Servas International

Servas International

Founded	July 1949;76 years ago (July 1949) in Denmark
Founder	Bob Luitweiler USA
Type	Non-governmental organization
Legal status	Non-profit association under Swiss law
Purpose	Promote peace through travel and cultural exchange
Headquarters	Zürich, Switzerland
Region served	Worldwide
Products	Homestay
Services	Social networking service
Official language	English, French, German, Italian and Spanish
President	Radha Radhakrishna USA
Key people	Radha Radhakrishna – SI President ( USA) Carla Kristensen – SI Vice President ( Portugal) Gülşen Elyak – SI Treasurer ( Germany) Kent Machaulay – SI General Secretary ( Canada) Francisco Salomon Luna Aburto – Peace Secretary ( Mexico) Paul Nielsen – SI Membership and Technology Secretary ( Australia)
Website	www.servas.org

A Servas local meeting in Collegno, Italy in 2016

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, ^[1] 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. ^{[2] [3]}

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. ^{[4] [5]} 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. ^[5]

Servas and the UN together for peace

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.

^{[6] [7]}

Two Servas Seeds Planted

• excerpt from Seeds Of Servas, Bob Luitweiler

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.

^[8]

History

Servas was founded in 1949, ^[1] 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. ^{[2] [3]} 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, ^[9] 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 ^[10]

At the General Assembly in 2006 a distant vote procedure was created for Italy and the Statues were updated accordingly.

Servas International Statues

Servas Song

Servas Song

https://servas.org/servas-singing

^[11]

Servas Traditional Meetings

Sentierinsieme/Pathways Together

Organized in July in Italy, France, Switzerland and Germany "Sentierinsieme" is the Servas traditional yearly alpine event - organized since 1985 -where Servas members from all over the world come together.

Raymond Forget (Servas France) and with Luigi Uslenghi (Servas Italy) founded "Pathways Together" in 1985.

Year	No	Country	Place	Dates
2026	40	France		July
2025	39	Switzerland	in Zinal in the Valais mountains	from 4 to 10 July
2024	38	Germany	Hintersee/ region Berchtesgaden Baviera	from 19 to 25 July
2023	37	Italy	Oropa, Biella, Piedmont – Italy	7-13 July
2022	36	France	in Briancon	1-7 July
2021			Canceled due to Pandemi
2020			Canceled due to Pandemi
2019	35	Switzerland	Mürren (Berner Oberland)	July
2018	34	Germany	Germany Allgäu	6-12 July
2017	33	Italy	Varaita Valley, Monviso mountain	30 June-5 July
2016	32	France	Contamines Montjoie in the Mont Blanc region	1-7 July
2015	31	Switzerland	in Bergün	July
2014	30	Germany	Austrian valle	July
2013	29	Italy	Piedmont	July
2012	28	France	-	July
2011	27	Switzerland	in the area of Flumserberg-Tannenboden	24-30 June
2010	26	Germany	-	July
2009	25	Italy	Piedmont: Val d'Ossola	18-23 July
2008	24	France	-	July
2007	23	Switzerland	-	July
2006	22	Germany	-	July
2005	21	Italy	Valsesia & Cinque Terre	July
2004	20	France	-	July
2003	19	Switzerland	-	July
2002	18	Italy	Val d'Aosta	July
2001	17	France	-	July
2000	16	Switzerland		July 2000
1999	15	Italy	village of Arpy in the Aosta Valley	2-4 July
1998	14	France	in Bénarde	1-4 July
1997	13	Switzerland	at Fafleralp	11-13 July
1996	12	Italy	Pra Catinat in the Piedmont region	1-4 July
1995	11	France	in the French Alps at Fort Marie Christine near the Vanoise National Park	July
1994	10	Switzerland	Matherhorn	15-17 July
1993	9	Italy	Alpe Veglia Natural Park	16-18 July
1992	8	France	in Les Chapieux	29-30 August
1991	7	Italy	Mount Chaberton	13-15 July
1990	6	France	in the JURA, Saint Claude	14-15 July
1989	5	Italy	Alpe Veglia	14-16 July
1988	4	France	at the Albert Faletti Foundation chalet in Chinaillon (Haute-Savoie).	15-17 June
1987	3	Italy	Val Maira	July
1986	2	France	-	July
1985	1	Italy	Dolomite Mountains, in Val di Fassa	23-30 July

Alpe Adria Meetings

September-October in Austria, Italy, Slovenia Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany

