Nov. 14-18 "In tune with the environment"

Servas Brazil and Servas Uruguay are hosting the Latin American and Caribbean Servas Meeting (LATAM 2024) in Parque das Laranjeiras, Três Coroas city, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil from November 14th to 18th, 2024. The conference theme is In Tune With the Environment, which demonstrates our concern for the health of our planet and the future of the next generations, drawing members attention to care for the environment. This meeting is part of a series of celebrations for the 75th anniversary of Servas International (1949/2024).

For complete details about this event log in to Servas International, then choose [Events] => [Upcoming Events] from the top menu. Scroll down to the event (organized by date) and click on it. Click this Pre-Register link to sign up for the conference.

The 2025 Servas International Conference and General Assembly SICOGA will be held in Dijon, France from October 3 to 9, 2025. Be sure to save the dates on your calendar. SI will send out more information in the coming months. However, if any of you would like to volunteer to join any of the Servas International committees or attend some of the committee meetings to learn more, please contact Radha Radhakrishna, President, SI Executive Committee at president@servas.org

My fantastic Servas experience

Servas International is hosting a new written story and video contests. The theme is "My Fantastic Servas Experience". They are interested in hearing personal experiences with Servas, whether from travelers or hosts. One winner will be selected for each category (one story winner and one video winner) and published on Servas websites and our social media. 

The submission deadline October 25^th, 2024. visit the Servas My Story webpage for contest details, submission requirements, and application form.

by Bill Magargal 

It is always nice to get positive feedback from participants in events we host, and this one is especially heartwarming. It involves Servas France member, Céline Boute, who attended the 2023 US Servas Conference last October in upstate New York. Céline was so motivated by the conference that when she returned to France, she immediately became a volunteer for Servas France. 

Céline and her husband Pat have been Servas members for eleven years, and in fact, the author and his wife were their first Servas travelers. They are wonderful hosts, but they never took particular interest in the inner workings of Servas France... that is until the US National Conference.  

On the weekend of May 17 & 19 Servas France held their national assembly in Blois, which is 45 minutes Northeast of Tours. Two hundred out of 2300 French members attended. At the conference Céline was elected vice President of Servas France In her words, "I am super happy to have been elected vice president of SERVAS France, an organization that is particularly close to my heart! I am very happy to 'do my part' and invest more in the association, after being a member for more than a decade and hosting some awesome travelers from around the world!” 

Viva la France! Viva Céline!  

Servas Australia will host two separate, 7-day peace walks along the West Coast from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin (see map below). The first walk is Oct 16-25, and the second one Oct. 28 to Nov. 6. It will be Springtime Down Under, so it will be pleasant. The Walk is 135 Kilometers and while it’s not technically difficult, the terrain can be arduous, testing hips and knees! The walk takes 7 days, with a rest day to enjoy the wineries, in and around Margaret River.

Each walk is limited to 9 Servas Members. Men and Women of all ages are welcome. The walk does require reasonable fitness and stamina, i.e., the ability to walk approximately 20Km/day for seven days. On some days a lot of the walk is on soft sand. When walking you will have a day pack to carry the water you need for the day along with your morning tea, lunch, and your all-weather gear. Here is a link to more DETAILS about the walk.

The Cost is AUD$1300 per person. This price includes accommodation, the hire of the bus and fuel plus accident insurance, and nearly all meals with good quality breakfasts, packed lunches and 2 course dinners. It is expected the group will assist with the preparation and clean-up of meals.  Here is a link to REGISTER.

Servas by bike will take place in Lorraine, France, August 8 (arrival) -12 (departure), 2024. Please sign-up ASAP (it may already be too late) - payment will be possible in April. IBAN information will be delivered upon successful registration. Registration can only be made for the entire duration of the event. Circa 30 spots are available, 10 of which will be reserved for those under 35.

We will stay overnight at Soleole in Landremont. This lodging is committed to sustainability. It is located at the top of a hill, surrounded by natural areas to explore. Each evening, after our bike ride, we will engage in a variety of activities. You can explore the options (book exchange, donkey walk, yoga etc.) when filling out the registration form. Lodging is in shared rooms. Bikes can be rented on site; however, you should bring your own helmet. Servas members will be given priority for registration. Here is a link to the Registration Form.

European Hosts Sought     by Catrina Walker 

One of the principles of Servas is that respect and care for the planet lays a foundation for a more peaceful world.One step toward this objective is to live in a more sustainable way, especially when it comes to how we obtain our food. Sustainable choices differgreatly throughout the world. US Servas traveler and author, Catrina Walker, is a permaculture professional dedicated to improving sustainable living and farming practices. In 2009 she spent extended time in Silly-la-Poterie in France where she documented a permaculture garden transformation and enjoyed the participation of students from a nearby agricultural school. 

