Non-profit organization
Servas International (“we serve (peace)” in Esperanto) is a non-profit organization providing a hospitality exchange service.
Servas is a nonprofit member organization that builds peace and cross-cultural understanding through day visits or overnight home stays among members who share information about themselves, to help ensure accountability.
It was founded in 1949,[2] in the aftermath of World War II, by Bob Luitweiler and other Danish students as an international network for people to meet and where suitable, to be offered a short stay, as part of the peace movement.[3][4]
The organisation may now be described as a platform, part of a gift economy. Members can be both hosts and travellers, and hosts do not charge for lodging.
Members pay an annual fee to the organization, which is determined locally by country.[5][6] There is an international executive and each country has an elected board or committee to manage membership (including interviews for new applicants), determine membership fees, organise social events, support various peace-related activities.
Servas is owned by an accredited Non-governmental organization and has been affiliated with the United Nations since 1973.[6]
Servas and the UN together for peace
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Servas has had observer status in the UN since 1973. There is a team of Servas members in New York, Vienna and Geneva who follow the negotiations in various commissions.
The Human Rights Council is meeting in Geneva. Servas and other non-governmental organizations participate in this body with written and oral statements on its current issues.
Two Servas Seeds Planted
[edit]
Outside of Stockholm, on the way back from Helsinki, I visited a work camp for peace where Gertraud Hertling, a
German student volunteer sowed the first seed of Servas. A shapely girl with a ready smile, she said in excellent
English, “You cannot imagine how isolated the German youth are. First, as a result of the Nazi regime then during
the War, our youth have been cut off. Now the occupation forces allow us to take no more than five dollars out of the
country. You can’t go far with that. How can our German youth, locked into occupied Germany, learn the meaning of
democratic ways?”
One of the advantages of traveling alone is the frequent loneliness of being far from home in a strange land. Missing
friendly human contact impelled me to talk with everyone I chanced to meet – someone sitting nearby waiting for the
train or ferry, someone siting alone in a restaurant; someone sitting in the park or walking near me. Every kind of person enlarged my knowledge and gave me new insights.
The next Servas seed came from a young American whom I met on the road. He told me at great length and in
the strongest reactionary terms how terrible the Swedish Socialist government was. At that time there was almost no
country in Europe that cared more for its working people without blocking entrepreneurial initiatives, as the
Communist countries did. Sweden’s medical services were excellent and mostly free. Their Consumer’s Co-operative
movement was the envy of thoughtful people around the world. Their educational system was also outstanding. Of
equal significance, there were no unemployed or poor people. I was profoundly disturbed up by his attitude. This
young man had gotten the most biased picture of Sweden possible from the reactionary rich host family he had been
placed with for the summer, by a well known international student exchange program. Ouch! There was certainly a
need for a different hospitality system.
Servas was founded in 1949,[2] in the aftermath of World War II, by Bob Luitweiler and other Danish students as an international network for people to meet and where suitable, to be offered a short stay, as part of the peace movement.[3][4]When it started in 1949, host details were printed by country and posted by each country to other member countries. Each member country began their own country organization. Servas International formed as a federation of all member countries. It was originally called Peace Builder but later renamed Servas International.
In1989, Pat Knowles wrote a useful account of Servas,[7] from its beginnings up to 1989 that focused on peacebuilding and friendship, and networking. Servas International’s Peace Secretary was in touch with some international organisations including War Resisters’ International, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Quaker United Nations Office, Pax Christi International. In illustration of its UN status, Knowles reproduced Servas International’s submission to the UN Special Session on Disarmament in 1978. Knowles also described the initiative in 1986 for Servas groups to recruit a national peace secretary with duties like those of Servas International Peace Secretary. Contributions from the peace secretaries of Germany, Poland and Israel are included. Knowles explores the connection between travel and understanding asking about the early study groups on non-violence techniques and the question ‘can we travel too far, too fast?’
Incorporation of Servas International
At the General Assembly in 1972 the importance of establishing an international legal entity was discussed. It was agreed that it was necessary to have a legal framework for financial, administrative
international requirements. Dr. Max Habicht, International Lawyer and International Servas Sponsor prepared the attached “Statutes of Servas International” (Corporation Charter). The Charter was adopted and signed by all National Secretaries at the Conference. Servas Branches unrepresented by Secretaries at the Conference were requested to join the new legal and corporate body, Servas International, and were notified how to do so by the International Coordinator.