#	Year	Date	Place	Country
01	1989	September 29	Camporosso	Italy
02	1990	October 12-14	Grožnjan/Piran	ex Yugoslavia
03	1991	October 11-13	Wien	Austria
04	1992	October 16-18	Bagni di Lusnizza	Italy
05	1994	June 17-19	Bovec	Slovenia
06	1995	June 2-4	St. Gilgen	Austria
07	1996	June 7-9	Gemona	Italy
08	1998	6	Rakov Škocjan	Slovenia
09	1999	May 14-16	Salzburg	Austria
10	1999	September 11-13	Krk	Croatia
11	2000		Cividale del Friuli	Italy
12	2001		near Nürnberg	Germany
13	2002		Istanbul	Turkey
14	2003	(no info)
15	2004	June 25-27	Dolenjska	Slovenia
16	2005	May 27-29	Tarcento	Italy
17	2006		Admont, Steiermark	Austria
18	2007	August 17-19	Poppberg/Birgland	Germany
19	2008	September 19-21	Gorizia	Italy
20	2009	September 18-20	Bratislava	Slovakia
21	2010	September 24-26	Bohinjsko Jezero	Slovenia
22	2011	September 9-11	Hotel Park Oasi, Arta Terme	Italy
23	2012	September 28-30	Youth Hostel Kreuzlingen	Switzerland
24	2013	September 20-22	Hotel Dermuth, Klagenfurt	Austria
25	2015	September 18-24	Penzion Polana, Horný Smokovec	Slovakia
26	2016	September 16-18	Villa San Fermo, Lonigo	Italy
27	2017	September 22-24	Hotel Luitpold am See, Chiemsee	Germany
28	2018	September 14-16	Kamp Koren, Kobarid	Slovenia
29	2019	September 20-22	Sport Hotel Zátoň near Český Krumlov	Czech
30	2023	October 6-8	Schloss Weinberg, Kefermarkt	Austria
31	2024	September 27-29	Hotel Urpin City Residence, Banská Bystrica	Slovakia(invitation)
32	2025	September	Burghausen	Germany

Source

Servas Peace Schools

Peace School started in Turkiye, Antakya, Ekinci Village in 2009, every year in July.

2023 Georgia, Uganda started first peace school initiative.

• The first Servas Peace School in South America took place in 2025 in Argentina.

The Second Servas Peace School in South America took place in Colombia in January 2026.

Groups/Member Groups

^[12]

At a conference in Wetzlar, Germany, on July 8th 1972 delegates of SERVAS from the following countries: Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Tanzania, United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, The United States of America requested Mrs Denise Vollenweider of Switzerland to incorporate in Switzerland, with the assistance of two more members of SERVAS, a new international non-governmental organization to be known as SERVAS INTERNATIONAL (ref: SI News #23)

Member Groups appointed delegates can vote in General Assemblies.

