US Servas - National Conference Weekend of Aug. 8 & 9

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National Conference Weekend of Aug. 8 & 9

April 03, 2026 2:35 PM | Bill Magargal (Administrator)

Registration Opens Soon by Fouzia Bhat, Conference Chair

The conference team is busy with preparations for the 2026 US SERVAS conference to be held weekend of August 8th & 9th. at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis the Members can plan to arrive on Friday the 7th, and may optionally stay the night of August 9th.

Registration will open soon. The US Servas board has agreed to subsidize the event, so the cost to members will be moderate. There will be plenty of time for mingling and meeting other members, possibly a paddleboat trip on the Mississippi. We will also be presenting the US Peace Award to a worthy Minneapolis peace and justice group.

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April 07, 2026 3:11 PM | Greg Sedbrook

The Twin Cities down to about Dubuque IA is probably the most beautiful part of the River. See PBS YouTube video MYSTERIES OF THE DRIFTLESS ZONE. If you want details my email is sedbrookgr@yahoo.com

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- May 28, 2026 9:28 PM | Fouzia
  
  Thank you so much for sharing this! I really appreciate the recommendation and will definitely look up Mysteries of the Driftless Zone. The Mississippi River and the surrounding landscapes are such a meaningful part of what makes this region special, and this sounds like a wonderful resource to better understand and appreciate that area.
  
  May I also kindly ask if you are local to Minnesota or the nearby Twin Cities area? If yes, we would be very happy to have you join the volunteer team for the Servas conference. The more, the merrier — and local knowledge and support would add so much value to the gathering.
  
  If you are interested or would like to connect further, please feel free to email me at Fouzia.Bhat@usservas.org.
  
  Thank you again for sharing this helpful suggestion!
  
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May 19, 2026 3:04 PM | Sherry Wells

Alas, Spouse and I will be in Graz, Austria for the Universal Esperanto Kongreso the full week before. When we stay with SERVAS hosts, we tell them about its Esperanto history--where Bob Luitweiler got the name SERVAS and the word Amiko. And in our presentations, we tell Esperantists and Rotarians about SERVAS, though each has their own travel and hosting affiliated groups that we also enjoy. We've begun speaking in Minneapolis spring and fall ahead of its Rotary Int'l. Convention there in 2028--the 100th year since Esperantist Rotarians started the system of Rotary Fellowships--global special interest groups.

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May 20, 2026 4:58 AM | Anonymous member

As a new Servas member and native of Minneapolis, I was thrilled to see that the conference is being hosted in my beautiful hometown! Like any community, the Twin Cities are complex and imperfect but the way diverse peoples rallied in the face of horrific violence this winter is no accident. This amazing place is ripe for gathering around the values of Servas.

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- May 28, 2026 9:26 PM | Fouzia
  
  Thank you so much for this beautiful note. It is wonderful to hear from a new Servas member who also knows Minneapolis so deeply as home. I really appreciate the way you described the Twin Cities — complex and imperfect, yet full of people and communities who continue to show up for one another in powerful ways.
  
  We are very excited to welcome Servas members here and to gather around the values of peace, cultural exchange, hospitality, and community. Since you are local and clearly connected to the spirit of this place, I also wanted to kindly ask if you might be interested in joining the volunteer team for the conference. The more, the merrier — and having local voices and support will make the gathering even more meaningful.
  
  If you are interested or would like to learn more, please feel free to shoot me an email at Fouzia.Bhat@usservas.org. I would be so happy to connect with you!
  
  Thank you again for sharing your excitement. It truly adds energy to the planning!
  
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May 20, 2026 9:04 AM | Gigi Wahba

I may be interested in carpooling from Lawrence KS up US35 or looping through western Nebraska.

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