The Esperanto Federation of New South Wales exists to educate the public about, and raise awareness of, the international auxiliary language Esperanto, by providing suitable classes and club facilities in New South Wales, by providing suitable online services and by cooperating with other clubs and organisations.
President’s report
Presented at the Annual General Meeting 6 September 2025
Management board
At the Annual General Meeting on 7 September 2024, three new board members were elected: Kyung-Mi (Joanne) Cho, Gregory Cooper and Mark Rodowicz. The existing board members (Jonathan Cooper, Dmitry Lushnikov, Nicole Else, Alan Turvey and Terence Manley) were re-elected.
From December 2024, board meetings were moved to the first Friday evening of each month (6pm), except January.
Membership
From the beginning of July 2024, we welcomed 6 new members: Jack Anderson, Sophie Kitney, Carolyn Richards, Farid Silwanis, Jean Werk kaj Sarah Werk.
As at 30 June 2025, Esperanto NSW had 37 members.
Esperanto courses
Two courses for members were organised:
With Joanne Cho
This was a six-week course (two hours per week), which started on Saturday, 13 July 2024, at 4pm. Although classes were held at Esperanto House (and students were encouraged to attend in person), there was always the option of participating by Zoom. Seven students participated.
With Trevor Steele
This was a ten-week Zoom course (one hour per week), which started on Saturday, 5 October 2024, at 12 noon. Between 5 and 7 students participated.
Buildings
Finding a new tenant for 138 Little Eveleigh Street
After many months looking for a new tenant, Alan Turvey proposed to rent the building and sublet part of it to Valery Jelobinsky, the sculptor who had been renting the rear quarter of the building since May 2023. To remove any possible conflict of interest, Alan resigned from the board in October 2024. The lease was signed on 15 June 2025 and Alan (through his company, Society Health) became the tenant on 1 July 2025.
Repairs to 138 Little Eveleigh Street
The leaking problem on the western wall was finally fixed, by replacing the box gutter, including a rain-head at the back section, in September 2024.
In November 2024, it was decided that board member Dmitry Lushnikov would do building and maintenance work on the property and in both buildings for 8 hours every Friday, and be recompensed $250 for each 8 hours, and for materials.
Hiring of Esperanto House
In May 2025, a Russian language school began hiring Esperanto House every Thursday, for the same rate as the Prime Time game group: $20 per hour.
Guestroom
Thirteen people used the guestroom over 132 days in the 2024–25 financial year.
Zamenhof Day
The annual Zamenhof Day celebration was held at Esperanto House on Sunday, 15 December 2024. Rainer Kurz gave a talk, Travelling through France with Esperanto. Kit Kelen recited poetry by Australian and New Zealand poets, translated into Esperanto. Masayuki Kobayashi, our guest from Japan, gave a talk on Oomoto. Joanne Cho’s students presented proverbs from Africa, and we played one round of the game Homlupo (also known as Mafia). We also held a book fair and sold almost $200 worth of books.
Telopeo
Six issues of the Federation e-newsletter, Telopeo, were published in the 2024-25 financial year.
Presenting Esperanto to the public
Sydney Language Festival 2025 was held on Saturday, 22 February, at the State Library of NSW. Sessions included the keynote address Revivalistics and Aboriginal Australian languages (by Prof. Ghil‘ad Zuckermann), and language sessions on Esperanto, Toki Pona, and nine other languages.
Member Rainer Kurz presented Esperanto at North Sydney Probus Club on 21 January 2025, and at the Association for Good Government (round the corner from Esperanto House) on 12 March 2025.
Website
At the beginning of 2025, I started creating a new website in a private (online) place and, at the end of May, published it at the official domain name, “esperantohouse.org.au”.
The advantages are several:
- The homepage is now more attractive, with changing images
- The design (especially when viewed on a computer) uses the space of each page more efficiently
- The organisation of pages is more logical
- The language selection links are easier to find (now in the header), and the system that powers this is more stable
- The version of the content management system (WordPress) is the most recent (and automatically updated), which ensures that the website is always as secure as possible
- The website is much faster, thanks to a better web host
Strategic planning
In March 2025 Esperanto NSW took the opportunity to participate in a service provided by a company, Practera, for not-for-profit organisations.
Practera delivers a program in partnership with Australian universities, to enable Australian not-for-profit organisations to connect with teams of students to conduct market research, and evaluate these organisations from social, environmental and financial perspectives.
From several possible proposed strategies, we chose the “Growth Strategy”, as we wanted to increase the number of Esperanto speakers and members of Esperanto NSW.
Our project – with students from the University of Southern Australia Professional Business Project – has three objectives:
1: To analyse the current situation of language learning, international cultures, and community engagement to determine trends relevant to Esperanto NSW.