In 2006 Servas International started a Servas On Line project replacing its paper based system [8]
At the General Assembly in 2006 a distant vote procedure was created for Italy and the Statues were updated accordingly.
National Groups/Member Countries
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“Sentierinsieme” (Pathways together)
[edit]
The first “Sentierinsieme” (Pathways together) meeting took place in the Alps in 1985, welcoming members from Italy and France. Sentierinsieme tradition has expanded to include Switzerland and Germany.
| Rank | Where | Country | When | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alps | Italy | 1985 | |
| 25 | Piedmont: Ossola Valley (close to Simplon Pass, between Italy and Switzerland) | Italy | 10-12 July | 2009 |
| 39 | Oropa, Biella, Piedmont | Italy | 7 – 13 July | 2023 |
| 40 | Hintersee/ region Berchtesgaden Baviera | Germania | 19-25 July | 2024 |
| 41 | Zinal in the Valais mountains | Switzerland | 4 – 10 July | 2025 |
Executive Committees
[edit]
Source:[10]
President: Radha B. Radhakrishna 
Vice-president: Carla Kristensen 
General Secretary: Jonny Sågänger 
Membership & Technology Secretary: Paul Nielsen 
Peace Secretary: Francisco Luna 
Treasurer: Suresh Jain 
Assistant Treasurer:Gülşen Elyak 
Committees/Officers
[edit]
SI Distant Vote Administrator (SI DVA):
Craig Melrose
SI Internal Audit Committee (SI IAC):
Yukiko Namariyama 
Gülşen Elyak
Ana Rita Gama
SI Development Committee (SI DC):
Pamela Yang 
Evren Özkan
Neuma Dantas 
Jamie Robertson 
Bhudeb Chakravarti
SI Youth and Families Committee (SI YFC)
Bogdan Ionescu 
Elena Olivera Begué 
Mehmet Ateş
Raffaella Rota 
Hiren Goradia
President: Jonny Sågänger
Vice-president: Carla Kristensen
Treasurer: Radha B. Radhakrishna
SI Membership & Technology Secretary (SI MTS) :
Jim Leask 
General Secretary: Kiat Yun Tan 
Peace Secretary: Paige LaCombe
Committies/Officers
[edit]
SI Internal Audit Committee
L V Subramanian
Phyllis Chinn,
Gülsen Elyak,
SI Development Committee (5)
Lilly Kerekes Beltran,
Ewa Dzierzawska, 
Fidele Rutayisire, 
Pablo Colangelo, 
Pamela Yang,
SI Youth and Families Committee (5)
Susana Martinez,
Raffaella Rota,
Natasha Noreen,
Aneris Cao, 
Mar Ferre,
SI Distant Vote Administrator
Chris Patterson, 
SI President: Jonny Sågänger (Sweden)
SI Vice President: Ann Greenhough (Britain)
SI General Secretary: Penny Pattison
SI Treasurer: LV Subramanian
SI Peace Secretary: Danielle Serres 
SI Host List Coordinator: Pablo Colangelo
Development Committee:
Audit committee
Servas International Archivist
Conflict Resolution Committee:
Nomination Committee:
SI Job Descriptions and Statutes Committee:
Distant Vote Administrator:
Chris Patterson
Youth Leadership Committee:
SI President: Jonny Sågänger (Sweden)
SI Vice President: Ann Greenhough (Britain)
SI General Secretary: Jaime Romero 
SI Treasurer: Miroslaw Wasilewski
SI Peace Secretary: Danielle Serres
SI Host List Coordinator: Arnoud Philippo 
President: Gary Sealey,
Vice President: Pramod Kumar,
General Secretary: Penny Pattison
Treasurer: Miroslaw Wasilewski,
Host List Coordinator: Pablo Colangelo,
Peace Secretary: Kim Jong Soo, 
Finance Committee
Conflict Resolution Committee
Nominations Committee
Newsletter Editor
Archivist:
Youth Development Officer
Youth Coordinator:
Job Description/Statutes Committee
Distant Vote Administrator
President: Gary Sealey,
Vice President: Mary Jane Mikuriya,
General Secretary: Pramod Kumar,
Treasurer: Ömer Özkan,
Host List Coordinator: Anna Flammini,
Peace Secretary: Nanda, 
President: Geoff Maltby,
Vice President: Bibendra Pradhananga, 
General Secretary: Honora Clemens,
Treasurer: Ömer Özkan,
