Poland: Esperanto Center opens in Bialystok

Ludwik Zamenhof (born Eliezer Samenhof) was the inventor of the international language, Esperanto.

Born December 15, 1859, he was an ophthalmologist, philologist and created the language for international communication to encourage and promote peaceful interaction among diverse nations and cultures.

In 1910, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. A minor planet discovered in 1938 was named for him. He died on April 14, 1917, and is buried in the Warsaw Jewish cemetery.

An Esperanto Center will open in Bialystok as part of the 94th World Esperanto Congress begining on Saturday.

It is part of the Bialystok Cultural Center and will promote the city's multicultural aspect, popularize Esperanto and honor Zamenhof.

It will feature a permanent exhibit - "Bialystok of Young Zamenhof" - and temporary exhibits, such postage stamps featuring Esperanto.

In 2000, an estimated 1-15 million people worldwide spoke the language.

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