Junularo Esperantista Brita
Encyclopedia
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Membership to JEB is free and open to anyone aged under 30 living in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
History
The British Esperanto AssociationEsperanto Association of Britain
The Esperanto Association of Britain is a registered educational charity whose objective is to advance the education of the public in the international language Esperanto....
was formed in 1904 and, during the following half century, was the focus point for Esperanto-speakers of all ages in the United Kingdom.
In 1959 a group of young Esperanto-speakers got together with a view to forming a group especially for people of their age group, a young offshoot of the British Esperanto Association. Amongst these activists was Humphrey Tonkin, who led meetings and classes at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, at which were present students who would later go on to make big contributions in service of Esperanto, including world-renowned phonetician Professor John Wells
John C. Wells
John Christopher Wells is a British phonetician and Esperanto teacher. Wells is a professor emeritus at University College London, where until his retirement in 2006 he held the departmental chair in phonetics....
, current president of the Esperanto Association of Britain and the Esperanto Academy
Akademio de Esperanto
The Akademio de Esperanto is an independent body intended to control the evolution of the language Esperanto by keeping it consistent with the fundamental principles thereof. Modelled somewhat after the Académie française, it was proposed by L. L...
, and former president of the World Esperanto Association
World Esperanto Association
The World Esperanto Association is the largest international organization of Esperanto speakers, with members in 121 countries and in official relations with the United Nations and UNESCO. In addition to individual members, 70 national Esperanto organizations are affiliated to UEA...
and the International Phonetic Association
International Phonetic Association
The International Phonetic Association is an organization that promotes the scientific study of phonetics and the various practical applications of that science. The IPA’s major contribution to phonetics is the International Phonetic Alphabet—a notational standard for the phonetic...
.
JEB's activity ebbed over the next fifty years. A concerted effort to revitalise JEB took place when it was formally restarted in Glasgow in 2003, but it wasn't until 2006 that JEB truly showed a resurgence. The representatives of JEB met in Scarborough and new members were voted onto JEB's committee. 2006 marks the rebirth of JEB as an active association.
Its online presence is very visible, by means of the jebsite and forums. Members know each other in the real world too, helped by periodic meet-ups that have occurred in various towns in England. JEB attendance at international events has much improved since the restart, the UK being the third-best represented country at 2007's Internacia Seminario
Internacia Seminario
Internacia Seminario was the most important Esperanto youth meeting organized by the German Esperanto Youth at the end of every year in a different German city, December 27 to January 3...
, held in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. JEB briefly reintroduced its magazine 'Saluton' for four issues, but this was discontinued after a committee decision in 2008 in preference of free-of-cost online delivery of JEB-related news and articles.
Committee 2011/2012
- Thomas Preece President
- Guy Johnston Secretary
- Daniel White
- Alex Jarvis
- Jake Pentland
- Wilfred Hughes