Host List Coordinator: Claudio Pacchiega,
Peace Secretary: Gary Sealey,
President: Roger Martin, 
Vice President: Bibendra Pradhananga,
General Secretary: Frits Stuurman,
Treasurer: Gyöngyver Kudor, 
Host List Coordinator: Laura Ragucci,
Peace Secretary: Marco Kappenberger, West 
Treasurers (Audit) Committee:
Appeals Committee:
Development Fund Committee
Complaints Committee
Nominations Committee
Job Descriptions Committee
President: Chris Slader
Treasurer: Gilbert Revault
Vice President: Bertrand Bailleul
General Secretary: Kevin Newham
Peace Secretary: Daniele Passalacqua
Assistant General Secretary and Host List Co-ordinator:
Claudia Pinto
Servas International Newsletter Editor: Sharon Beldon
President: Chris Slader
Vice President: Jenny Durand
General Secretary: Vibeke Matorp 
Treasurer: Hazel Barham
Assistant General Secretary: Mariangela Brunello
Peace Secretary: Daniele Passalacqua
President: Ray Scott
Vice President: Jorge Zoppolo 
International Secretary: Vibeke Matorp
Assistant Secretary: Maringela Brunello
Treasurer: Hazel Barham
Peace secretary: Harivallabh Parikh
President: Bob Luitweiler
Vice-president: Janos Kurucz
Treasurer: Hazel Barham
International Co-ordinator: Antonie Fried 
Host Co-ordinator: Judy Ross
Peace Secretary: Felix Zurita
Asian Member: Harivallabh Parikh
Latin American Member: Jorge Zoppolo
African Member: E.K. Narter-Olaga
General Secretary: Antonie FRIED
Asst. General Secretary: Yvonne BROWN
President: Don FAWCETT
Vice-president: Duncan MEIKLE
Treasurer: Peter Brock
Editor SI Nwesletter: Frede ASGAARD
Area Coordinators
EUROPE: ULLA OFFER
AFRICA: E.K. NARTER-OLAGA 
EAST ASIA: TAKASHI AOKI
SOUTH ASIA: HARIVALLABH PARIKH
SOUTH PACIFIC: TOM & ANNIE YOUNG
CENTRAL-AMERICA & CARIBBEAN: FELIX ZURITA ACHOA
SOUTH AMERICA: JORGE ZOPPOLO
CO-OPTED MEMBERS
Reva King
Maria Soresina
BARBARA WHITEHEAD 
President: Don Fawcett
Vice President: Maria Soresina
General Secretary: Kay Lazaruz
Treasurer: Peter Brock
Peace Secretary: Jo Graham
Editor, Servas International News: Janine Hall
Assistant General Secretary: Lino Bugeja 
Regional Coordinators
[edit]
Regional Coordinator, Africa: Zeru Michael (Africa)
Regional Coordinator, SE Asia: Takashi Aoki
Regional Coordinator, N America & Caribbean: Rodrigue Aristide
Regional Coordinator, Europe & Near East: Antonie Fried
Regional Coordinator, Southern Asia: Harivallabh Parikh
Regional Coordinator, South Pacific: Nan Smith
Coordinator for South America: Jorge Zoppolo
President: Graham Thomas
Vice President: Don Fawcett
General Secretary: Barbara Whitehead
Assistant General Secretary Denise Waech 
Peace Secretary: Reva King
Editor Servas International: News Rosalind Schama
Treasurer: Denise Waech
Regional Co-ordinators
Africa: Lydia Jones
Southern Asia: Harivallabh Parikh
Southeast Asia: Kunio Tanaka
South Pasific: Nan Smith
South America: Jorgo Zoppolo
North America&Carabian : Kay Lazarus
Europe and Near East: Antonio Fried
President: Graham Thomas
Treasurer: Doris Bucher
S.I.N. Editor: Donald Fawcett
Asst. Treasurer: Denise Waech
The following positions were filled by ballot
General Secretary: Barbara Whitehead
Vice-president: Martha Simon
Asst. Gen. Sec.: Reva King
Peace Secretary: Konrad Lübbert
Regional Co-ordinators wore appointed us follows:
Africa: Lydia Jones
Europe: Antonie Fried
South America: Narcelo Lorenzo
South Pacific: John and Judy Ebner
Southeust Asia: Masuo Amano
Southern Asia: Harivallabh Parikh
President: Reva King
Vice President: Harivallabh Parikh
Treasurer: Denise Vollenweider
Asst. Treasurer: Doris Bilcher
Secretary: Birgitte Damnsgaard
Asst. Secretary: Ronald Golding
Peace Secretary: Hans Werner Emrich