This year Catrina will travel in the Netherlands. Germany, Italy, and France from late May through June 2024 to learn more about European sustainability methods. Her trip will culminate with a video documentary about her travels and what she learned. This documentary will be made available to Servas members worldwide. 

Catrina is currently seeking European hosts in the regions noted below.  

• The Schwartzwald (Black Forest) region of Germany 

• The Piemonte region of Italy  

• The Noordwijk and Haarlem regions of the Netherlands 

• The Loire, Burgundy and Dordogne regions of France 

If you or someone you know practices or is knowledgeable about sustainable living, please reach out to her. Areas of particular interest include communities and families who have or are currently involved with  

• Permaculture-based practices, 

• Biodynamic methods, and/or 

• Ease of life outcomes. 

Catrina would love to hear from you and welcomes collaboration with students and practitioners of all ages. To learn more about this project or hopefully, to host her, please contact Catrina Walker on the Servas International website.  This project offers a unique hosting and sharing opportunity.  

Here is a link to Catrina's "Alchemy of Ecology" website.

July 4-14, 2024 

The Servas Peace School in Ekinci, Türkiye is holding its 17th annual Peace Camp where Servas travelers can share their worlds with the village youngsters. One year ago this month, this region was badly damaged by a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake centered about three hours away near the major city of Gaziantep. The camp will give international travelers a chance to experience traditional village life and to meet and share with the local villagers. It is hoped that you will teach village children about your world, and in the process feel their joy and animated smiles. 

In the words of Italian Servas traveler, Francesco Stoduto who recently attended the camp, "Everything is unforgettable: the children, the animators/interpreters, the Servas friends from India, Pakistan, Mexico, Italy, Russia, the hospitality of the host families...And all the other friends who contributed to wonderful days and helped everyone forget the heat and wind of southwestern Turkey." Here is a link to Francesco's full article. 

In addition to experiencing village life and visiting villagers’ homes you might also assist with the post-earthquake recovery process. If you would like more information about the camp, please email servaspeaceschool@gmail.com 

August 25-30, 2024 

About the village - Servas Uganda would like to welcome you to its first peace school on August 25-30,2024 in the village of Buyoga, which is located 20 miles away from Masaka City. The village is well known for coffee and matoke, a kind of banana that is a food staple. Most villagers are subsistence farmers.  The language commonly spoken is Luganda and during peace school, a team of volunteer translators will be available to facilitate communication. 

How to get to the village?  - Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, arrangements to connect volunteers with their hosts will be in place. In orderto reach the village on time, plan to arrive in Kampala on August 23rd.  On the morning of 24th, a bus will leave Kampala to take all the volunteers to Buyoga.  This is usually a 3 to 4-hour drive, but we will take our time so the beautiful scenery can be enjoyed along the way.  

Hosting and peace school information. - All volunteers will be staying with village families.  After all, Peace Schools’ slogan is “live with us, share with us." We hope the Peace School will strengthen the values of peace and give our children the chance to interact with people from various places across the world in real-time, not only in books.  

For Information please email ServasUgandaPeaceSchool@gmail.com

July 19-25, 2024 

Servas Germany will host the 2024 Pathways Together Alpine peace hikes in Southeastern Bavaria near Berchtesgaden and the Königssee the week of July 19 to 25. It is a gorgeous area with spectacular mountain and lake views, and excellent hiking for all levels of experience. 

Participants will spend Friday July 19 through Sunday the 21^st at the CVJM Hintersee Centre located directly on Lake Hintersee with a view of the mountains. Lodging will be in double and multiple-bed rooms (3-4 beds), all with private bath. Bedding and towels will be provided. The bus stop is only a few meters from the hostel. It is possible to swim in the lake. The weekend program includes short excursions and day hikes of varying difficulty and plenty of time to meet the other hikers.  

Organized hikes begin on Monday the 20th with separate itineraries based on level of difficulty ranging from easy, moderate, moderate+, and difficult. Pricing is reasonable and varies depending on the hiking package chosen. Hikers who choose the easy treks will stay at the Hintersee Center and partake in multiple three-to-four-hour day hikes. Other options included multiple day hikes with stays at youth hostels. Here is a link to the Participation Fee Schedules. 

This is a recurring annual program that is well-organized and excitig with many opportunities to meet and get to know the other participants. There are 84 slots for this week-long adventure. The website includes pretty much all you need to know including detailed itineraries, descriptions of the hiking levels, prices, and links to the registration form, and additional information about the area. Here is a link to the English version of the website.