Białystok Esperanto Society

The Białystok Esperanto Society (Polish: Białostockie Towarzystwo Esperantystów; Esperanto: Bjalistoka Esperanto-Societo) is a non-governmental organization based in Białystok, Poland, dedicated to the promotion and teaching of the Esperanto language. It was founded in 1991, continuing the tradition of the pre-war Zamenhof Esperanto Society that had been established in 1922 by Jakobo Ŝapiro. The society is closely associated with the legacy of Ludwik Zamenhof, the creator of Esperanto, who was born in Białystok. The society's main activities include popularizing Esperanto in Białystok and the surrounding region, organizing language courses at all levels, annual Białystok Zamenhof Days, lectures, and other cultural events. It has been a local collaborator of the Universal Esperanto Association (UEA), notably in preparing for the 2009 World Esperanto Congress held on the 150th anniversary of Zamenhof's birth. Since 2009, volunteers have organized the Białystok Language Café, where participants can practice Esperanto and other world languages conversationally; the 100th meeting took place on 23 January 2017. Since 2008, the society has been a hosting organization under the European Voluntary Service of the Erasmus+ program, welcoming volunteers from various countries for 9–12 month periods. It has also participated in international projects such as Elloke-Tutmonden (2013–2015) and coordinated the Erasmus+ project "Train the Trainer" (2015–2017). In May 2017, it co-organized the 36th Polish Esperanto Congress in Białystok with the Polish Esperanto Association. On 31 May 2017, at the society's initiative, a new ZEO (Zamenhof Esperanto Object) was created in the city: Jakobo Ŝapiro Street. The society is also active in publishing. Together with the Esperanto Library (a branch of the Podlaskie Library), it has published several books in Esperanto, including translations of Polish literature such as "La Pupo" by Bolesław Prus (2016), "Mi inventas la mondon" by Wisława Szymborska (2015), and works by Henryk Sienkiewicz. It annually publishes "Białostokaj Kajeroj" on the occasion of the Białystok Zamenhof Days; 12 issues have appeared so far. The society's headquarters are located in the building of the former Piaskower Synagogue at Piękna 3 Street, which also houses the Zamenhof Foundation. The society remains active, organizing events such as the reading of Adam Mickiewicz's "Dziady" in Esperanto in September 2026 and the unveiling of the restored matzevah of Sora Zamenhof in August 2026. It also maintains a website and Facebook page.

