The International Esperanto Youth Congress (or “IJK”, from its original Esperanto name: “Internacia Junulara Kongreso”) is the annual congress of the World Esperanto Youth Organisation (TEJO), a non-government, not-for-profit international youth organisation of speakers and learners of the international auxiliary language Esperanto.
IJK is a week-long youth convention aimed at gathering Esperanto speakers and enthusiasts from over 100 countries in six continents. It is usually held in July or August and in a different country annually, with an average of 200-300 individuals participating. IJK has a long-standing tradition: it started in 1938 in the Netherlands, and this year, its 81st edition takes place in Indonesia, the first to be held in this country and the first in Southeast Asia after 13 years, the last one being in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2012.
The congress’s aim is not merely to talk about Esperanto, but rather to talk in the widest variety of topics in Esperanto, using this common language created in 1887 and has been enabling intercultural communication and cooperation across borders ever since. Our huge variety of activities include, but are not limited to:
- lectures about a wide range of themes, such as education, science, language and culture, etc.;
- workshops about different aspects of organisational work (e.g., event organising, graphic design, external representation);
- concerts and cultural presentations that showcase the cultural diversity of the host country as well as the talents of the participants themselves;
- sports activities, such as football and other sports matches with local teams, building rapport and solidarity through sports; and
- excursions that enable participants to develop appreciation for the host country and region.
The 81st IJK is taking place in the town of Cisarua in Bogor, West Java, some 75 kilometres south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta. It is organised by TEJO in collaboration with its national member-organisation, the Indonesian Esperanto Youth Organisation (IEJO). The congress is scheduled to take place from 9th to 16th August 2025 under the general theme: “Diversity, solidarity and tolerance.” Between 150 and 200 participants are expected to gather from over 40 countries, especially Southeast Asian countries such as, besides the host country itself, the Philippines, Vietnam, Timor-Leste, and Thailand.
More information on IJK is available on Wikipedia.
We welcome partnership and support opportunities from local and international organisations. If you are interested, please contact us through the following:
Albert S. T. Garrido
Congress Managing Coordinator
ijk2025@tejo.org