Servas Open Doors
Encyclopedia
Servas Open Doors is an international, non-governmental, interracial hospitality association present in over 125 countries and run mostly by volunteers. Founded in 1949 by Bob Luitweiler and his friends as a peace movement
, Servas International is a non-profit, world
wide, cooperative, cultural exchange network bringing people together to build understanding, tolerance
, mutual-respect, and world peace
. Like other hospitality organizations, it promotes world peace by encouraging individual person-to-person contacts.
Servas means "to serve", in the sense of "serve peace", in the language Esperanto
. The organization was originally called Peacebuilders.
It operates through a network of hosts around the world who are interested in opening their doors to travel
ers, and through open-minded travelers who want to know the countries they visit from within. Travelers and hosts are usually interviewed when they apply to join the organisation according to branch (member country) practice; travelers write a self-introduction on a special form valid one year, that is shown to hosts upon arrival.
Servas International has consultative status as a non-governmental organization
with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
, currently with representation at many of the UN's hubs of activity.
There are over 16,000 Servas 'open doors' scattered throughout almost every country in the world, but are more present in wealthy countries. Due probably to a lack of ability to use internet, and having a conservative basis, Servas has not grown as most similar hospitality organizations born recently. 30 year ago, Servas had 8,000 members worldwide; it has just followed the general increase of population in each country. There are not official general statistics, but in Italy in 2007 the average age of members was 52 years old with a slight predominance of females.
Decisions on activities (like meetings, election of representatives, fees required) are taken within local, national or international assemblies or from an elected group of members. The 2006 General Assembly established a set of Financial Financial Policies since updated, which provide the basis of annual audits, and which include procedures for preparing and reporting on expenditures, officer reports, and revenues through fees.
Servas United States
The most common activity in the U.S. branch is the Domestic and the International Travel. The individual fee (decided by the national committee) is for the Domestic Travellers $50 per year (or $25 for college students), and $85 per year for International Travelers. Within the travellers yearly membership, there is no limit to the number of trips even in different countries one can make. Members schedule their own trips and pay for their own travel expenses.
Host are not subject to fees, a $40 donation is only suggested (see official site http://usservas.org/programs.html for more programs information).
Servas Turkey
Traveler fee for one year is about $20
A membership fee ($33) is required only for new members , there is no annual fee.
Servas Russia
Traveler fee for one year is 1500 rubles ($50). There is no membership fee
Servas Denmark
Traveler fee for one year is DKR 130. There is no host membership fee. See the website of Servas Denmark for specific information
Vice President, Pramod Kumar from India
General Secretary, Penny Pattison from Canada
Treasurer, Mirek Wasilewski from Poland
Host List Coordinator, Pablo Hernan Colangelo from Argentina
Peace Secretary, Kim Jong-Soo from Korea
1989, Montreal, Canada 1986, Rome, Italy 1983, Nahariya, Israel 1980, Anand Niketan Ashram, India 1978, Elsonore, Denmark 1976, Los Angeles, U.S.A. 1974, Arcegno, Switzerland
1972, Wetzlar, Germany 1970, Vienna, Austria 1968, Tokyo, Japan 1967, Zochova Hata (Nr. Bratislava), Czechoslovakia 1966, Copenhagen, Denmark 1965, Vienna, Austria 1964, Paris, France
1960, Ghent, Belgium 1959, Osterwyk, Netherlands 1958, Landeck (Tyrol), Austria 1955, Schluchsee (Black Forest), Germany 1954, Epe, Netherlands 1953, Askov, Denmark 1952, Germany SI News No:21
Some web pages of Servas member countries:
Argentina Austria Belgium Canada Denmark France
Germany Hungary Italy Japan Norway
Poland Russia Spain Switzerland Turkey
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
, Servas International is a non-profit, world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
wide, cooperative, cultural exchange network bringing people together to build understanding, tolerance
Tolerance
Tolerance or toleration is the practice of permitting a thing of which one disapproves, such as social, ethnic, sexual, or religious practices.Tolerance, tolerant, or toleration may also refer to:...
, mutual-respect, and world peace
World peace
World Peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to...
. Like other hospitality organizations, it promotes world peace by encouraging individual person-to-person contacts.
Servas means "to serve", in the sense of "serve peace", in the language Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
. The organization was originally called Peacebuilders.
It operates through a network of hosts around the world who are interested in opening their doors to travel
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
ers, and through open-minded travelers who want to know the countries they visit from within. Travelers and hosts are usually interviewed when they apply to join the organisation according to branch (member country) practice; travelers write a self-introduction on a special form valid one year, that is shown to hosts upon arrival.
Servas International has consultative status as a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
, currently with representation at many of the UN's hubs of activity.