Host Numbers taken from www.Servas.org at October 2025

Member Group	Status	#Host	Member since	Founder/Starter	Started
Albania		8			1995
Algeria		12			1989
Argentina	Member	138	1989	Enrique Reigosa	1960
Armenia		2
Australia	Member	697	1972	Margaret Smith	1960
Austria	Founding Member	229	1972	Kurt Schmid	1949
Bahrain		1
Bangladesh	Member	49	2015	Syed Muhammed Husain	2015
Belarus	Member	49	2018		1995
Belgium and Luxemburg	Member	323	1972	Wilfried De Vlieghere	1960
Benin		11
Bhutan		1
Bolivia	Member	23	2018	Dr. Ruth Tichauer	1995
Botswana	Member	18	1998		1998
Brazil	Member	144	1989		1970
United Kingdom Ireland	Founding Member	568	1972-1983	Barbara Acquah (GB)	1949
Brunei		-			1995
Bulgaria	Member	16	2022		2015
Burundi		4
Cambodia		5
Cameroon	Member	32	2009		2009
Canada	Member	630	1974		1960
Chile	Member	34	1995		1995
China	Member	28	2004		2004
Colombia	Member	99	1976	Octavio Morales Alvarado	1963
Congo Kinshasa (DRC)		10
Costa Rica	Member	59	1989		1989
Croatia	Member	17	2004		2004
Cuba	Member	14	2025		1978
Cyprus		1
Czech Republic	Member	113	1989		1989
Denmark Iceland	Founding Member	251	1972	Nana Funder(sos), Birgitte Damsgaard	1949
Dominican Republic		6
Ecuador		13
Egypt		6			1978
Estonia		3
Ethiopia		7
Falkland Islands		1
Finland	Member	64	1989	Albert Szabo	1970
France	Founding Member	2075	1972	Joseph Girard	1949
Gambia	Member	16	2018		1998
Georgia	Member	10	2012		2012
Germany	Founding Member	2258	1972	Antonie Fried, Claus Weiss (sos)	1949
Ghana		4			1976
Greece		24
Guatemala	Member	27	1989		1989
Honduras		19			1989
Hong Kong	Member	36	1992		1992
Hungary	Member	101	1989		1989
Iceland		3			1998
India	Member	260	1974	Harivallabh bhai Parikh	1951
Indonesia	Member	25	1995		1995
Iran	Member	35	2012		2012
Israel	Member	183	1974	Joseph Abileah	1966
Italy	Founding Member	1054	1972	Maria Soresina,	1972
Jamaica	Founder	0		Florette Case	1964 (ref:SIN #1)
Japan	Founding Member	207	1972	Masuo Amano	1964 (ref:SIN #1)
Jordan		2
Kazakhstan		24			2009
Kenya	Founding Member	24	2018		1972
Korea	Member	267	1974		1965
Kosovo		1
Kyrgyzstan	Member	20	2004	Devendra Pal Singh	2003 (ref: SIN#45)
Laos		2
Latvia		14			1992
Lebanon		4
Lithuania		14			1992
Madagascar		5
Malawi	Member	53	2004		2004
Malaysia	Member	34	2004		2004
Mali		10
Malta		3			1983
Mauritius		5			1978
Mexico	Member	90	1976		1954
Moldova		1
Mongolia		6
Morocco	Member	25	1998		1998
Myanmar		1
Nepal	Member	70	2012	Nutan Thapalia	1984
Netherlands	Founding Member	271	1972	Joop van der Spek (sos), Arthur J. Sietsma Sr.	1950
New Zealand	Member	410	1972	Robert Henry and Vivienne Ellis	1969
Nicaragua		1
Nigeria		11			1974
Northern Ireland	Founder	0		Jo Overgaard	1972
Norway	Member	133	1978	Jo Overgaard	1974
Pakistan	Member	42	2022	Abdul Hameed Khan	1974
Palestine		9
Panama	Member	23	1992		1992
Paraguay	Member	24	1995		1995
Peru	Member	14	2023 (DV)		1998
Philippines		15			1989
Poland	Member	230	1989		1970
Portugal	Member	87	1983	António Serzedelo	1983
Republic of the Congo Brazzaville (RC)		11			2009
Romania		26			1992
Russia	Member	102	1989		1989
Rwanda	Member	50	2015		2015
São Tomé and Príncipe		1
Saudi Arabia		14
Senegal		2			1989
Serbia		8
Sierra Leone		5
Singapore		14
Slovakia	Member	35	1991	Milan Šimečka	1991
Slovenia		17
South Africa	Member	27	1986		1986
Spain	Member	579	1983	Juan A. Sanchez,	1983
Sri Lanka		7			1976
Suriname		13
Sweden	Member	281	1976	Ulf & Barbro Löwhagen	1972
Switzerland	Founding Member	245	1972	Denise Vollenweider	1949
Taiwan	Member	109	2009		2009
Tanzania	Founding Member	32	2021 (DV)		2021
Thailand	Member	36	1992	Reginald Price	1992
Togo		1			1998
Trinidad and Tobago		2
Tunisia		5
Turkey	Member	135	1992	Aykut Güzer	1978
Uganda	Member	52	-	Davis M. Masifa	1980
Ukraine	Member	20	2012		2012
United Arab Emirates		10
United States	Founding Member	1509	1972	Bob Luitweiler	1952
Uruguay	Member	33	1983	Jorge Zoppolo	1980
Uzbekistan		5			2001
Venezuela	Member	43			1990
Vietnam	Member	25	2015		2015
Yemen		0			1974
Zambia	Member	14	1998		1980
Zimbabwe		6	-		1995

*(sos): Seeds of Servas, by Bob Luitweiler (DV): Distant Vote

Member groups on the map

Servas Groups

Servas International General Assemblies

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. ^[13]

1952 Germany Hamburg First Peace Builders International Conference, Out of which came the name "Servas" ^[14]

In 2025 the SIGA will be held in Dijon, France, October 3–9.

