortaleza Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 1484
862001 Zagreb Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia 1691
852000 Tel Aviv Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 1212
841999 Berlin Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 2712
831998 Montpellier Flag of France.svg  France 3133
821997 Adelaide Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1224
811996 Prague Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 2972
801995 Tampere Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 2443
791994 Seoul Flag of South Korea (1984-1997).svg  South Korea 1776
781993 Valencia Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 1863
771992 Vienna Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 3033
761991 Bergen Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2400
751990 Havana Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 1617
741989 Brighton Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2280
731988 Rotterdam Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 2321
721987 Warsaw Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 5946
711986 Beijing Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 2482
701985 Augsburg Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 2311
691984 Vancouver Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 802
681983 Budapest Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 4834
671982 Antwerp Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1899
661981 Brasília Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil 1749
651980 Stockholm Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1807
641979 Lucerne Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 1630
631978 Varna Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria 4414
621977 Reykjavík Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 1199
611976 Athens Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 1266
601975 Copenhagen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1227
591974 Hamburg Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 1651
581973 Belgrade Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 1638
571972 Portland Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 923
561971 London Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2071
551970 Vienna Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 1987
541969 Helsinki Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 1857
531968 Madrid Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain 1769
521967 Rotterdam Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1265
511966 Budapest Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 3975
501965 Tokyo Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 1710
491964 The Hague Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 2512
481963 Sofia Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 3472
471962 Copenhagen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1550
461961 Harrogate Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1646
451960 Brussels Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1930
441959 Warsaw Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 3256
431958 Mainz Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 2021
421957 Marseille Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France 1468
411956 Copenhagen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2200
401955 Bologna Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1687
391954 Haarlem Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 2353
381953 Zagreb Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 1760
371952 Oslo Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1614
361951 Munich Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 2040
351950 Paris Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France 2325
341949 Bournemouth Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1534
331948 Malmö Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1761
321947 Bern Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 1370
311939 Bern Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 765
301938 London Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1602
291937 Warsaw Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 1120
281936 Vienna Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 854
271935 Rome Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 1442
261934 Stockholm Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2042
251933 Cologne Flag of the German Reich (1933-1935).svg  Nazi Germany 950
241932 Paris Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France 1650
231931 Kraków Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 900
221930 Oxford Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1211
211929 Budapest Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg  Hungary 1200
201928 Antwerp Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1494
191927 Danzig Flag of the Free City of Danzig.svg  Free City of Danzig 905
181926 Edinburgh Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 960
171925 Geneva Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 953
161924 Vienna Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 3400
151923 Nuremberg Flag of the German Empire.svg  Weimar Republic 4963
141922 Helsinki Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 850
131921 Prague Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 2561
121920 The Hague Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 408
111915 San Francisco Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 163
101914 Paris Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France cancelled due
to World War I
91913 Bern Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 1203
81912 Kraków Flag of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Austria-Hungary 1000
71911 Antwerp Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1800
61910 Washington, D.C. Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg  United States 357
51909 Barcelona Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain 1287
41908 Dresden Flag of the German Empire.svg  Germany 1500
31907 Cambridge Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1317
21906 Geneva Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland 1200
11905 Boulogne-sur-Mer Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France 688

Statistics

Countries

Countries by number of times as host:

Times hostedCountryYears hosted
8Flag of Germany.svg  Germany [lower-alpha 1] 1908, 1923, 1933, 1951, 1958, 1974, 1985, 1999
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom [lower-alpha 2] 1907, 1926, 1930, 1938, 1949, 1961, 1971, 1989
6Flag of France.svg  France 1905, 1932, 1950, 1957, 1998, 2015
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 1906, 1913, 1925, 1939, 1947, 1979
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1920, 1954, 1964, 1967, 1988, 2008
5Flag of Poland.svg  Poland [lower-alpha 3] 1931, 1937, 1959, 1987, 2009
4Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1911, 1928, 1960, 1982
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 1922, 1969, 1995, 2019
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria [lower-alpha 3] 1924, 1936, 1970, 1992
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1934, 1948, 1980, 2003
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1956, 1962, 1975, 2011
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1935, 1955, 2006, 2023 [lower-alpha 4]
3Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 1909, 1968, 1993
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1910, 1915, 1972
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary [lower-alpha 3] 1929, 1966, 1983
2Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic [lower-alpha 5] 1921, 1996
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1952, 1991
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 1953, 1973
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 1963, 1978
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1965, 2007
Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 1977, 2013
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 1986, 2004
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1984, 2022
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 1981, 2002
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 1990, 2010
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1994, 2017
1Flag of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Austria-Hungary 1912
Flag of the Free City of Danzig.svg  Danzig 1927
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 1976
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1997
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 2000
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia [lower-alpha 6] 2001
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 2005
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 2012
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 2014
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 2016
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 2018

Continents

Of the 102 congresses that have happened so far, [lower-alpha 7] 84 were hosted in Europe, 8 in Asia, 6 in North America, 3 in South America, 1 in Australia/Oceania and none in Africa.

Cities

Cities by number of times as host:

Times hostedCityYears hosted
4 Flag of Austria.svg Vienna 1924, 1936, 1970, 1992
Flag of Denmark.svg Copenhagen 1956, 1962, 1975, 2011
3 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Antwerp 1911, 1928, 1985
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Bern 1913, 1939, 1947
Flag of France.svg Paris 1914, 1932, 1950
Flag of Hungary.svg Budapest 1929, 1966, 1983
Flag of Poland.svg Warsaw 1937, 1959, 1987
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Rotterdam 1967, 1988, 2008
2 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Geneva 1906, 1925
Flag of Poland.svg Kraków 1912, 1931
Flag of the Netherlands.svg The Hague 1920, 1964
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Prague 1921, 1996
Flag of Sweden.svg Stockholm 1934, 1980
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London 1938, 1971
Flag of Croatia.svg Zagreb 1953, 2001
Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki 1969, 1922
Flag of Iceland.svg Reykjavík 1977, 2013
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Beijing 1986, 2004
Flag of Cuba.svg Havana 1990, 2010
Flag of South Korea.svg Seoul 1994, 2017

The remaining cities hosted the event only once.

See also

Notes

  1. As West Germany in 1951, 1958, 1974 and 1985.
  2. Does not include the 2021 Congress, which was originally scheduled to be in Belfast, but was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. 1 2 3 Does not include the 1912 Congress in Kraków, which happened in the territory of Austria-Hungary.
  4. Scheduled.
  5. As Czechoslovakia in 1921.
  6. Does not include the 1953 Congress in Zagreb, which happened in the territory of Yugoslavia.
  7. This excludes the cancelled 1914 congress and future congresses.

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References

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