Zamenhof_Day
Zamenhof Day
Commemoration in Esperanto culture
Zamenhof Day (Esperanto: Zamenhofa Tago, Polish: Dzień Zamenhofa), also called Esperanto Book Day,[1] is celebrated on 15 December, the birthday of Esperanto creator L. L. Zamenhof.[2] It is the most widely celebrated day in Esperanto culture.[3] On this day, Esperantists hold information sessions and cultural gatherings to promote literature in Esperanto.[1]
The history of celebrating Esperanto on Zamenhof's birthday can be traced back to 17 December 1878, when at a birthday party for his 19th birthday he presented to his friends his Lingwe uniwersala, the first version of his international language.[4][5] By 1887, this language had evolved into what is now recognized as Esperanto when he published the Unua Libro. December 15 previously used to be also known as Esperanto Day,[6] but that is now celebrated on 26 July, the day Unua Libro was published.[7] As of 1927 onwards, December 15 is celebrated within the Esperanto movement as Esperanto Book Day as it is customary to purchase a new book on Esperanto on that occasion.[8][9]