#	Year	Country	Place	Delegate	#Member groups
#1	1952	Germany	Hamburg [14]	4 Delegates	Only England, Denmark and Germany were officially represented.
#2	1953	Denmark	Askov	6 votes
#3	1954	Netherlands	Epe	10 delegates
#4	1955	Germany	Schuluchsee	9 votes
#5	1958	Austria	Landeck (Tyrol)
#6	1959	Netherlands	Oosterwijk
#7	1960	Belgium	Ghent
#8	1961	no detailed info	-
#9	1964	France	Paris
#10	1965	Austria	Vienna, 8-12 July	5 delegates	Present: Austria, Kurt Schmid, France, Joseph Girard, USA, Reva King, Switzerland, Bernhard Vogoli, International Co-ordination,Pat Knowles
#11	1966	Denmark	Copenhagen, 8-11 April	7 delegates	Participants: Switzerland, Norway, Austria, USA, GB, Denmark, India
#12	1967	Czechoslovakia	Bratislava
#13	1970	Austria	Vienna, 7-9 August	13 delegates	Participants: Austria, Benelux, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, USA,
#14	1972	Germany	Wetzlar, 7 July	16 delegates	Servas International officially founded by: Austria, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, Tanzania and USA, Grant member status to: Belgium, New Zealand, Australia and Kenya (4 Groups) Lost their membership status: Non
#15	1974	Switzerland	Arcegno, Campo Pestalozzi, 23-26 August	17 delegates	Grant member status to: Canada, India, Israel, Korea, New Zealand, Yemen, Nigeria (7 groups) Lost their membership status: Non
#16	1976	United States	at the International Student Center of the University of California, Los Angeles, in Westwood, 1-7 August	21 delegates	Grant member status to: Non Lost their membership status: Non
#17	1978	Denmark	Elsanor, 16-18 August	22 delegates	Grant member status to: Poland, Norway, Egypt, Mauritius (4 Groups) Lost their membership status: Non
#18	1980	India	Gujarat	22 delegates	Grant member status to: Hungary, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Ghana (4 Groups) Lost their membership status: Non
#19	1983	Israel	Nahariya, 5-10 April	16 delegates, 8 Exco(-2 delegates), 22 votes	Grant member status to: Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Malta, Uruguay (6 Groups) Lost their membership status: Egypt, Yemen
#20	1986	Italy	Roma, 16-20 May	25 delegates, 14 Exco (-4 delegates), 35 votes	Grant member status to: Guadeloupe, Nepal
#21	1989	Canada	Montreal, Quebec, 25-27 July	48 delegates	Grant member status to: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Philippines, Poland, Senegal, and the Soviet Union, South Africa (14 Groups) Lost their membership status: Malta, Nigeria
#22	1992	France	Paris, 26 June	47 votes	Grant member status to: Thailand, Turkey, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Latvia, Panama, Romania (7 Groups) Lost their membership status: Nigeria, Philippines; Zambia and Sri Lanka (4 Groups) Russia replaced Soviet Union Yugoslavia divided
#23	1995	Australia	Melbourne, 8-13 April	36 delegates, 8 SI Exco, 44 votes	Grant member status to: Albania, Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Brunei, Chile, Estonia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Paraguay and Zimbabwe (12 Groups) Lost their membership status: Non 66 Member groups after GA (ref: 1995 SIGA Minutes)
#24	1998	Guatemala	Antigua Guatemala	40 votes	Grant member status to: Botswana, Gambia, Iceland, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Togo, Zambia (11 Groups) Lost their membership status: Albania, Malta
#25	2001	Thailand	Nakhon Nayok, 16-19 July	48 delegates	Grant member status to: Croatia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Surinam, Uzbekistan (5 Groups) Lost their membership status: Belarus
#26	2004	Spain	Barcelona, 18-24 July	45 delegates	Grant member status to: Malawi, China, Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan, Croatia (5 Groups) Lost their membership status: Kenya, Tanzania, Mali, Cuba (4 Groups)
#27	2006	Italy	Latina, 2-8 April	42 delegates	Grant member status to: Egypt, Ghana, Ukraine (3 Groups) Lost their membership status: Bolivia, Greece
#28	2009	Argentina	Mar Del Plata, 6-12 September	45 delegates	Grant member status to: Bolivia, Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Greece, Kazakhstan, Taiwan (6 Groups) Lost their membership status: Bangladesh, Ghana, Gambia, Ukraine, Nepal, Samoa, Zimbabwe, Netherlands Antilles, Mauritius, Latvia (10 Groups)
#29	2012	Poland	Piaski, 18-25 August	51 delegates	Grant member status to: Georgia, Nepal, Ukraine, Kenya, Iran (5 Groups) Lost their membership status: Latvia, Estonia, Egypt, Togo, Senegal, Bulgaria, Iceland, Philippines (8 Groups)
#30	2015	New Zealand	Matamata, 10–16 October [15]	54 delegates	Grant member status to: Rwanda, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Bulgaria (4 Groups) Lost their membership status: Kenya, Sri Lanka, Bolivia, Uzbekistan (4 Groups)
#31	2018	South Korea	Seoul 13th to 20th October [16]	45 delegates	Grant member status to: Bolivia, Belarus, Kenya, Gambia (4 Groups) Lost their membership status: Lithuania, Pakistan, Congo-Brazzaville, Ecuador (4 Groups)
	2021	Distant Vote	Distant Vote		Reinstate as Member Group : Tanzania
#32	2022	India	Panchgani, [17] 25-26 November	39 delegates (3 online)	Grant member status to: Pakistan Lost their membership status: Honduras, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Peru, Greece, Kazakhstan (7 Groups)
	2023	Distant Vote	Distant Vote		Reinstate as Member Group : Peru 72 Member groups after DV (Ref: SIGA Documents: Member Groups)
#33	2025	France	Dijon 3-9 October [18]	45 delegates (including 1 online)	Grant member status to: Cuba Lost their membership status: Singapore, Romania 71 Member groups after GA

Servas International Leadership

Servas international conferences

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 UK, was the first International Servas secretary. Seeds Of Servas

1961-1965

International Coordinator Pat KNOWLES - England

• no clear information

1966 -1970

International Coordinator Kurt Schmids - Austria

1970-1972

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
International Coordinator	Kurt Schmid	Austria
Assistant Int. Coordinator	Reva King	USA
Assistant Int. Coordinator in Training	Barbara Trischuk

