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Summer 2010 1
SI News by Ally ([email protected]) [Almery Tessarolo,
Rosario, Argentina]
July 2010Did you see the World Cup?
Some teams had great individual stars. None of "the best"
scored. Some teams got nasty, attacking, drawing penalties. They
lost. Some worked together as a team it was one of those that won.
We in Servas are a team and we will excel if we are kind and act as
a team even better act as a supportive family.
Ally took on this job as SI News editor and has gathered
articles from around the world. She has worked hard, too hard Ally
became ill and was told to rest. But she was clever and asked for
help I stepped in for the final step of putting the news
together.
It's late, sorry, we know that. But it's done thank you for your
patience.
May you all have a great Servas year and work together for
peace.
Michael Johnson, Cambridge, Canada.
Whats inside? 2 Brief News3 World March for Peace5 Presidents
Update: Giving Thanks6 Youth 8 International Youth Meeting, Mexico,
201010 Servas Language Exchanges: SLE and SYLE Around the World: 11
Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Liberia, Malawi, [and Greece]14 Asia:
India, Pakistan 15 Pacific: Australia, New Zealand 16 North
America: USA, Mexico and Canada Conference, Oct. 2010 South
America: 3 Meets Oct. 2010: S. American, Youth and Brazil 17 Italy
opens up18 Travel Tales: Georgia and Armenia, Canada and USA
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2 Servas International News
Tweet Me NiceServas news is now on twitter!
http://twitter.com/ServasNews
Can we help?by Gurdev Singh,
Servas India, New DelhiThe earthquake in Haiti was a major
disaster. The UN and many aid agen-cies extended help to Haiti.
There have been calamities in various parts of the world in the
past, and some dona-t ions made by Servas members to help in past
situations.
Our contribution can be significant if Servas members will go to
the troubled sites to help. Some may like to work as volunteers,
others can help financially. Perhaps with our NGO status, a
proposal could be made to the UN to incorporate some of our
volunteers in their aid groups. Volunteers can be found from nearby
Servas chapters. Im making this suggestion for SI con-sideration,
to take up with UN on the basis of our NGO status at the UN. If the
proposal is accepted by the UN then Servas can extend help in
calamities. This could be Servas best peace contribution.
Servas Argentina Donates to Geriatric Hospital
by Amalia Maffeis, CordobaWe are an organization of Peace
and
non-Violence, believing in friendship, sup-port and humanitarian
aid. We initiated 8 months ago our project of supportive work for
who need it: The Bridge [Hospital of San Francisco for Geriatrics]
and 150 board-ing schools connecting with those almost forgotten in
the world... Servas (Region Central) Cordoba carries out a monthly
visit, of sharing and contributing food, items of personal hygiene
and clothes, for our beloved and needy elderly.
Brief NewsYour thoughts on PEACE?
Alvany Maria Santiago, Servas Brazil, is doing her PhD in Peace
Psychology, study-ing Relationships & Peace. The objective is
to investigate interpersonal, inter-group and international
relationships and the promotion of Peace. She is interviewing
Servas leaders around the world.
Peace isn't only the absence of war but a daily practice of:
non-violence, conflict analysis and resolution, respect for human
rights, environmental awareness, recon-
ciliation and peace-building. It can be pursued through the
dialogue
and the promotion of a culture of peace with justice.
If you would like additional information or are willing to
contribute to her research, e-mail her at: [email protected]
or Skype at: alvasantiago.
Can Servas help with earthquake relief in Haiti, etc.?
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Summer 2010 3
by Pablo Colangelo (SI HLC)World March arrived January 2,
2010, in Argentina. Close to 20,000 people heard representatives
of the World March from: Chile, Argentina, India, Italy, the
Philippines, Spain and England, who circled the globe calling for
nuclear disarmament.
Pressenza - Punta de Vacas, 2010-01-02
The final destination of the World March for Peace and
Nonviolence was the Park of Study and Reflec-tion, Punta de Vacas,
located in the mountains on the border between Chile and Argentina.
