The Naturist Living Show: Esperanto
Episode 165: Breaking language barriers in the global naturist movement
Naturists have always seen the movement as one that can bring humanity together. International gatherings started in 1951 and led to the formation of the International Naturist Federation in 1953. But while we have our naturist values in common, the many languages of the world still make communicating challenging. What if there was a common language for everyone? A simple language with consistent grammar rules that was easy to learn? One that was everyone’s second language so that nobody has a native advantage? That was the idea behind Esperanto when it was created in 1887 and a group of naturists have been promoting it for many decades.
In this episode, Thierry Spanjaard tells us the vision and the fascinating story behind Esperanto in naturism. 🪐
Naturist Festival 2021 in illustration organized by LMN (Le Mouvement Naturiste) in Baugé en Anjou. Nudism makes relationships easier and brings us closer together, just like Esperanto.
More images on my Flickr account:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hubertmercier/albums/72157719542257987/
Esperanto and Naturism both have their origin in 19th century utopian thinking. They share the sentiment that humanity can transcend class, sectarianism, violence and the shackles of tradition.
When we discuss if the Esperanto movement has been successful, I would say it has been in the same way Naturism has been. It has survived state sponsored persecution and ridicule and in the present day has millions of speakers, dedicated organizations, congresses, original literature, permanent cultural meeting houses. It is much the same with Naturism.
While neither Esperanto nor Naturism has achieved official adoption by the United Nations or any individual nation both have had profound impacts cultivating peace, understanding, and mutual respect between adherents. Despite the challenges, we are still here. We are their success and their life. The only way they will grow is if we keep the faith, and share their benefits with others.