Officers

Position	Name	Group
Regional Coordinator – South Asia & Global Outreach	Harivallabh Parikh	India
Regional Coordinator – East Africa & Pacific	Barbara Trischuk
Regional Coordinator – North Africa	Joseph Girard	France
Regional Coordinator – Eastern Europe	(Kurt Schmid)	Austria

1972-1974

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
President & Int. Coordinator	Kurt Schmid	Austria
Vice President & Ass't Int. Coordinator	Reva King	USA
Treasurer	Denise Vollenweider	Switzerland
Assistant Treasurer	Swiss Servas member (to be appointed)
Secretary	Birgitte Damsgaard	Denmark
Vice Secretary	Maria Soresina	Italy
Peace Secretary	Jim Ryding

Officers

Position	Name	Group
Newsletter Editor	Maria Soresina	Italy
Regional Coordinator – Europe	Denise Vollenweider	Switzerland
Regional Coordinator – Africa	Titus Mugavana	Kenya
Regional Coordinator – North America	Reva King	USA
Regional Coordinator – Latin America	Laura Langagne	Mexico
Regional Coordinator – South Pacific	Max Hartin

1974-1976

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
President	Reva King	USA
Vice-president	Harivallabh Parikh	India
Treasurer	Denise Vollenweider	Switzerland
Assistant Treasurer	Doris Bilcher	Switzerland
Secretary	Birgitte Damnsgaard	Denmark
Assistant Secretary	Ronald Golding	Australia
Peace Secretary	Hans Werner Emrich	Yemen

Officers

Position	Name	Group
Newsletter Editor	Barbara Acquach	United Kingdom
Assistant Editor	Martha Simon	USA
Europe Regional co-ordinator	Antonie Fried	Germany
Africa Regional co-ordinator	Lydi Jones	USA
South pasific Regional co-ordinator	John and Judy Ebner	Japan
Mexico and Central Regional co-ordinator	Laura Langagne	Mexico
South America Regional co-ordinator	Marcello Lorenzo	Argentina

Source: SI NEWS #06

1978-1980

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
President	Graham Thomas	UK
Treasurer	Doris Bucher	Switzerland
Assistant Treasurer	Denise Waech	Switzerland
General Secretary	Barbara Whitehead	UK
Vice-president	Martha Simon	USA
Assistant General Secretary	Reva King	USA
Peace Secretary	Konrad Lübbert	Germany

Committees and Officers

Position	Name	Group
S.I.N. Editor	Donald Fawcett	USA
Regional Coordinator – Africa	Lydia Jones	USA
Regional Coordinator – Europe	Antonie Fried	Germany
Regional Coordinator – South America	Marcelo Lorenzo	Argentina
Regional Coordinator – South Pacific	John and Judy Ebner	Australia
Regional Coordinator – Southeast Asia	Masuo Amano	Japan
Regional Coordinator – Southern Asia	Harivallabh Parikh	India

1980-1982

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
President	Graham Thomas	England **
Vice-president	Don Fawcett	USA **
General Secretary	Barbara Whitehead	England
Assistant General Secretary	Denise Waech	Switzerland
Peace Secretary	Reva King	USA
Editor SI News	Rosalind Schama	England
Treasurer	Denise Waech	Switzerland

• It is announced with much regret that in late December, 1981, Graham Thomas resigned as President due to extreme pressure of work and family commitments. This was a sad loss to the membership, who will want to wish him well and to thank him most sincerely for all he has done as President for Servas and world peace. He remains Secretary of Servas Great Britain. Donald Fawcett of Los Angeles, our Vice-President, is Acting President until the next elections at the 1983 International Conference. We all hope he will enjoy this challenging (ref: SI Newsletter No:16)

Regional Coordinators

Position	Name	Group
Africa	Lydia Jones	USA
Southern Asia	Harivallabh Parikh	India
Southeast Asia	Kunio Tanaka	Japan
South Pacific	Nan Smith
RSouth America	Jorge Zoppolo	Uruguay
North America&Caribbean	Kay Lazarus
Europe & Near East	Antonio Fried	Germany

1983-1985

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
President	Don Fawcett	USA
Vice-president	Maria Soresina	Italy
General Secretary	Kay Lazaruz	USA
Treasurer	Peter Brock	Germany
Peace Secretary	Jo Graham	USA
Assistant General Secretary	Lino Bugeja	Malta

Committees and Officers

Position	Name	Group
Editor, SI News	Janine Hall	France
Regional Coordinator – Africa	Zeru Michael
Regional Coordinator – SE Asia	Takashi Aoki	Japan
Regional Coordinator – N America & Caribbean	Rodrigue Aristide	Guadeloupe
Regional Coordinator – Europe & Near East	Antonie Fried	West Germany
Regional Coordinator – Southern Asia	Harivallabh Parikh	India
Regional Coordinator – South Pacific	Nan Smith	Australia
Coordinator – South America	Jorge Zoppolo	Uruguay