The Białystok Esperanto Society was founded in 1991 as a non-governmental organization, continuing the tradition of the pre-war Zamenhof Esperanto Society, which had been established in 1922 by Jakobo Ŝapiro. The decision to re-establish the society was made on 2 December 1990 during a founding meeting of 34 Białystok Esperantists, who elected Stanisław Dobrowolski as the first president. Thanks to the efforts of the Zamenhof Foundation and local Esperantists, the building of the former Piaskower Synagogue at Piękna 3 Street was renovated. Until 1999, it housed the Ludwik Zamenhof Cultural and Tourist Information Centre. Since 2000, the building has been the seat of the Białystok Esperanto Society and the Zamenhof Foundation. The society's main activities include popularizing Esperanto in Białystok and the region, organizing language courses at all levels, annual Białystok Zamenhof Days, lectures, and other events. It was a local collaborator of the Universal Esperanto Association (UEA) in preparing for the 2009 World Esperanto Congress, held on the 150th anniversary of Ludwik Zamenhof's birth. Since 2009, volunteers have organized meetings of the Białystok Language Café, where participants can practice Esperanto and other world languages conversationally; the 100th meeting took place on 23 January 2017. Since 2008, the society has been a hosting organization under the European Voluntary Service of the Erasmus+ program. Volunteers from France (2008), the United Kingdom (2009), Hungary (2011), Russia (2012), Ukraine (2013, 2014), Hungary (2015), France (2016), and the Netherlands (2017) have worked in Białystok for 9–12 month periods, helping to organize Esperanto events and courses. In 2013–2015, the society was a partner in the Elloke-Tutmonden project of the Grundtvig program, which involved international meetings and training co-organized with the Verĉela Esperanto Group and Trieste Esperanto Association (Italy), EUROKKA (France), the Esperanto Club Espero from Visaginas (Lithuania), and the Scottish Esperanto Association. In 2015–2017, the society coordinated the Erasmus+ project "Train the Trainer." In May 2017, it co-organized the 36th Polish Esperanto Congress in Białystok with the Polish Esperanto Association. On 31 May 2017, at the society's initiative, a new ZEO (Zamenhof Esperanto Object) was created in the city: Jakobo Ŝapiro Street. The society is also active in publishing. Together with the Esperanto Library (a branch of the Podlaskie Library), it has published several books in Esperanto, including translations of Polish literature: "Mi venis por diri al vi ĉiujn ĉi vortojn" (2017, poems by Wiesław Kazanecki), "La Pupo" by Bolesław Prus (2016), "Mi inventas la mondon" (2015, selected poems by Wisława Szymborska), "Perdiĝis la kobajo" by Krystyna Korolczuk (2015), "Revenoj al Krynki" by Sokrat Janowicz (2014), "Urseto" by Adam Siemieńczyk (2013), "Historio de Kuki" by Konrad Kuśmirak (2013), "Polino" by Bajram Karabolli (2012), and "Babiladoj de Bonhumora Zamenhofano" by Jakobo Ŝapiro (2011, reissue with Polish translation; an audio disc followed in 2012). The society annually publishes "Białostokaj Kajeroj" on the occasion of the Białystok Zamenhof Days; 12 issues have appeared so far. In 2026, the society continues its activities, organizing events such as the reading of Adam Mickiewicz's "Dziady" in Esperanto and the unveiling of the restored matzevah of Sora Zamenhof. The society's chairman, Przemysław Wierzbowski, passed away in 2026 and was posthumously awarded at the 111th World Esperanto Congress in Graz, Austria.

• Pre-war Zamenhof Esperanto Society founded by Jakobo Ŝapiro.

• Founding meeting of 34 Białystok Esperantists decides to re-establish the society; Stanisław Dobrowolski elected first president.

• Białystok Esperanto Society officially founded.

• Ludwik Zamenhof Cultural and Tourist Information Centre operates in the renovated Piaskower Synagogue building until this year.

• The building at Piękna 3 becomes the seat of the Białystok Esperanto Society and the Zamenhof Foundation.

• Society becomes a hosting organization under the European Voluntary Service of Erasmus+.

• Local collaborator of UEA for the World Esperanto Congress held on the 150th anniversary of Zamenhof's birth; Białystok Language Café meetings begin.

• Partner in the Elloke-Tutmonden project of the Grundtvig program.

• Coordinator of the Erasmus+ project 'Train the Trainer'.

• 100th meeting of the Białystok Language Café.

• Co-organizes the 36th Polish Esperanto Congress in Białystok with the Polish Esperanto Association.

• At the society's initiative, Jakobo Ŝapiro Street is created in Białystok as a new ZEO.

• 111th World Esperanto Congress in Graz, Austria; Przemysław Wierzbowski receives posthumous award.

A community-based non-profit organization promoting Esperanto language and culture in the Białystok region, rooted in the legacy of Ludwik Zamenhof.

• Esperanto language courses

  Courses at all levels organized by the society.

• Białystok Zamenhof Days

  Annual event organized by the society.

• Białystok Language Café

  Meetings for conversational practice of Esperanto and other languages, held since 2009.

• Białostokaj Kajeroj

  Annual publication on the occasion of the Białystok Zamenhof Days; 12 issues so far.

• Book publications in Esperanto

  Translations of Polish literature and other works, often in cooperation with the Esperanto Library.

1. 1Białostockie Towarzystwo Esperantystów – official websiteespero.bialystok.pl
2. 2Bjalistoka Esperanto-Societo – Wikipedia (Esperanto)eo.wikipedia.org
3. 3Białystok Esperanto Society – Wikidatawikidata.org