Esperantic Studies Foundation 2021 – An update on plans in the new year from the executive director

Welcome to 2021!

In this update I will start with a few words about the role of the executive director and how ESF operates. This is mainly for those new to ESF.

Some of what I do as executive director is mundane, but necessary: bookkeeping, budgeting, organizing board meetings, etc. Fortunately, most of what I do is very engaging. ESF has a wonderful board of directors who make the monthly meetings fun and a pleasant experience. The meetings start on time, end on time, and efficiently deal with the agenda. I am especially grateful to work with a board that works so well.

Twice monthly an operations committee meets, and this is where the day-to-day work is done. This committee reviews grant applications and deals with items that do not need board approval. A subset of the full board is on the operations committee. This committee has clear operating guidelines and seeks board approval when necessary. Although this structure is a very efficient way to operate, ESF constantly considers how to improve.

My main role as executive director is to help make sure events happen as planned; to facilitate communications within ESF and with you, who are vital to ESF’s programs, grants and events; and to foster new ideas so ESF can continue to be a relevant organization.

So, what can you expect from ESF in 2021? The ongoing pandemic has dictated that some events will be virtual or have a backup plan to be virtual. Here are the major events on our calendar:

• April (Virtual): “2021 Symposium on Language and Migration” in partnership with Princeton University This symposium was postponed from 2020 and has been adapted to a virtual format. Updated information will be available soon.
• July (Virtual): NASK Esperanto Workshop. The 2020 workshop had the highest attendance in NASK’s 50-year history, and we hope for good attendance again in 2021. In 2022 we plan to return to an in-person event.
• July: World Esperanto Congress in Belfast, Ireland from 17 to 24 July. We hope and expect in-person attendance will be possible.
• July: Nitobe Symposium immediately following the World Congress, from 24 to 26 July.

In addition many events and activities are planned for 2021:

• Grants in the areas of research, conservation, and education
• Financial support for CED (Centre For Research & Documentation on World Language Problems)
• Three editions of Information for Interlinguists / Informilo por Interlingvistoj
• Interesting and timely blog posts on “ESF Connected”
• (Coming soon) Webinars entitled “ESF Connected Live” – Stay tuned!
• One or more Esperantic Studies / Esperantologio publications
• Financial support for Edukado.net
• Financial support for Tekstaro.com
• Financial support for updating the PIV dictionary
• Access to Language Education Award in partnership with CALICO
• Additional NASK online classes early in the year and again later in the year
• Support for Radaro.org
• Financial support for Lernu.net
• Financial support for Esperanto-USA, UEA, and TEJO

As you can see, ESF has a full plate of activities and events planned in 2021. We hope you will participate whenever you can. Please introduce yourself if we have not met and are at the same in-person event. If you have question, please email me at  chuck.mays(at)esperantic.org.

Finally, I would like to personally thank you if you financially support ESF. We could not do all that we do without your support.

Best wishes in 2021. May it be your best year ever!