News letter Editor: Barbara Acquach
Assist. Editor: Martha Simon
Resource: SI NEWS #03
President & International Coordinator: Kurt Schmid 
Vice President & Ass’t International Coordinator: Reva King
Treasurer: Denise Vollenweider
Ass’t Treasurer: Swiss Servas member to be appointed by Denise Vollenweider
Secretary: Birgitte Damsgaard
Vice Secretary Maria Soresina
Peace Secretary: Jim Ryding
Editor of International Newsletter: Maria Soresina
Regional Coordinators:
Europe: Denise Vollenweider
Africa: Titus Mugavana
North America: Reva King
Latin America Laura Langagne
South Pacific Max Hartin
The. following persons were elected:
International Coordinator~ Kurt Schmid
Asst. Intl.Coordinator~ Reva King
Asst. IntI. Coordinator in Training: Barbara Trischuk
Regional coordinators. The following persons will handle the development of SERVAS in these countries:
Harivallabh Parikh
Benelux—Indonesia
Sweden—Finland and Iceland
Barbara Trischuk
Joseph Girard
International Coordinator—Eastern Europe
Founders of Servas were those dedicated people like Bob Luitweiler, Connie Thorpe, Esma Burrough and the others in the Birmingham, England Peace Builder’s team, and, Esther Harlan in California.
Esma Burrough
SERVAS INTERNATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY (The SIGA) is Servas International’s highest decision-making body and is modelled on the United Nations’ General Assembly democratic model: one nation, one vote.
The SIGA usually takes place every 3 years, in a different location (screenshots from Wikipedia).
At the Servas International General Assembly (SIGA), the Servas International Member Groups vote on proposals called motions that have been submitted by the member groups or by SI Exco.
Everybody attending the SICOGA is able to attend the SIGA business sessions as observers, but only the delegates from the Servas International Member Groups have the right to speak and vote, according to the Servas International Statutes.[11]
1952
In 2025 the SIGA will be held in Dijon, France, October 3–9.
- ^ “Servas International”.
- ^ a b “How Sleeping On A Stranger’s Couch Became A Moral Dilemma For Travelers”. buzzfeednews.com. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- ^ a b Glusac, Elaine (March 13, 2017). “The Other Airbnbs: Alternative Home-Sharing Rentals”. The New York Times.
- ^ a b Glusac, Elaine (March 24, 2017). “Competition for Airbnb as other home-sharing sites target niche audiences”. The Irish Times.
- ^ Hull, Dana (July 14, 1996). “SERVAS WITH A SMILE”. The Washington Post.
- ^ a b Fardelmann, Charlotte (September 22, 1980). “Servas — a letter of introduction to another culture”. The Christian Science Monitor.
- ^ Knowles, Pat (1989). SERVAS 1949-1989. An Experiment in Peace Building. Printed by Church Enterprise Print. Typeset by Graphic Point (Birmingham UK). pp. 1–148.
- ^ Stellin, Susan (July 9, 2006). “SGo to Strangers (and They’ll Come to You)”. New York Times.
- ^ “Servas group on servas.org | Servas Online”. servas.org.
- ^ hservas.org/en/community/board-and-management/si-exco
- ^ “International conferences | Servas Online”.
- ^ a b “THE SEEDS OF SERVAS Opening Doors for Peace” (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2022.
- ^ “SI Conference and General Assembly 2015”. servas.org. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023.
- ^ “Conference theme: Connecting people and cultures for Peace” (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 31, 2023.
- ^ “Welcome to the 32nd Servas International Conference and General Assembly – SICOGA 2022 | SICOGA 2022”. ga22.servas.org.
- ^ “Youth News Bulletin” (PDF). Serves International. Vol. 31, no. 1. 2024.
