Coalition for an International Auxiliary Language [logo]

New York, January 15, 1997

Dear colleagues and friends,

We are writing to invite you to join the newly-launched Coalition for an International Auxiliary Language, an independent grouping of non-governmental organizations. We hope that you will take the time to read this letter carefully and to consider the issues that it raises. An inaugural seminar in New York on Wednesday, February 19 will give you the opportunity to learn more and to participate in developing the Coalition's platform. A reply form is included with this letter. We look forward to hearing from you!

Why an International Auxiliary Language?

In the age of the Internet, when even computers are learning to talk to one another, our global village is still the scene of deep linguistic divisions.

Linguistic and cultural diversity is a vital source of enrichment for humanity. But at the international level, communication is dominated by a tiny handful of languages, paralleling and reinforcing major disparities in power and resources between peoples and states.

There is an alternative: the use of a second language which belongs to all;

an easily-learned language with no monolingual speakers, yet strongly rooted in an world-wide community of users. Widespread bilingualism in such a language would do more than any technological breakthrough to facilitate communication among the peoples of the earth.

Such a language is not merely a dream: examples exist. By far the most widespread is Esperanto, which is spoken by hundreds of thousands of people (and has been learnt by millions) in most countries of the world. Other attempts to spread an international auxiliary language (IAL) have attracted small numbers of users: these include Ido, Interlingua and Glosa. Many other creative attempts have been and continue to be made.

Why a Coalition?

Apart from those who are actually fluent in Esperanto or another IAL, few people tend to think seriously about the problems posed by the existing linguistic system. Yet the problems are real. A large part of the world's population spends billions of hours in language study each year without ever achieving a useful level of fluency. Approximately a quarter of the budget of the various organizations in the UN system is employed in interpreting and translating documents and speeches, although the UN's financial resources have never been under greater pressure. Most importantly, perhaps, the unequal distribution of language resources continues to restrict dialogue and information flow at every level, from the General Assembly to peacekeeping and relief operations in the field.

The United Nations has never debated the question of an international auxiliary language. Nor have most NGOs. We believe that the time is ripe for such a discussion. In fact, the Transnational Radical Party, as a new Category 1 organization, has formally proposed addition of the item "International Auxiliary Language" to the agenda of ECOSOC. This proposal will be debated at the next meeting of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations.

But the issue must not be left to the UN. Progress in this area, as in many others, depends on cooperation between a large number of organizations throughout the world. For this reason, we are issuing a call to join an NGO Coalition for an International Auxiliary Language, with the following goals:

1. To raise global public awareness of the importance of an international

auxiliary language for international cooperation and understanding.

2. To persuade the United Nations and other international organizations to study the significance of an international auxiliary language for their own activities.

3. To encourage non-governmental organizations to promote the study, learning and use of Esperanto, or another international auxiliary language, by their members.

What Can You Do?

The accompanying form lists a number of options you may wish to consider.

We welcome further suggestions.

Each of the four organizations signing this letter has a different set of priorities. The Baha'i International Community promotes the goal of a unifying world language. The Transnational Radical Party works in national parliaments and international organizations to raise support for Esperanto.

The Universal Esperanto Association promotes the learning and use of Esperanto worldwide. The World Federalist Movement has adopted Esperanto as one of its official languages.

All of these contributions are important, but many more are needed. Please join us and help to make the 21st century the one in which fair, efficient, high-quality international communication becomes available to all.

Yours sincerely,

Techeste Ahderom (UN Representative, Baha'i International Community)

Marino Busdachin (UN Representative, Transnational Radical Party)

Lee Chong-Yeong (President, Universal Esperanto Association)

William Pace (Executive Director, World Federalist Movement)

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Coalition for an International Auxiliary Language: REPLY FORM

I. MEMBERSHIP

YES, our organization endorses the goals of the Coalition for an

International Auxiliary Language, and agrees to be listed as a member and

placed on the permanent mailing list.

Our organization needs more information before committing itself.

Our organization does not wish to participate in the Coalition.

II. SEMINAR

YES, our organization will be sending __ representatives to the seminar on Wednesday, February 19, 1997.

Our organization cannot be represented, but would like to receive the documents produced for the seminar.

Our organization does not wish to participate in the seminar.

III. FUTURE ACTION

Our organization would like to help the Coalition:

develop informational resources distribute information to our members lobby in international organizations organize stands and meetings at conferences hold further seminars, study sessions and conferences other (please specify):

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Coalition for an International Auxiliary Language: SEMINAR

An International Auxiliary Language: Achievements, Problems and Prospects

The inaugural meeting of the Coalition for an International Auxiliary Langua= ge.

Wednesday, February 19, 1997

2:00-5:30 p.m. followed by a reception

PROGRAM

2:00-2:15 Introduction: Mark Fettes

(Keynote? Ralph Harry)

2:15-3:15 The UN and the IAL:

Humphrey Tonkin: a brief history

=46ran=E7oise Cestac: an insider's view

mission rep.: the political framework

Marino Busdachin: the ECOSOC agenda

Coffee break

3:30-4:30: NGOs and the IAL:

Techeste Ahderom: why an IAL?

Lee Chong-Yeong: the Esperanto experience

Joseph Truong: youth organizations and Esperanto

William Pace: problems of introducing an IAL

4:30-5:30 The Coalition Program:

Presentation; discussion; conclusions

5:30-6:30 Reception

Budget:

Room: $150

Sound equipment: $150

Travel costs: $1000

=46ood and drink: $250

Publications: $1000

Mailing: $500

Happy new year, Marino and Marco!

You will have received my draft letter to NGOs about our February seminar

and the Coalition for an International Auxiliary Language. I have approval from the UEA end, with minor changes. Following your OK I will fax a second draft to the Bahai's and the World Federalists for their approval. Can you do the final formatting in your New York office? It may be possible to get some help from Jim Medrano, a New York esperantist who does the New York Esperanto bulletin. He's at jimmedrano@aol.com.

I envisage the letter going out on CIAL letterhead with your office as the return address. I have designed a logo which I think is suitable, and am sending you (and Jim Medrano) a draft in the mail today. I hope that you can arrange for letterhead to be printed in New York. For the initial mailing it should be very simple, with the name, logo and address.

I am assuming that you can organize the mailing from your New York office.

Contact Rochelle if you need volunteers to help stuff envelopes etc.

I will line up the speakers for the seminar apart from the possibility of a

speaker from one of the UN missions, which you suggested and I have tentatively scheduled in the program.

I presume that we will want to mail missions and some Secretariat members as well as NGOs. I rely on your experience in this regard.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Nark