By John Reiff

On September 21, 2026, the United Nations International Day of Peace, US Servas sponsored an event exploring and celebrating ways that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) contribute to building peace. The two-hour meeting took place at STUF United Fund, about a block from the UN headquarters in New York. About 60-70 people came, heard speakers, then participated in a lot of one-to-one and small group informal conversations during the remaining reception time.

Here are the six speakers and their topics:

CoNGO President, Dr. Peter Pressi: The direct relationship between NGOs and UN policy: How NGOs work with the UN to move the agenda of peace forward in challenging times

STUF United Fund, Nelson Wei, Deputy CEO: Philanthropy and the work of funding generative peace projects

Servas International, Rachel Elion Baird, Main Representative to the UN-NY: Volunteering to grow peace: Replicable and adaptive programs, how NGOs build peace on the ground

Do The Dream YDI, Adebusuyi Olutayo Founder/Executive Director Youth - The Future of Peace

NGO CSW/NY, Ivy Koek, Chair: The Working Group on Peace and Gender Equality

Parliament of the World Religions, Jessica Roland, Executive Director: Faith as a Force for Peace: From local leadership to global action.

I was particularly pleased by concrete examples of how these NGOs do their work—especially our own Rachel Elion Baird summarizing Servas peace initiatives, Ivy Koek describing how the work of NGO CSW/NY (NGO CSW/NY Homepage | NGO CSW/NY) on gender equality intersects with peace-building, and Jessica Roland describing how the work of the Parliament of the World Religions (Parliament of the World's Religions – The Global Interfaith Movement) connects with the work of multiple UN initiatives contributing to peace-building.

During the reception, I met four students from Borough of Manhattan Community College who had been given the assignment by their professor to attend any of a range of public events and had chosen our event. I told them about Servas and SYLE and gave them our handout on the latter. One in particular seemed quite interested in the possibility.

By John Reiff

Through the International Day of Peace, the United Nations reminds us that “Peace is more than the absence of war; it is the foundation necessary to collectively tackle humanity’s challenges. It is the lived experience of safety, dignity, opportunities and cooperation in our daily lives,” and “it is shaped by everyone, everywhere, every day.”

Servas is a peace organization, and we invite you to join us for a Peacebuilders event, the first in a series of ongoing conversations sponsored by the Peace Team. This online event will take place on Saturday, November 7th from 10:00 – 11:00 am PST (starting 11am MST, noon CST, 1pm EST). Please register on our US Servas Events page and a virtual link will be sent in email reminders.

At the August US Servas conference, participants were invited to identify and share one concrete action they wanted to take after the conference to build peace--at any level, from internal work to interpersonal relationships to advocacy for system/structural change. In this upcoming conversation, those participants are invited to connect with one another and share stories about what they did and what happened. BUT ALSO, all you other Servas members are invited to join this conversation and share specific examples of your work as peacebuilders—something you already do, or something you would like to take on--so the conversation goes far beyond the conference.

I will be facilitating this meeting. We’ll begin this first conversation as a whole group; I will suggest a process and some ground rules. Then we can go into breakout rooms where each of you can share a story of your work with about four or five other Servas members, hear their stories, and discuss whatever stands out for you in this story exchange. When we return to the whole group, we will collect ideas about what follow-up group members would like to see, which could be as simple as scheduling more times for follow-up conversations, or could be to set up some form of training, or very likely a number of other good ideas will emerge.

I am excited to see what this diverse, talented, dedicated membership will do with this forum!

by Paige LaCombe, founder SIWT

Servas Women is a space within Servas International dedicated to connecting, supporting, and empowering women and men across our global Servas community. Through friendship, dialogue, peace projects, travel opportunities and participation at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Servas Women creates opportunities for members to share their experiences, develop leadership, and work together toward a more peaceful and equitable world. We believe in shared leadership, collaboration, and the power of international voices and connections across cultures and generations. We are pleased to announce the SIWT Leadership Team 2026-2028. We are confident they continue our spirit of collaboration and shared responsibility.

Cynthia Granados (Servas Mexico), Chair of Servas Women, Communications Lead Hola! I’m Cynthia Granados Posada, a performance artist from Mexico City. I’ve been a Servas member for 10 years, serving as Youth & Arts Coordinator for Mexico and as a Spanish translator for the SI Bulletin. Amplifying women’s voices is at the heart of both my life and my artistic practice, so I’m truly excited—and grateful—to bring this passion to the Servas International Women’s Team. Thank you!

