Servas International

Servas International ("we serve (peace)" in Esperanto) is a non-profit organization proving 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, 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.

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. 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.

History

When it is started in 1949 hosts are printed by country and posted by each country to other member countries. Each member country has different organization and organ. Servas International formed as federation.

Incorporation of Servas International
General Assembly In 1972 the importance, of establishing a legal international entity was discussed. It was agreed that it was necessary to have a legal framework for financial, administrative
international requirements. Dr. Max Habicht, Jnternational Lawyer and International Servas Sponsor prepared the attached "Statutes of Servas International" (Corporation Charter). The Charter was adopted and signed by all National Secretaries in attendance at the Conference. Servas Branches unrepresented by Secretaries at the Conference are requested to join the legal corporate body of Servas International and will be notified how to do so by the International Coordinator.

2006 Servas International started Servas on line project replacing paper based system

General Assembly in 2006 in Italy distant vote procedure created and Statues updated accordingly.

National Groups/Member Countries

Membership statistics

2023- 126 member countries 14,309 host, Updated 01 August 2020

Executive Committees

2022-2025

President: Radha B. Radhakrishna

Vice-President: Carla Kristensen

General Secretary: Jonny Sågänger

Membership & Technology Secretary: Paul Nielsen

Peace Secretary: Francisco Luna

Treasurer: Suresh Jain

SI Membership and Techhnology Secretary

SI Distant Vote Administrator (SI DVA)

SI Internal Audit Committee (SI IAC)

SI Development Committee (SI DC)

SI Youth and Families Committee (SI YFC)

2018-2022

President: Jonny Sågänger

Vice-President: Carla Kristensen

Treasurer: Radha B. Radhakrishna

SI Membership & Technology Secretary (SI MTS) : Jim Leask (replaced Andreas Becker in February/March 2020). Jim Leask shares the SI MTS responsibility with Paul Nielsen of Servas Australia.

General Secretary: Kiat Yun Tan

Peace Secretary: Paige LaCombe

2015-2018

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 (New Zealand)

Youth Leadership Committee:

2012-2015

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

2009-2012

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

2006-2009

President: Gary Sealey,

Vice President: Mary Jane Mikuriya,

General Secretary: Pramod Kumar,

Treasurer: Ömer Özkan,

Host List Coordinator: Anna Flammini,

Peace Secretary: Nanda,

2004-2006

President: Geoff Maltby,

Vice President: Bibendra Pradhananga,

General Secretary: Honora Clemens,

Treasurer: Ömer Özkan,

Host List Coordinator: Claudio Pacchiega,

Peace Secretary: Gary Sealey,

2001-2004

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:

Committees

Appeals Committee:

Development Fund Committee

Complaints Committee

Nominations Committee

Job Descriptions Committee

1998-2001

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

1995-1998

President: Chris Slader

Vice President: Jenny Durand

General Secretary: Vibeke Matorp

Treasurer: Hazel Barham

Assistant General Secretary: Mariangela Brunello

Peace Secretary: Daniele Passalacqua

1992-1995

President: Ray Scott

Vice President: Jorge Zoppolo

International Secretary: Vibeke Matorp

Assistant Secretary: Maringela Brunello

Treasurer: Hazel Barham

Peace secretary: Harivallabh Parikh

1989-1992

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

1986-1989

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& CARRIBBEAN: FELIX ZURITA ACHOA

SOUTH AMERICA: JORGE ZOPPOLO

CO-OPTED MEMBERS

Reva King

Maria Soresina

BARBARA WHITEHEAD

1983-1985

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

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

1980-1982

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

1978-1980

President: Graham Thomas

Treasurer: Doris Bucher

S.I.N. Editor: Donald Fuwcett

Asst. Treasurer: Denise Waech

The following positions wore 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: Antonic Fried

South America: Narcelo Lorenzo

South Pacific: John and Judy Ebner

Southoust Asia: Masuo Amano

Southern Asia: Harivallabh Parikh

1974-1976

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

Assft Editor: to be selected by Barbara Acquach

1972-1974

President & International Coordinator: Kurt Schmid

Vice President & Ass't Internatinal 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

1970-1972

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 --Afghanistan, Ceylon, Australia, Kenya, and Ethiopia

Benelux--Indonesia

Sweden--Finland and Iceland

Barbara Trischuk - Tanzania and Fiji

Joseph Girard -~Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia

International Coordinator--Eastern Europe

1951

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 the first European Servas secretary. Seeds Of Servas

General Assemblies

1952 Hamburg First Peace Builders International Conference, Out of which came the name "Servas" http://pages.intnet.mu/servas/Archives/Servasday/Seeds_of_Servas.pdf

References

{{Sharing economy
Hospitality exchange services
Ecotourism
Organizations established in 1949
Peace organizations