2: To examine how similar organisations (language, cultural or community-based) are adapting to changing needs and market trends, determining best practices applicable to Esperanto NSW.
3: To explore successful outdoor marketing strategies that Esperanto NSW could use for the exterior of its two buildings (Esperanto House and the Little Eveleigh St building), to capture the interest of passersby, and encourage them to explore learning Esperanto and engage with the organisation.
The final report was delivered on 26 May 2025, and a presented via Zoom on 29 May 2025.
Here is a summary of some potentially useful recommendations and suggestions:
- “Word of the week”: An Esperanto word with an English translation, posted weekly online and/or outside Esperanto House
- A temporary sign (perhaps in chalk) on the footpath outside Esperanto House
- Create short videos on YouTube and/or TikTok and/or Instagram
- A new, improved logo, eventually appearing on the outside of Esperanto House
- QR code(s) on the outside of Esperanto House and in printed material
- Small street events, such as “Esperanto Taster Afternoons” with free coffee and 15-minute introductory talks
Summer school scholarship
Esperanto NSW offered an $800 scholarship for members (especially beginner Esperantists) for the congress and summer school in Adelaide in January 2025. Sophie Kitney (one of Joanne’s students) and Minh Thong [Tom] took up the offer.
Contribution to Melbourne Esperanto headquarters
Esperanto NSW donated $50,000 (the bequest from the late Dorothy Enderby) to Melbourne Esperanto Association (MEA) for the purchase of an office in the centre of Melbourne CBD. This was combined with equal bequests from Dorothy Enderby to the Australian Esperanto Association and MEA, and MEA’s own funds. The office has been named the Enderby Esperanto Centre and the official opening was 7 June 2025.
Jonathan Cooper
President
Treasurer’s report
Income
Unlike the previous financial year, the Federation incurred a net loss of over $66,000. This was mainly due to the donation of $50,000 to Melbourne Esperanto Association towards the purchase of the Enderby Esperanto Centre, but also to the fact that the building at 138 Little Eveleigh Street (“the factory”) was still only partially rented.
Investment
The term deposit of $250,000 earned the Federation over $10,000 in the 2024-25 financial year.
Summary
With over $668,000 in liquid assets, and the factory now fully leased, the Federation is in a healthy and sustainable financial position.
Dmitry Lushnikov
Treasurer
Balance Sheet
As at 30 June 2025 (Cash Basis)
| Assets | ||
| Bank | ||
| Cheque Account | 21,855.94 | |
| Debit Card Account | 1,626.20 | |
| PayPal Account | 214.13 | |
| Cash Reserve Account | 394,710.22 | |
| Term Deposit | 250,000.00 | |
| Total Bank | 668,406.49 | |
| Current Assets | ||
| Community S Amikumu shares | 7,500.00 | |
| Total Current Assets | 7,500.00 | |
| Fixed Assets | ||
| Computer Equipment | 664.41 | |
| Furniture and Equipment | 2,479.32 | |
| Total Fixed Assets | 3,143.73 | |
| Non-current Assets | ||
| Land and buildings | 1,213,854.23 | |
| Total Non-current Assets | 1,213,854.23 | |
| Total Assets | 1,892,904.45 | |
| Equity | ||
| Accumulated Funds | 432,078.58 | |
| Accumulated Funds brought forward | 413,402.19 | |
| Asset Revaluation Reserve | 1,103,215.00 | |
| Current Year Earnings | -66,506.73 | |
| Total Equity |
1,882,189.04 | |
Profit and Loss
For the year ended 30 June 2025
| Trading Income | |
| Income – Interest | 15,304.24 |
| Income – Memberships | 995.68 |
| Income – Rent | 19,420.00 |
| Other Revenue | 180.00 |
| Total Trading Income | 35,899.92 |
| Cost of Sales | |
| Cost of Goods Sold | 80.00 |
| Total Cost of Sales | 80.00 |
| Gross Profit | 35,819.92 |
| Operating Expenses | |
| Advertising | 2,136.11 |
| Bookkeeping | 836.64 |
| Charitable Donations | 51,600.00 |
| Council Rates | 7,184.17 |
| Filing Fees | 50.00 |
| Food | 885.28 |
| Insurance | 10,780.15 |
| Light, Power, Heating | 1,971.28 |
| Meeting Resources & Amenities | 2,301.09 |
| Office Expenses & Printing | 31.80 |
| PayPal Fees | 10.35 |
| Prepaid Rent Expense | 27.85 |
| Repairs and Maintenance | 18,086.55 |
| Subscriptions | 1,284.26 |
| Telephone & Internet | 1,301.52 |
| Wages and Salaries | 1,200.00 |
| Water Rates | 2,639.60 |
| Total Operating Expenses | 102,326.65 |
| Net Profit/Loss | -66,506.73 |