1986-1989

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
President	Don Fawcett	USA
Vice-president	Duncan Meikle	Canada
General Secretary	Antonie Fried	Germany
Asst. General Secretary	Yvonne Brown	New Zealand
Treasurer	Peter Brock	Germany

Committees and Officers

Position	Name	Group
Editor SI Newsletter	Frede Asgaard	Denmark
Area Coordinator – Europe	Ulla Offer	Germany
Area Coordinator – Africa	E.K. Narter-Olaga	Ghana
Area Coordinator – East Asia	Takashi Aoki	Japan
Area Coordinator – South Asia	Harivallabh Parikh	India
Area Coordinator – South Pacific	Tom & Annie Young	New Zealand
Area Coordinator – Central America & Caribbean	Felix Zurita Achoa	Mexico
Area Coordinator – South America	Jorge Zoppolo	Uruguay
Co-opted Member	Reva King	USA
	Maria Soresina	Italy
	Barbara Whitehead	England

1989-1992

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
President	Bob Luitweiler	USA
Vice-president	Janos Kurucz	Hungary
Treasurer	Hazel Barham	UK
International Co-ordinator	Antonie Fried	Germany
Host Co-ordinator	Judy Ross	USA
Peace Secretary	Felix Zurita	Mexico
Asian Member	Harivallabh Parikh	India
Latin American Member	Jorge Zoppolo	Uruguay
African Member	E.K. Narter-Olaga	Ghana

1992-1995

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
President	Ray Scott	New Zealand
Vice-president	Jorge Zoppolo	Uruguay
International Secretary	Vibeke Matorp	Denmark
Assistant Secretary	Maringela Brunello	Italy
Peace Secretary	Harivallabh Parikh	india
Treasurer	Hazel Barham	UK

1995-1998

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
President	Chris Slader	UK
Vice-president	Jenny Durand	France
General Secretary	Vibeke Matorp	Denmark
Assistant General Secretary	Mariangela Brunello	Italy
Peace Secretary	Daniele Passalacqua	Italy
Treasurer	Hazel Barham	UK

1998-2001

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
President	Chris Slader	UK
Vice-president	Bertrand Bailleul	France
General Secretary	Kevin Newham	Australia
Assistant General Secretary and Host List Co-ordinator	Claudia Pinto	Brazil
Peace Secretary	Daniele Passalacqua	Italy
Treasurer	Gilbert Revault	France

Officers

Servas International Newsletter Editor Sharon Beldon, Netherlands

2001-2004

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
SI President	Roger Martin	Norway
SI Vice-president	Bibendra Pradhananga	Nepal
SI General Secretary	Frits Stuurman	Netherlands
SI Host List Coordinator	Laura Ragucci	Argentina
SI Peace Secretary	Marco Kappenberger	Samoa
SI Treasurer	Gyöngyver Kudor	Hungary

Committees and Officers

Position	Name	Group
SI Treasurers (Audit) Committee	Markus Kappenburger	Germany
	Alex Dali	Singapore
	Gustavo Molina	Bolivia
	Colette Marteau	France
	Mineswar Sibsurun	Mauritius
SI Appeals Committee	Don Fawcett	USA
	Marisa Contini	Uruguay
	Davis Asher	UK
SI Development Fund Committee	Vibeke Matorp	Denmark
	Mullai Pathy	Singapore
	Abhay Shaha	India
	Mohammed Nasseem	Pakistan
	David Roll	Colombia
SI Complaints Committee	Marisa Contini	Uruguay
	Don Fawcett	USA
	David Asher	UK
SI Nominations Committee	Gwyn Grace	Ireland
	Thawamani (Jini) Subramanianl	Malaysia
	Dafi Galad	Israel
	Changxian Yi	China
	Giuliana Pellizzari	Italy
SI Job Descriptions Committee	Gustavo Molina	Bolivia
	Michael Karris	Italy
	Adela Montes	Guatemala

2004-2006

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
SI President	Geoff Maltby	Australia
SI Vice-president	Bibendra Pradhananga	Nepal
SI General Secretary	Honora Clemens	USA
SI Host List Coordinator	Claudio Pacchiega	Italy
SI Peace Secretary	Gary Sealey	Canada
SI Treasurer	Ömer Özkan	Turkey

Committees and Officers

Position	Name	Group
Youth project officers appointment	Ann Greenough	UK
	Pablo Chufeni	Argentina
Nomination Committee	Frits Stuurman	Netherlands
	Anita Kabberman	Uruguay
	Dafi Gilad	Canada

Committees Election

Motion the GA directs EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE to appoint the people who are elected by the email or mail vote to the positions they were elected to (committees).