This first World March was the largest manifestation for the Peace
and Nonviolence in history and the first at a planetary scale,
according to its coordina-tors.
Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in the march,
as have more than three thousand organizations. They marched on
four distinct routes: intercontinental, Middle East, the Balkans,
and South-east Africa. They passed through more than 400 cities in
90 countries and have traveled close to 200,000 kilometers during
93 days.
threats of a tsunami, earthquakes, and typhoons
In their journey through these countries, the marchers have been
received by the Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki-Moon, by Nobel
Peace Prize Laureates, national presidents, parliamentarians, and
hundreds of mayors. But the recep-tion has also been popular: in
two examples the 80,000 youth greeted the international base team
in a concert in Chile and 12,000 school children in the Philippines
formed a giant peace sign.
Marchers slept in Buddhist mon-asteries, makeshift homes, and
even in a fallout shelter. There were threats of a tsunami,
earthquakes, and typhoons, and they marched in temperatures ranging
from 40 degrees to below zero.
During the tour, they encountered people made homeless by
typhoons in the Philippines, Hibakushas, [survivors of the
Hiroshima bomb], and millions of families torn apart by war in
Korea and Palestine. They visited memorials to the millions who
died in wars in Europe and Asia, and saw places where torture is
still being carried out. March-ers witnessed the border conflicts
between India & Pakistan, Israel & Palestine, within the
Balkans, and at the border between the United States and
Mexico.
They saw working children in Asia, Africa and America, and
bat-tered women worldwide. On the journey, everything has happened
to us, including moments of great meaning, said the convener of the
march, de la Rubia, who is also coordinator of the international
as-sociation World Without Wars and Without Violence.
Gemma Suzara of the Philippines called it: one experience that I
will remember for the rest of my life.
It is my turn to give now to the future generations
Bhairavi Sagar, from India, ex-plained: It is my turn to give
now to the future generations to leave a world worth living for
them, in dignity and happiness.
Tony Robinson from the UK who traveled through 30 countries
spoke from the heart and said, in Japan we met the survivors of the
atomic bomb. One of them said to us: 'Thank you, thank you. This is
so important!' I was translating her words while I was trying not
to break into tears.
Giorgio Schultze, European spokesperson of the World March and
member of the Middle East and the Balkans teams, said: We crossed
the wall that divides Israel from Palestine and now more than 200
social leaders, veterans of Al Fatah, are asking us to help them
build a nonviolent army that might communicate and open the doors
towards reconciliation between Palestinians and Jews.
Tomas Hirsch, Latin-American spokesperson of the World March,
spoke about the future of the Human-ist Movement. The event
finished with the greeting of Peace, Force and Joy to all those
present.
Massive World March for Peace & NonviolenceT h e i n t e r n
a t i o n a l
base team makes its en-trance to the final act. Photo: Jose Luis
Perrino
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4 Servas International News
Servas Argentina Joins March
by Pablo Colangelo (SI HLC) January, 2010We joined the World
March for Peace
and Non-Violence, originally organized by: World without Wars
and the Human-ist Movement, and two NGOs actively working for
peace-building for many years. Many NGOs supported the World
March.
In March 2009, Servas International agreed to support the World
March at the Latin-American meeting in Villa de Leyva, Colombia.
There were many Servas members present including our President Gary
Sealey. Check: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz4GK2dW0uM).
Servas Argentina members came from Mendoza, Cordoba and Buenos
Aires province while about 1,000 attendants come from other
countries.
There was a big reception with ap-plause and tears when we
arrived in Mendoza, where we were hosted by Servas members
including Mr. Fran-cisco Moron, a very enthusiastic Servas member
since the 70s who has hosted about 500 travelers (he has everything
registered in more than 3 books and many folders with copies of
every Letter of Introduction).
We travelled to the meeting site on Jan. 2nd (170km from Mendoza
city)
and we were in contact with many people from the very diverse
countries. Servas Argentina set up a space to give information and
Servas Newsletters to interested persons.