Grace Lee (Servas Great Britain), Servas Women Co-chair, CSW Lead Hi I’m Grace, and I am excited to serve as one of your Servas International Women’s Team Co-Chairs. Trained as a Systems Engineer, I have undertaken projects in welfare, furthering women’s empowerment and equal opportunity to education. Peace, community, and equality remain my focus as I move into this wider role and continue supporting the goals of Servas Women and Servas International.

Vishakha Khetrapal (Servas India), Servas Women Co-chair, Peace Projects Lead Hi! I'm Vishakha. Fascinated by people, cultures, and stories of migration, I transitioned from mechanical engineering to social entrepreneurship and social science research. My work spans women's empowerment, community development, and cultural heritage, including a role as a UNESCO-Sahapedia Fellow. I also teach German, using language to bridge cultures. As Co-Chair of the Servas International Women's Team, I look forward to fostering dialogue, strengthening leadership, and advancing global peace and collaboration.

Paula Blaschke (Servas Germany), Servas Women Youth Coordinator Hi! I’m Paula, and I’m excited to be part of the Servas Women leadership team as a Youth Coordinator. I’m a linguist specialized in French linguistics and am currently pursuing a PhD on gender-inclusive language. Alongside my research, I work full-time at the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in the scholarship department. Throughout my studies, I had the opportunity to take part in various political and social projects, many of which were made possible through the engagement of youth coordinators. These experiences showed me how empowering it can be when young people are given the space and support to get involved. As a Youth Coordinator, I hope to create more opportunities for young people to participate, connect, and take an active role in shaping our societies and our shared future.

Paige LaCombe (Servas US), Servas Women Team Founder, Advisor I’m so excited to support this new Servas Women leadership team! I believe deeply in women empowering women, sharing leadership, and creating space for all our voices to make a difference. I’m looking forward to seeing what Cynthia, Grace, Vishakha and Paula and our other volunteers from Servas Women can create together!

  We invite Servas members from around the world to join us for CSW71 and be part of this inspiring international experience. If you are interested in participating, please complete the CSW71 application form due October 22, 2026. Reach out to volunteer with us at servaswomen@servas.org and be sure to catch new opportunities on instagram@servaswomen.

The Work of Peace

September 21, 2026 5:30 PM, EDT
Where: STUF United Fund, 800 Second Avenue, Suite 804, NYC 

EVENT DETAILS:

Gather with Servas members, the Servas International Peace Secretary, Servas's main representative to the UN in NY, the President of CoNGO, and heads of other NGOs to celebrate and learn how NGO's work with the United Nations for peace. Presentations followed by informal reception. We will send more details of the speakers when all have been confirmed.

This event is sponsored by US Servas and will also serve as a membership recruitment opportunity, so please invite those who might be interested in joining Servas.

Here is a link to REGISTER for this event.

Moving Toward a Nuclear Weapons Free World Begins with a Conversation

By Ann Frisch

The US Servas Conference in Minneapolis marked the 81^st anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Most SERVAS members on the planet were not yet born.   We have, though,  been reminded of it and its horror.  We have also learned that the US Government censored the news at that time. We have heard about the “testing” of nuclear weapons first in our own country with the  bombing in New Mexico leaving radiation to the present day, on the Marshall Islands, Kazakhstan, Nevada, Alaska, Mississippi, not to mention dropping of weapons in South Carolina, Florida, Spain, and other locations where nuclear weapons were dropped accidentally.  (Read Eric Schlosser Command and Control.  Atoms and Ashes: A Global History of Nuclear Disasters by Serhii Plokhy; it will keep you awake at night.

Access to visuals of nuclear war, such as  the comic book story “What If We Nuked a City” make it easy to imagine. And we are reminded daily when officials of various countries threaten to bomb their present enemies, as if to say “we threaten the planet.”  We recoil from this news!  It does not move us to have conversations, let alone to take action.  And in SERVAS we pledge  “ to work for a more peaceful world, one conversation at the time.”