There are over 16,000 Servas 'open doors' scattered throughout almost every country in the world, but are more present in wealthy countries. Due probably to a lack of ability to use internet, and having a conservative basis, Servas has not grown as most similar hospitality organizations born recently. 30 year ago, Servas had 8,000 members worldwide; it has just followed the general increase of population in each country. There are not official general statistics, but in Italy in 2007 the average age of members was 52 years old with a slight predominance of females.
Activities
Servas activities may vary depending on the country, but they mostly consist in hosting and traveling (or both). Unlike many other hospitality exchange networks, Servas requires that potential members be interviewed and approved.Decisions on activities (like meetings, election of representatives, fees required) are taken within local, national or international assemblies or from an elected group of members. The 2006 General Assembly established a set of Financial Financial Policies since updated, which provide the basis of annual audits, and which include procedures for preparing and reporting on expenditures, officer reports, and revenues through fees.
Servas United States
The most common activity in the U.S. branch is the Domestic and the International Travel. The individual fee (decided by the national committee) is for the Domestic Travellers $50 per year (or $25 for college students), and $85 per year for International Travelers. Within the travellers yearly membership, there is no limit to the number of trips even in different countries one can make. Members schedule their own trips and pay for their own travel expenses.
Host are not subject to fees, a $40 donation is only suggested (see official site http://usservas.org/programs.html for more programs information).
Servas Turkey
Traveler fee for one year is about $20
A membership fee ($33) is required only for new members , there is no annual fee.
Servas Russia
Traveler fee for one year is 1500 rubles ($50). There is no membership fee
Servas Denmark
Traveler fee for one year is DKR 130. There is no host membership fee. See the website of Servas Denmark for specific information
Officially Registered Servas countries
- Servas Italy
- Servas Germany
- Servas Poland
- Servas Switzerland
- Servas USA
- Servas France
- Servas Spain
- Servas Sri Lanka
Servas International
- General Assembly
- Servas Branches
- Executive Committee (President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, Peace Secretary, Host List Coordinator)
- Officers reporting to EXCO:
- Archivist
- Newsletter Editor
- Committees reporting to EXCO:
- Development Fund committee
- Statutes and Job Description committee
- Area coordinators
- Youth Committee
- Conflict Resolution Committee
- Committees reporting to General Assembly:
- Audit Committee
- Information Communication Team
- Nomination Committee
- Officers reporting to EXCO:
Servas International Exco Elected in General Assembly in Mar del Plata, Argentina 2009
President, Gary Sealey from Canada Vice President, Pramod Kumar from India
General Secretary, Penny Pattison from Canada
Treasurer, Mirek Wasilewski from Poland
Host List Coordinator, Pablo Hernan Colangelo from Argentina
Peace Secretary, Kim Jong-Soo from Korea
Servas international conferences
2009, at Mar del Plata, Argentina 2006, Latina, Italy 2004, Barcelona, Spain 2001, Nakon Nayok, Thailand 1998, Antigua, Guatemala 1995, Marysville, Australia 1992, Chedigny, France1989, Montreal, Canada 1986, Rome, Italy 1983, Nahariya, Israel 1980, Anand Niketan Ashram, India 1978, Elsonore, Denmark 1976, Los Angeles, U.S.A. 1974, Arcegno, Switzerland
1972, Wetzlar, Germany 1970, Vienna, Austria 1968, Tokyo, Japan 1967, Zochova Hata (Nr. Bratislava), Czechoslovakia 1966, Copenhagen, Denmark 1965, Vienna, Austria 1964, Paris, France
1960, Ghent, Belgium 1959, Osterwyk, Netherlands 1958, Landeck (Tyrol), Austria 1955, Schluchsee (Black Forest), Germany 1954, Epe, Netherlands 1953, Askov, Denmark 1952, Germany SI News No:21
Criteria for deciding where the Servas International conference is to be held
The 2001 GA in Thailand adopted a set of criteria for deciding where the Servas International conference will be held. The criteria are:
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Events
- 1973 UN placed Servas International on its roster
- 1972 Statutes were drawn up and accepted by 13 Servas branch countries, Wetzlar
Servas Youth Meetings
July, 2011, Kampala, Uganda July, 2011 Copenhagen, Denmark October, 2010 Bahia, Brazil March–April, 2010 Xochicalco, Mexico July, 2008 Istanbul, Turkey July, 2007 Yorkshire, England July, 2006 San Carlos de Bariloche, ArgentinaServas countries
Servas International is a federation. Each country has its own rules and structure. Diversity is quite complex. Each National Servas country can have its own website, usually reachable from the main international site.Some web pages of Servas member countries:
Argentina Austria Belgium Canada Denmark France
Germany Hungary Italy Japan Norway
Poland Russia Spain Switzerland Turkey