Esperanto-USA is proud to announce the start of the 8th American Good Film Festival (UBFF), an international film competition that celebrates the creativity, diversity, and global Esperanto community.

Since its launch in 2021 by Alekso MILLER, the UBFF has inspired filmmakers from around the world to create original short films in Esperanto, a language created in 1887 to help people communicate across cultural and linguistic boundaries.

“At Esperanto-USA, our mission is to promote Esperanto and help more people discover its value as a tool for international communication and cultural understanding,” says Amanda SCHMIDT, Executive Director of Esperanto-USA. “The American Good Film Festival supports that mission; it shows that Esperanto is a living language for creating, sharing stories, and connecting people around the world. Through film, we can engage newcomers to Esperanto in a modern and creative way.”

This year, Esperanto-USA is pleased to welcome Aaron FINGTAM as festival director. His film Malbonŝanca Kulero won first prize last year, and he also starred in Bona Esperanto por la Ĉiutaga Vivo, which received second prize.

The competition is open to everyone, and participation is completely free. To compete, films must:

• be less than four minutes long
• be entirely in Esperanto
• contain at least ten unique spoken Esperanto words
• and include this year’s required prop: a ring

Five judges will evaluate the films and award cash prizes to the ten most outstanding films:

The deadline for submitting films is October 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. New York time.

Esperanto-USA invites everyone — from experienced filmmakers to new beginners — to participate and showcase their creativity to the global Esperanto community.

If you have questions, email “filmfestivalo@esperanto-usa.org” or use the official Telegram chat.

In our magazine

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Esperanto-USA is establishing a new publishing house, “Guteto,” to expand access to Esperanto literature in the United States and beyond. 

Guteto will publish new original works, educational materials for English-speaking learners, and republish classic works. The new initiative directly supports Esperanto-USA’s mission to advance the education and dissemination of Esperanto in the United States and beyond, by offering accessible works for beginners to experts alike. 

The project was developed in collaboration with Stela BESENYEI-MERGER, who led its conception and structuring.

“There are so many things that excite me about the project: making classic literature accessible to people and imagining the new discussions, understanding, and friendships that will be formed through shared reading experiences,” said Stela BESENYEI-MERGER. “I see Guteto evolving in such a way that reading in Esperanto will become something that seamlessly fits into everyday life.”

She also highlighted the inspiration behind the project: “The name Guteto honors Morojo’s work. Her involvement in the science fiction world is also a nod to our first Guteto project. Morojo’s works exist for the community. Her zines were an invitation to collaboration and contributed to encouraging reading in Esperanto and creatively encouraged engagement. I hope the publishing house will feel the same way for all of us.”

The establishment of Guteto is also an important step forward in supporting the mission of Esperanto-USA, with an emphasis on accessibility and global reach.

“With Guteto, we aim to bring Esperanto-USA’s publishing work into the 21st century. We can use ebooks to make high-quality Esperanto literature more easily accessible to readers around the world, without barriers such as shipping, storage, or customs,” said Brandon SOWERS, President of Esperanto-USA. “We want to build a publishing house that simultaneously preserves our cultural heritage and supports the development of new literature.” 

To learn more about the project and be notified of news and upcoming publications, visit the official Guteto page.

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Esperanto-USA announces the creation of the Committee on the 75th Anniversary of Esperanto-USA, in celebration of its milestone anniversary in 2027.

During the March board meeting of this year, the board approved a special committee to highlight the important upcoming milestone for Esperanto-USA. This committee will coordinate festivities in 2027, including the creation of a special logo, the preparation of an updated edition of A History of ELNA with new material covering 1905 – 1952, the selection of historically significant locations for the 2027 American Esperanto Congress, and the development of a program to celebrate and publicize the occasion. Its charter can be found here.

The special committee is composed of the following founding members: Elle BECK, David BECK, Bradford SMITH, and Izaak ZAWYRUCHA-MOORE. 

The committee’s work supports Esperanto-USA’s lasting mission to “advance education and dissemination of the international language.” Izaak ZAWYRUCHA-MOORE, chair of the special committee, firmly believes that uncovering and educating about the history of the Esperanto movement in the United States is essential to teaching, informing, and guiding the future of the movement in the country, especially during turbulent times.

“We need a few enthusiastic volunteers to make it unforgettable,” says Izaak ZAWYRUCHA-MOORE. “If you are fascinated by our history, from Zamenhof’s 1910 greeting to our “Land of Freedom” in Washington, D.C., to early congresses in places like Madison, Wisconsin, and Sacramento, California, this is your opportunity to deepen that interest.”

If you are interested in volunteering with this special committee, contact Izaak ZAWYRUCHA-MOORE at izaak.zawyrucha@esperanto-usa.org.

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NASK will remain a central experience for Esperanto learners, offering a week-long immersion in the language. Participants will learn, live, and socialize together in a fully Esperanto environment, with a focus on rapid progression and community bonding.

The 2026 US Esperanto Conference will include lectures, cultural events, and local excursions. The event aims to bring together participants from across the United States and internationally for a weekend of exchange and community.

Additional updates, including the final schedule and detailed program, will be released soon.

Contact: Conference Team – kongreso2026@esperanto-usa.org

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