Conversations are a very good and necessary way to move toward a nuclear weapons free world.  Adopting a listening stance that is required of conversations is a beginning, but can be more demanding than taking positions.  Asking our SERVAS guests or hosts what they understand about nuclear weapons, and our mission of peace and understanding while offering people traveling a safe place to stay can promote interesting conversations.  Framing at the outset with the dichotomy of “build more/get rid of all” is largely unproductive in conversations, not to mention action. 

We can start out with the bare facts.  How many nuclear weapons are on our planet: 12 thousand plus.  Many of us do not know which countries have them, or the consequences of that.  US, Russia, UK, France, Pakistan, India, Israel, China, and North Korea.  And those countries hosting US nuclear weapons and personnel: Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Turkiye, Belgium; and possibly Belarus with Russian nuclear weapons.   

Over the decades there have been protessts by people in proximity to these launch sites.  Current opposition by the US Government to prevent Iran from using  their nuclear materials (gifted by the US under a US-friendly regime there) to make nuclear weapons.  India made a nuclear weapon with a gift of nuclear material from Canada in 1974.  It was controversial at the time.  (India did not sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty prohibiting such actions.  Iran did, and is still a member in good standing at the NPT.  The Democratic Republic of Korea was a member of the NPT, but withdrew when it built nuclear weapons).

In our conversations, we share facts which seem less intimidating. But still worrisome. What could be a productive and exciting conversation would still include the facts, and take hope from how the world is coming together to eliminate their threats and use with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) .   It is exciting and conversation-generating to learn that the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), a non governmental group much like Servas, worked for decades to create this international treaty, now signed by 94 Nations and ratified by 74, the latter becoming States Parties to the TPNW.    These countries, all of which do not have nuclear weapons, further pledged to never “test, develop, produce, manufacture…or assist [other countries in acquiring them."] To “never assist” means removing their complicity even when they do not host or threaten,” Full Treaty Text.

In their support of the TPNW, ICAN works with Member Organizations to encourage corporations and individuals to withdraw or not to invest in companies that contribute to the production or use of nuclear weapons.  Here is a link to the ICAN website.  Private groups like As You Sow offer a website where individuals can find out what companies produce or assist in Nuclear Weapons Production. An appropriate  response would be to withdraw funds, or not invest in them. 

Servas members around the world have been monitoring this exciting movement, have attended these meetings as civilian  observers, and will be sending delegates to the TPNW Review meeting in November. Servas is already an international Partner to ICAN and has been present at previous Meetings of States Parties.  Servas members listen to the countries’ States Parties talk about their efforts to build a nuclear weapons free world, and how we can help.

An alternative approach, pioneered by Ward Hayes Wilson in his book A World without Nuclear Weapons, is gaining traction and that is simply dismantling nuclear weapons on the planet,  "Nuclear weapons are not only expensive: they are useless!.  Wilson's book lays out how world leaders have shunned nuclear weapons because they are too destructive to be useful.

In her recent blog “How Nuclear Weapons Constrain Options in a Crisis” Sadia Tasleem, a lecturer in Defense and Strategic Studies at Quaid-i-Azam University. shows how Pakistan had to ignore its potential for use in the three day war with India in 2025, and how it presents itself to the Pakistani public and the world.  Here is a link to her piece “How the Bomb Failed to Deliver Security in Pakistan”

Servas hosts and travelers have great opportunities to be present on the world stage through conversations.  We need to know the dangers of purposeful and accidental use.  However, conversations about the United Nations treaty move us toward a nuclear weapons free world. Referring to the research on the uselessness and expense of nuclear weapons gives us opportunities to have conversations without getting bogged down in three underlying questions: should we maintain, build or get rid of nuclear weapons.  Without the facts and framworks, those questions are premature.   International organizations and private groups help us to remove our complicity through socially responsible investing.   These movements are making an impact; we can make an impact as Servas and as Servas members.

These conversations can be in our homes or while visiting, IRL or Zoom meetings. We can share information from books and websites, and be present at the deliberation of the TPNW supporting its efforts to work with civilians and governments to bring about a nuclear weapons free world.  Being present at those meetings, being a partner in the quest, is a magnificent first start. You can virtually attend the TPNW Review meeting; your delegates will welcome your engagement.