2006-2009

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
SI President	Gary Sealey	Canada
SI Vice-president	Mary Jane Mikuriya	USA
SI General Secretary	Pramod Kumar	India
SI Host List Coordinator	Anna Flammini	Italy
SI Peace Secretary	Nande Palihakkara	Sri Lanka
SI Treasurer	Ömer Özkan	Turkey

Committees and Officers

Position	Officer	Group
SI Audit Committee	Miroslav Wasilevski	Poland,
	Rita Torsvik	Norway,
	Florentio Gomez	Venezuela,
	L.V.Subramanian	India
SI Development Fund Committee	Laura Ragucci	Argentina
	Judy Sheldon	Canada
	Michael Johnson	Canada
	Sercan Duygan	Turkey
Youth Project Coordinator	Ann Greenhough	UK

2009-2012

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
SI President	Gary Sealey	Canada
SI Vice-president	Pramod Kumar	India
SI General Secretary	Penny Pattison	Canada
SI Host List Coordinator	Pablo Colangelo	Argentina
SI Peace Secretary	Kim Jong Soo	South Korea
SI Treasurer	Miroslaw Wasilewski	Poland

Committees and Officers

Position	Officer	Group
SI Development Committee	Aneris Cao	Argentina
	Luisa Corbetta	Italy
	Judith Shotten	Israel
	Sally Lee	Malaysia
	Mary Jane Mikuriya	USA
SI Finance Committee	L. V. Subramanian	India
	Jonny Sågänger	Sweden
	Phyllis Chinn	USA
SI Conflict Resolution Committee	Julie Dotsch	Canada
	Daryl Chinn	USA
	Luigi Uslenghi	Italy
SI Nominations Committee	Ann Greenough	United Kingdom
	Sylvia Krogh	Canada
	Anna Flammini	Italy
SI Newsletter Editor	Almery Tessarolo and her team	Argentina
SI Archivist	Grant Barnes	USA
SI Youth Development Officer	Magiari Diaz Diaz	Venezuela
SI Youth Coordinator	Pablo Chufeni	Argentina
SI Job Description/Statutes Committee	Noreen Mirza	Pakistan
	Chris Jones	Canada
SI Distant Vote Administrator	Chris Patterson	New Zealand

2012-2015

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
SI President	Jonny Sågänger	Sweden
SI Vice-president	Ann Greenhough	UK
SI General Secretary	Jaime Romero	Colombia
SI Host List Coordinator	Arnoud Philippo	Netherlands
SI Peace Secretary	Danielle Serres	France
SI Treasurer	Miroslaw Wasilewski	. Poland

Committees and Officers

Position	Officer	Group
SI Newsletter Editor	Terry Stone	Greece
SI Distant Vote Administrator	Chris Patterson	New Zealand
SI Archivist	Robert Mitchell	USA
SI Job Descriptions and Statutes Committee	Chris Jones	Canada
	Jack Huang	China
	Alvany Santiago	Brazil
SI Audit Committee	Phyllis Chinn	USA
	LV Subramanian	India
	Emmanuel Kakinda	Uganda
SI Nominations Committee	Norma Nicholson	Australia
	Jean Seymour	UK
	Amir Levy	Israel
SI Conflict Resolution Committee	Julie Dotsch	Canada
	Clare Mateke	Zambia
	Marneo Serenelli	Italy
SI Development Committee	Ewa Dzierżawska	Poland
	Joel Kaloba	Zambia
	Pablo Chufeni	Argentina
	Aneris Cao	Argentina
	Anna Cristina Siragusa	Italy

2015-2018

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
SI President	Jonny Sågänger	Sweden
SI Vice-president	Ann Greenhough	UK
SI General Secretary	Penny Pattison	Canada
SI Host List Coordinator	Pablo Colangelo	Argentina
SI Peace Secretary	Danielle Serres	France
SI Treasurer	LV Subramanian	India

Committies and Officers

Committee	Officer	Group
SI Development Committee	Ewa Dzierzawski	Poland
	Fidele Rutayisire	Rwanda
	Kristina Buynova	Russia
	Kiat Yun Tan	Malaysia
	Maria Fernanda Vomero	Brazil
SI Audit Committee	Ashley Burrowes	New Zealand
	Emmanuel Kakinda	Uganda
	Graham Robertson	Australia
SI Archivist	Anna Koster	USA
SI Conflict Resolution Committee	Martin Henner	USA
	Clare Mateke	Zambia
	Alvany Santiago	Brazil
SI Nomination Committee	Dianne Peterson	Singapore
	Susanne Thestrup	Denmark
	Norma Nicholson	Australia
SI Job Descriptions and Statutes Committee	Amir Levy	Israel
	Jack Huang	China
	Chris Jones	Canada
SI Distant Vote Administrator	Chris Patterson	New Zealand
SI Youth Leadership Committee	Susanna Martinez	Spain
	Janek Dzierzawski	Poland
	Karolina Paleckova	Czech Republic
	Asiia Zhakypova	Kyrgyzstan
	Pablo Chufeni	Argentina