We collected information from the NGOs there and strengthened
relationships with individuals from Argentina, Chile, Brazil,
Ghana, India, Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia,
Bolivia.
We were proud to be part of representing our organization, happy
that it was possible for others to know more about us, and also for
us to be in contact with many others doing positive things for
peace and friendship.
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Summer 2010 5
Presidents Update: Giving Thanks By Gary Sealey
Congratulations to all you Servas people world-wide, who help
make Servas worthy, interesting, reliable and fun!
I became President when Servas was going through a bumpy time,
after sixty years, becoming a modern association with new rules and
expectations. Servas continues to adapt well. Volunteers are
putting energy into exciting new projects, following up the 2009
General Assembly.
Now, you can see many events posted on the popular website :
www.servas.org. More, when you check out the Servas volunteer
website: www.siexco.org thanks, Penny, Renee!] to find teamwork is
thriving. UNESCO has invited Servas (and others) to expand its
international PeaceTeam Builders course [thanks Martin, Kim, Jaime
and team!] publicly, on a big scale through an arrangement with
South American Servas member groups and universities. Meantime,
over three dozen Servas developers, testers and other friends are
helping advance the ServasOnLine project. We will keep improving
Dolphin [Mario, Marco thank you!]. A new face and web-based
functions for Servas will come at very low cost with much volunteer
work.
Through its reputation for quality and safe experiences, Servas
is attracting helpful partnerships from other ex-pert groups,
including BeWelcome and Tripping. In return Servas may be able to
benefit their members with helpful outreach and Peace activities.
Servas will never be the largest friendship or Peace organization,
but it will continue to be of the highest quality network of home
based peace ambassadors.
Servas is regaining strength by successful work: Servas accounts
are up-to-date [thanks, Mirek!], and through careful scrutiny of
Auditors. Years of improvements to Financial Operating Procedures
have proven valuable. A world-wide project of household calls, to
make sure host lists are reliable [Pablo Colangelo and volunteers,
hurray!] is going ahead. The most recent election of the South
Amer-ican coordinator (congratulations, Jaime; thank you, Roberto
Boren-stein!) was skillfully handled [thanks, Chris P]. Pramod is
continuing to improve Area elec-tion procedures [thank you!].
Ser-vas Youth (with supportive elders, as I personally saw in
Mexico) is really interesting and fun
[Pablo Chufeni, thank you!]. The Development and Membership
Committees and the Fees task group are productive; and a renewed
Money (budget) Committee is about to get started [thanks to all
Mary Jane, LV Subramanian, and Team Mirek!]
Many Servas hosts are also members of other associations whose
members could enjoy joining Servas. Please copy the example of Mary
Jane, and talk to your friends and personal membership groups about
Servas. You can tell them, as you and I know, Servas helps develop
new friends and experiences. Servas is fun. Special thanks to the
newsletter team for trying this new edit and produc-tion approach
[Ally, Michael!] We welcome your help. Please let us know!
[email protected].
Photo by Michael J.; don't blame Gary for it. Its a good time
for Servas
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6 Servas International News
ServasWe Need YOU
Im Pablo Chufeni, the Servas International Youth Coordinator and
one Servas member who believes in this marvelous organization and
its transforming powers.
We in Servas Youth understand the importance of the
intergenera-tional interaction of our members, and providing them
with the chance to experience Servas as leaders.
Many examples help us to move in this direction. After each
Youth event, SYLE or action, new volunteers start to work with us
and feel that they are part of a wider network of persons with
similar goals.
I want to thank those who trust me and who, each time that I
send an email with HEY GUYS, I HAVE AN IDEA, listen to me and
believe in this project. Thanks so much to Almery and Michael for
doing this edition of Servas News. Thanks to Gary, Pramod, Mirek,
Pablito, Kim, Penny and all the key persons in Servas
International. Thanks to all my partners in Servas Youth. Thanks to
the golden ladies, they know who they are. Thanks to all those
National Groups and Local Contacts that are now working with me on
specific projects. And thanks to you for reading this report.