(Ann can be reached at afrisch09@gmail.com)

Honoring Defiant Love in the Twin Cities of Minnesota

By Lilly Lombard, US Servas Peace Secretary

In recognition of their tireless work to empower Minnesota communities to act with agency, solidarity, courage, and love in the face of the prolonged and targeted surge by ICE into the Twin Cities this winter, US Servas proudly presented two $5000 Peace Awards to UNIDOS-MN and The Immigrant Defense Network.  As US Servas Peace Secretary, it was my great honor to shepherd the nomination and selection process for these Peace Awards, and to lead the award ceremony at the 2026 US Servas National Conference in Minneapolis, MN. This year marked a strengthened commitment by the US Servas board to our organization’s foundational peace-building mission by increasing the Peace Award from $1000 to $5000, and by selecting two recipients rather than one. 

This spring, our US Servas Peace Team met and decided that, given our National Conference location in Minneapolis, it would be fitting to focus our Peace Award on peace-building organizations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region; in fact to do otherwise would've been tone deaf given the struggles and abuses that the city endured during the recent ICE surge, and the intensely creative, non-violent ways neighborhoods defended their vulnerable neighbors, resisted and documented abuse of government power, and modeled courage, defiant joy, and love to the rest of the country and world. 

After issuing a “Call for Nominations” to US Servas members of any peace-building 501-c3 organization working in the Twin Cities, and receiving 14 nominations of 6 organizations, the Peace Team unanimously selected UNIDOS-MN and The Immigrant Defense Network (IDN) for the many ways they collaborated to support targeted individuals (providing relief such as rent, food, legal advice, and support, etc.), while also educating thousands of neighbors to be constitutional observers and documentarians of ICE abuse. The peace-building and democracy-defending work of UNIDOS and IDN continues, ever relevant and effective, and examples of the educational resources they offer so that every US resident knows their constitutional rights can be found on the resource pages of the Immigrant Defense Network and UNIDOS websites.

The Peace Award ceremony was enriched by the deeply moving words shared by nominators Maria Kaefer (who nominated UNIDOS) and Annika Fjelstad (who nominated IDN), both of whom–along with tens of thousands of Twin Cities residents– received critical upstander and constitutional observer training by these organizations; and were also both part of self-organized neighborhood networks that protected their vulnerable neighbors in countless loving ways. 

Servas International is inviting applications for the position of Chair of the Servas International Women’s Team.This volunteer leadership role offers an opportunity to help advance gender equality, women's empowerment, and peace-building within the Servas community and beyond. The Chair will provide strategic leadership, coordinate international initiatives, and represent Servas Women at global forums, including the UN Commission on the Status of Women. 

The attached * Position Description outlines the role, responsibilities, qualifications, commitment, and application process. 

We encourage members with a passion for human rights, intercultural dialogue, and women's leadership to consider applying.  For more information, visit the SI Call for Candidates webpage. You can also view or download the Position Description on the SI website. 

Applications are due by July 22, 2026!  APPLY HERE 

by Lilly Lombard 

In our February Open Doors newsletter, I only hastily introduced myself as the newest US Servas Peace Secretary, preferring to shift the spotlight to the courageous acts of peace-and-justice building that were happening daily in Minneapolis this winter, as recounted by dear friend and member of Servas, Maria Kaefer. Permit me, then, to back up, share a bit about myself, and describe my approach as Peace Secretary. 

I am a Gen Xer raised in suburban Washington, DC, child of depression-era, first-gen Americans who adored books, marched on Washington, served on their local Human Rights commission during the Jim Crow era, protested the Vietnam War, and squeezed pennies to raise 8 kids on a single librarian income. Their blackbelt frugality shifted discretionary family funds from middle class luxuries to charity–it felt more important to them to help feed, shelter, and give political voice to the poor, than to eat out or send their kids to summer camp. They were exceptional, humble role models, and primed me for a college experience dominated by work as volunteer coordinator of a women’s shelter; and non-violent civil disobedience against apartheid South Africa. This was followed by years as a volunteer teacher in a “homeland” school in pre-democratic South Africa.  

I joined Servas in 1999 while working in the field of women’s reproductive health and rights; my first Servas experience was hosting an Indian family biking around the world to promote world peace–an exceptional adventure recounted in this short video. 