2018-2022

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
SI President	Jonny Sågänger	Sweden
SI Vice-president	Carla Kristensen	Portugal
SI General Secretary	Kiat Yun Tan	Malaysia
SI Membership & Technology Secretary	Jim Leask*	Canada
SI Peace Secretary	Paige LaCombe	USA
SI Treasurer	Radha B. Radhakrishna	USA

• Replaced Andreas Becker in February/March 2020). Jim Leask shares the responsibility with Paul Nielsen

Committies and Officers

Position	Name	Group
SI Internal Audit Committee	L V Subramanian	India
	Phyllis Chinn	USA
	Gülsen Elyak	Turkey
SI Development Committee	Lilly Kerekes Beltran	Mexico
	Ewa Dzierzawska	Poland
	Fidele Rutayisire	Rwanda
	Pablo Colangelo	Argentina
	Pamela Yang	Taiwan
SI Youth and Families Committee	Susana Martinez	Spain
	Raffaella Rota	Italy
	Natasha Noreen	Italy
	Aneris Cao	Chile
	Mar Ferre	Spain
SI Distant Vote Administrator	Chris Patterson	New Zealand

2022-2025

Elected General Assembly in 2022 in Panchgani, India

Executive Committee

Position	Officer	Group
SI President	Radha B. Radhakrishna	USA
SI Vice-president	Carla Kristensen	Portugal
SI General Secretary	Jonny Sågänger	Sweden
SI Membership & Technology Secretary	Paul Nielsen	Australia
SI Peace Secretary	Francisco Luna	Mexico
SI Treasurer	Suresh Jain	India

Committees and Officers

Position	Name	Group
SI Distant Vote Administrator (SI DVA)	Craig Melrose	Australia
SI Internal Audit Committee (SI IAC)	Yukiko Namariyama	Japan
	Gülşen Elyak	Turkey
	Ana Rita Gama	Portugal
SI Development Committee (SI DC)	Pamela Yang	Taiwan
	Evren Özkan	Turkey
	Neuma Dantas	Brazil
	Jamie Robertson	UK
	Bhudeb Chakravarti	India
SI Youth and Families Committee (SI YFC)	Bogdan Ionescu	Romania
	Elena Olivera Begué	Spain
	Mehmet Ateş	Turkey
	Raffaella Rota	Italy
	Hiren Goradia	India

2025-2028

Elected Officers at General Assembly in 2025 in Dijon, France

Executive Committee

Position	Name	Group
SI President	Radha Radhakrishna	USA
SI Vice President	Carla Kristensen	Portugal
SI Treasurer	Gülşen Elyak	Germany
SI General Secretary	Kent Machaulay	Canada
Peace Secretary	Francisco Salomon Luna Aburto	Mexico
SI Membership and Technology Secretary	Paul Nielsen	Australia

Committees and Officers

Position	Name	Group
SI Development Committee	Pamela Yang	Taiwan
	Jamie Robertson	England and Ireland
	Tatjana Negi	Germany
	Neuma Dantas	Brazil
	Moses Kigozi	Uganda
SI Youth and Families Committee	Elena Olvera Reyes	Spain
	Mehmet Ates	Turkey
	Mehmet Akif Yegin	England and Ireland
	David Leonard Kabambo	Tanzania
	Buhadeb Chakravarti	India
SI Internal Audit Committee	Salvador Da Matta	Brazil
	Richard Wolfe	USA
SI Conflict Resolution Committee	Richard Weaver	USA
	Francisco Dominguez González	Spain
SI Distant Vote Administrator	Pramod Kumar	India

References

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2. Glusac, Elaine (March 13, 2017). "The Other Airbnbs: Alternative Home-Sharing Rentals" . The New York Times .
3. Glusac, Elaine (March 24, 2017). "Competition for Airbnb as other home-sharing sites target niche audiences". The Irish Times .
4. Hull, Dana (July 14, 1996). "SERVAS WITH A SMILE". The Washington Post .
5. Fardelmann, Charlotte (September 22, 1980). "Servas -- a letter of introduction to another culture". The Christian Science Monitor .
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8. https://servas.org/sites/default/files/v1/uploads/Servas_History/seeds_of_servas.pdf
9. 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.
10. Stellin, Susan (July 9, 2006). "SGo to Strangers (and They'll Come to You)". New York Times .
11. https://servas.org/servas-singing
12. "Servas group on servas.org | Servas Online". servas.org.
13. "International conferences | Servas Online".
14. "THE SEEDS OF SERVAS Opening Doors for Peace" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2022.
15. "SI Conference and General Assembly 2015". servas.org. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023.
16. "Conference theme: Connecting people and cultures for Peace" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 31, 2023.
17. "Welcome to the 32nd Servas International Conference and General Assembly - SICOGA 2022 | SICOGA 2022". ga22.servas.org.
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