On January 21st, we welcomed Sherry Wells and David Yaki of Rotary Esperanto, who shared insights into the Esperanto Antaŭen Promise Project and the global impact of Esperanto.
On January 21st, we welcomed Sherry Wells and David Yaki of Rotary Esperanto, who shared insights into the Esperanto Antaŭen Promise Project and the global impact of Esperanto.
Esperanto is a carefully designed, planned language that blends elements from many languages, including French, Spanish, German, English, Latin, and Slavic languages, with the goal of serving as a universal language bridge. With phonetic spelling, simple grammar, and a reduced vocabulary built through prefixes, suffixes, and compound words, studies show that learners can understand up to 95% of spoken Esperanto after mastering fewer than 500 vocabulary items.
Sherry and David, who met through Esperanto themselves, highlighted how the language connects people worldwide, including an online Esperanto club with members across six continents who communicate solely in Esperanto. They also discussed Esperanto’s deep ties to Rotary history: founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary expanded globally and faced debates over an official language, leading to the creation of Rotary Fellowships, Esperanto becoming the first in 1928.
Through personal stories, historical context, and a hopeful vision for the future, where Esperanto could be widely used as it is in Herzberg am Harz, Germany, Sherry and David emphasized Esperanto’s enduring mission. Appropriately, “Esperanto” means “someone hoping.” Those interested in learning more can visit esperanto2020.net
Thank you, David and Sherry, for joining us!