UNITED NATIONS Wmi NATIONS UNI

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

MESSAGE TO 84th WORLD ESPERANTO CONGRESS Berlin, Germany, 1 August 1999

It is a pleasure to send my best wishes to the 84th World Esperanto Congress. You are meeting at the end of a tumultuous century that has witnessed both the best and worst of human endeavour. The global predicament remains ambivalent and deeply troubling. Peace spreads in one region as genocidal fury rages in another. Unprecedented wealth coexists with terrible deprivation, as a quarter of the world's people remain mired in poverty. Globalisation knits us closer together while intolerance keeps us apart. All progress is fragile; the challenges we face grow ever more complex.

The global agenda today demands of the international community new approaches, new resources and new commitments of political will. Increasingly, all countries are affected by the same problems. Some threats are overt: terrorism, pandemics, arms proliferation. Others are insidious: climate change, drug-trafficking, money-laundering. All of them transcend borders; they are "problems without passports". No country can ward them off alone. Every country, therefore, needs the United Nations.

Building peace — and combating threats to peace — in an interdependent world requires the full participation of every citizen and every nation. Governments, non- governmental organizations, private sector businesses, academic institutions, trade unions, women's groups and others all have a role to play. In recent years the various forces of civil society have become increasingly active in national and international affairs. This is all to the good. It helps hold Governments accountable and promotes the involvement of people in the decisions affecting their lives.

At the United Nations, all of these players can come together in common cause: for the environment, for human rights, for justice and more. The Organization continues to offer a way forward, a pragmatic way to address global problems in comprehensive fashion, based on the universal ideals found in the Charter. "The Earth is not ours", an African proverb teaches us. "It is a treasure we hold in trust for future generations". At this moment of great promise, I am committed to ensuring that the United Nations can play its part in meeting the challenges of tomorrow and in laying a new foundation of peace, progress and development. That is our obligation, today and to all succeeding generations. En tiu spirito, mi deziras al viplenan sukceson. •^ '99 07/02 15:49 FAX +31 10 4361751 UEA CO Rotterdam

Univ jrsala Esperanto-Asocio /T^^X / en oficialaj rilatoj kun UN kaj Unesko raC^li^f W I? Centr i Oficejo: Mieuwe Binnenweg 176, 3015 BJ Rotterdam, NedeHando Telefono +3110 436 10 Id [ 436 15 39 Telefakeo +3110 436 17 51 — =31= D Of Uu LJ f ^l^f9 Mr Kofi A. Annan OFTH^ffiR^rP, Room S-3800 New York, NY. 10017 USA 1st July 1999

Dear Secretary General, It is my iireat pleasure to bring to your attention the fact that the Universal Esperanto Associa- tion (UI'A), an NGO, that maintains special consultative relations with ECOSOC, will hold its S4th Wo-Id Esperanto Congress in Berlin, Germany, from the 31st July to 7th August. We are rxpecting about 2500 participants from some 65 or so different countries. All committee meeting.;, university level lectures, special interest group meetings, cultural events and excur- sions as well as friendly get-togethers will all take place without any problems of there being Iangua£ ;• barriers. It will be, as usual, the biggest international congress of the year that does not need to use interpreters. The the i ie of this years congress will be_Glo&alisatianjJ^fuwepr__Pea_ce? Among the many other it-ems ir the programme will be the Nitobe Symposium: Globalisation and Language Diversify. The nai - e of the symposium honours Dr. Inazo Nitobe, a Japanese, who was General Assistant Secretary of the League of Nations in the 1920s and who advocated a greater use of Esperanto in the v urk of the League. Another important aspect will be the extensive attention given to the UN ESC. i project Culture of Peace which UEA strongly supports and in which it is endeavouring to parti ripate. Aligned with UEAs support for the Culture of Peace project is UEAs own project of Inter Culture which is closely related to UNESCOs Linguapax project, which will also be much discuss = d . IL would be a_great_honour for UEA to have a message from you read out during the opening ceremo-- y of the congress'ln~Be?lJn which"wiTl''bei onlSunday,"the 1st AugusE As you - ave said on previous occasions, NGOs, such as UEA, are likely to play a more and more import; nt role in the search for world peace and harmony in the 21st century. Esperanto, as a languages, has 112 years of history behind it, with users of the language found in more than 120 countri.-:;. UEA, with its rich 91 year history, with 60 national affiliates and 40 special interest group numbers, will be one of the NGOs working to achieve that noble aim. The me .-sage of support of the Secretary-General of the UN to UEAs previous congresses has always reen met with great enthusiasm by the congress participants. do ho :e you will give a favourable reply, Yours sincerely.