Prompted by 9/11, my husband John and I (and then 8-month-old daughter) traveled north to visit Servas families throughout New England as we searched for a new, more woodsy and progressive community in which to settle. Of the four Servas families who welcomed us, one provided an employment lead for John; the other tipped us off to a house their friend was selling. Both of these leads proved fruitful, and within 7 months, we were housed and employed in lovely Northampton, MA, where, over the course of 24 years, we raised our children, welcomed dozens of Servas travelers, and became deeply rooted. I founded and directed Grow Food Northampton, and became especially active in environmental and climate protection, both on the ground as an arborist, and at the state-level as a political organizer.  

I accepted a leadership role within Servas foremost because my family and I have been personally touched, improved, even transformed by our Servas friendships, and I felt eager, at this time of political and environmental crisis, to help US Servas attract a hopeful new generation of hosts and travelers. Second, I accepted the role of Peace Secretary not because I’m any sort of expert on peace-building, but because I know there to be thousands of entry points into peace-building; I love collaborations; and I’m fascinated to learn about and support fellow Servas members already advancing peace.  

We are now building a Peace Team in US Servas to grow collaborations. Our first collaborative project which took place virtually in late May, connected Afghan teen girls–consigned to house arrest and denied education under the oppressive Taliban. These young women receive online tutoring through the all-volunteer Afghan Tutoring Network – with Servas members from five countries–Taiwan, France, Germany, Portugal, and the US. These girls— suffer years of gender apartheid and violence, and yet refuse to cower, to stop learning or problem-solving, poetry-writing or joking, and above all maintain their dignity and faith-- brought us all to tears, modeling defiant joy, shrewdness, and utter resilience.  At the end of the 1.5-hour meet-up, every Servas participant eagerly volunteered for ongoing relationship-building with these young, bright individuals.  

Perhaps you wish to join this collaboration? Perhaps you have a peace-building project in mind that together, we could amplify? If so, we welcome you to join our Peace Team! Email the Team at PeaceAndJustice@usservas.org. 

Finally, a Save-the-Date: Monday September 21, 2026, is International Peace Day. Our Peace Team is organizing a social/educational event in New York City that evening. All are welcome, including curious non-Servas members. Stay tuned for details! 

New Ideas for Peace

Are you ready to Connect, Inspire, and Co-Create a More Peaceful World? Join Servas International Peace Secretaries, Francisco Salomón Luna Aburto (México) and Mei Wang (Taiwan) for the upcoming quarterly Servas Peace Forum.

This online gathering is a space for Servas members from every corner of the globe to share perspectives, spark fresh dialogue, and build lasting connections. Put on your thinking cap, bring your passion for peace, and explore new horizons together.  

 This online event takes place on May 24^th, 9-10:30 am EDT. Here is a link to REGISTER and to learn more about this Servas International event.

US Servas 2026 Peace Award

The US Servas Peace Award is a fabulous way to support a Peace & Justice NGO in which you are personally and actively involved. Why not nominate your group for an award so that they might be awarded a $5,000 grant from US Servas.

In recognition of the exceptional defense of peace and justice demonstrated by our neighbors in Minneapolis-Saint Paul this winter, and because the US Servas National Conference will take place in Minneapolis, MN the weekend of August 8-9,the US Servas Peace Team has decided to focus our 2026 Peace Award on a Twin Cities-focused organization, and invites Servas members to nominate one they feel worthy of this $5,000 award. Nominations are now open (APPLY HERE). Nominations will close June 1, 2026.

The nominee must be a non-religious-based 501(c)3 organization working to advance peace and justice in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Acknowledging that there are many ways to promote these goals, we invite nominators to “make the case” for how their nominee builds peace, justice, or sustainability.

US Servas will award the recipient organization $5,000 to help forward their work. This represents both a substantial increase from our previous Peace Award, as well as a focus shift from an individual award recipient to an organization.

The US Servas Peace Team will present the award at our August 2026 National Conference in Minneapolis. A representative of the selected organization will be invited to speak at the conference.

Any current member of US Servas, whether Friend or Host/Traveler, may nominate an organization. The Peace Team will review nominations in early June and inform the award-winner by mid-June.

Servas connects people working for a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world. Knowing that many or even most of our members are dedicated servants of this vision, we look forward to receiving your nominations. ~US Servas Peace Team