by Deirdre Marlowe and Bill Magargal               

This was a conference for the record books… big turnout (71 + presenters); 3 NEW members plus several more interviewed after the conference (that makes 2140 and counting); and based on evaluations returned so far it was truly a Five-Star Event (see graphic below). Kudos to Fouzia Bhat and Adil Najar for making it such a well-organized and meaningful event. In fact, one reviewer stated “Fouzia should be in charge of all future conferences.” Visit the Conference Photos web page to view candid shots taken by Adil Najar and Joanne Fergusson Cavanaugn.

Heard at the Conference:  Our wonderful wandering reporter, Deirdre Marlowe, overheard some great comments over the two days including:

A new member from Georgia said: “It’s exciting to travel to Minnesota to meet like-minded, peaceful people dedicated who believe we can make a difference together.”

A member from VA said she joined because of the geographic diversity Servas represents.

A member from Indiana thought the conference was terrific. She’d participated in the South Korean bike for peace and believes that strengthening local bonds enables better outreach.

Another said that it is important to learn curiosity instead of investing in preconceived notions. This will allow us to better handle difficult conversations.

A long-time member said that he appreciated the conference's focus on activism, noting that being a pacifist does not mean one cannot be an activist.

Retirees can join the Peace Corps and serve as paid short-term consultants for various projects. These roles require extensive experience. 

Or you can WorkAway.com all over the world – from farming to pet sitting, IT, plumbing, and more. Your food and lodging are covered for job specific or time-limited opportunities.

Conference Evaluations: We are amazed with the “official” conference evaluations. We have already received responses from thirty attendees, who gave the Overall Conference a rating of 4.93 stars, and Organization 4.97 stars. In addition to the ratings most of them took time to add extensive comments (see sampling below). If you would like to see more details, click on the following Conference Evaluations link.

••• A Few of the Take-aways ••• 

“The experience was certainly more profound than what I anticipated. In retrospect, I cannot imagine a better theme and a better venue for a Servas conference. The experience was at times overwhelming, and this was clearly a mutual feeling. “

“The organization was stellar, and I have returned humbled after meeting many great people and learning important things about how to promote peace and about resources to more effectively resist the Fascism in our country. “

“This was one of the best conferences of any kind I’ve ever been to because the speakers were so good and so relevant. The people were so kind, and it was so well organized. “

“The panel for me was the highlight, even though I live in Minneapolis, just hearing from other people’s experience.”

“I loved the focus that was given to the Minneapolis ICE response. It would have been such a missed opportunity to not have given that attention. “

“Food was not only delicious, but I appreciate how and where Fouzia sourced it.”

“In a word, the conference was fabulous. So much gratitude to Fouzia and her team for their hard work to create a very moving and informative experience, well-planned and executed down to the last detail.”

“This was the best Servas conference I have ever attended. It was extremely well organized, relevant, fun, informative, and emotionally moving. “

“You packed an amazing amount of information into a very quick session. I haven't yet joined Servas, but after this conference I will be applying soon. Thank you for all the obvious planning work, and all the details you managed. Brava!!”

“I like the efforts that were put into sustainability. Given the events in MN with ICE, the location, topics and peace awards were spot on.”

“Everything was well done and planned to keep it moving. Speakers were interesting and relevant. Loved the choice of city.”

“Kudos and gratitude to organizers and volunteers for making this such a wonderful event. I appreciate the resources and knowledge passed on community building and the stories about what a difference peace building efforts make.”

“The presenters were informative and clarified what was taking place over the winter. They inspired me to take action when I return home and get more involved in our local social groups. “