The Hon. Keo^plSertfy QC. President, Universal Esperanto Association, (UEA)

Po§rceKkamo| \Jederlanda: 37 89 64 (Den Haag); Balgio 000-1631831-97; Germanic 3182 91 509 BLZ 370 100 50 IKOIn); Svedio 743V4-Q; Svislando: 12-2310-0 (Ger f /e). Banfcoj: MeesPierson. Postbug 749, 3000 AS Rotterdam: konlo: 25.52.89.804. ABN-AMHO Bank. Paslbus 949, 3000 DD Rotterdam; konlo: 42.60.;-.599. Kredltkartof: American Express, Visa, Eurocard/MasrerCgrd. AVI: NL00277oo7BBOi. KvK: Holler-dam v 341192. \Jn\versa\a Esperanto-Asocio en oficialaj rilatoj kun UN kaj Unesko Centra Oficejo: Nieuwe Binnenweg 176, 3015 BJ Rotterdam, Nederlando Telefono +3110 436 10 44 / 436 15 39 Telefakso +3110 436 17 51

Mr Kofi A. Annan Secretary-General, The United Nations, Room S-3800 New York, NY. 10017 USA

1st July 1999 Dear Secretary General,

It is my great pleasure to bring to your attention the fact that the Universal Esperanto Associa- tionJUEA), an NGO, that maintains special consultative relations with ECOSOC, wi|[hold its 84th World Esperanto Congress in Berlin. Germany, from the 31st July to 7th August.

We are expecting about 2500 participants from some 65 or so different countries. All committee meetings, university level lectures, special interest group meetings, cultural events and excur- sions as well as friendly get-togethers will all take place without any problems of there being language barriers. It will be, as usual, the biggest international congress of the year that does not need to use interpreters.

The theme of this years congress will be Globalisation-. A Chance for Peace? Among the many other items in the programme will be the Nr'tcbe Symposium-. Globalisation and Language Diversity The name of the symposium honours Dr. Inazo Nitobe, a Japanese, who was General j%sistant Secretary of the League of Nations in the 1920s and who advocated a greater use oftsperanto in the work of the League. Another important aspect will be the extensive attention given to the UNESCO project Culture of Peace which UEA strongly supports and in which it is endeavouring to participate. Aligned with UEAs support for the Culture of Peace project is UEAs own project of Interkulturo which is closely related to UNESCOs Linguapax project, which will also be much discussed .

lt;,w-ould be a great honour for UEA to jiave a message from you read outduring the opening _ceremc3ny_gf the_cgngress in Berlin which will b^n_Suriday^^he_J_st.August.

As you have said on previous occasions, NGOs, such as UEA, are likely to play a more and more important role in the search for world peace and harmony in the 21st century. Esperanto, as a language, has 112 years of history behind it, with users of the language found in more than 120 countries. UEA, with its rich 91 year history, with 60 national affiliates and 40 special interest group members, will be one of the NGOs working to achieve that noble aim.

The message of support of the Secretary-General of the UN to UEAs previous congresses has always been met with great enthusiasm by the congress participants. '. f

1 do hope you will give a favourable reply.

Yours sincerely, • $> n ' fr,..

MA?4s W ^"^ ' The Hon- Ker^EilSerWy QC. /"""^ -^ _jf President, / /Jj iHfl^W*'* f Universal Esperanto Association, (UEA)

Postcekkontoj: Nederlando: 37 89 64 (Den Haag); Belgio 000-1631831 -97; Germanio 3182 91 509 BLZ 370 100 50 (Kb'ln): Svedio 74374-0; Svislando 12-2310-0 (Geneve). Bankoj: MeesPierson, Postbus 749, 3000 AS Rotterdam; konto: 25.52.89.804. ABN-AMRO Bank. Pistbus 949, 3000 DD Rotterdam: konto: 42.60.51.599. Kreditkartoj: American Express, Visa, Eurocard/MasterCard. AVI: NL002770076BOI. KvK: Rotterdam V 341192