Do not hesitate to jump on board. Share this report, invite your
friends and bring yourself to our coming events, check our website,
apply to our programs, make a proposal. We need you!!!
Servas Youth is very active: running programs, coordinating
languages experiences abroad, organiz-ing local, regional and
international events, coordinat-ing activities with local partners
and National Servas Groups, working on our site and writing to the
Servas communication network.
Please join us to help increase Servas Youth Out-reach.
Love to you all.
Pablo J. Chufeni Servas International Youth Coordinator,
[email protected]
Youth
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Summer 2010 7
Be there next summer! SERVAS YOUTH NORDIC MEETING SUMMER
2011
All Servas are welcome, not just Youth.Europe strongly supports
the Servas youth movement and proves it in
2011. With Servas Youth support, the Nordic countries (Iceland,
Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark) invite you to share time and
love to discuss and design policies for Servas Youth.
Experience a very dynamic and youthful event, especially if you
believe that international communication is a key core value of our
organiza-tion.
Learn about Servas Youth programs, local topics and have fun,
LOTS of fun. The program will be on the homepages of Norway,
Sweden, Finland and Denmark later. Date: Summer 2011.
Duration: approx. 4 days Venue: Scandinavia. For information at
this early stage if you want to help organise or
plan to come, please contact [email protected].
South American Youth Event [See South America, page 16 in
"Around the World" section.]
Pablo is Servas YouthBy Heather Mason, USA
21 Jun 2010 Pablo Chufeni is unrivaled
in his energy, enthusiasm, and ideas for promoting Servas to a
wider audience of youth, which is no easy feat. He embodies
Servas. To quote my US Servas newsletter article literally he is
SI
Youth. The SYLE Program is a really great reward and incentive
for Servas
young population. Just hours into my first meeting with Chufeni,
he sat down with me in a private, informal meeting and explained
with much heart why this program is important for Servas. He
listened to all of my questions with patience and empathy, as I am
still learning all a SYLE includes. He has been prompt in
replying to my inquiries, and never demanding or bureaucratic.
He has been an indispensable
resource and the backbone of the budding US Servas Youth
movement. I can truly say that I can-not do my work for Servas
without him!
Heather Mason, Youth Coordinator, US Servas Board of
DirectorsSeattle, WA, USA
[email protected]: heatherjeanmason.
Hi to all Servas Youth!by Heather Mason, USA Servas
Board Youth Local Contact/Youth Development OfficerI recently
returned from the
Servas Youth International Event in Xochicalco, Mexico (near
Mexico City). I had tons of fun, of course, but more importantly,
in between all the fun were lots of constructive, innova-tive,
action-minded conversations. I am not alone in saying that I
returned from these meetings regenerated and ready to breathe some
young life into Servas, as the late Bob Luitweiler would say. Look
for my account of the conference in the next issue of Open Doors!
[Servas USA newsletter] Some highlights from International Youth
Conference 2010:
Discovered that Servas Founder Bob Luitweiler was only
twenty-six years old when he established Ser-vas. How
inspiring!
Martin K of Servas Canada led the group in his ever-evolving
Peace Education Training Course. Peace-building is contagious!
The SYLE [Youth Language] program continues to expand and became
even more organized (for ages 18 to 30ish). This is a great
program, and I cant wait for my own SYLE in Bari, Italy to
begin!
Read more about SYLE at: www.servasyouth.org or contact
me: [email protected] to learn how you can participate
in, or organize, a SYLE in your town.
SYLE hosts/organizers wanted !
Candelaria of Servas Spain, age 31, is looking for USA Servas
members to host her July 2010: please contact me or the office
[email protected]. ASAP!!!
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8 Servas International News
International Servas Youth MeetingXochicalco, Mexico,
March 31 April 3, 2010
People from Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Argentina, Canada,
United States, Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom, Singapore, Israel,
Spain and of course Mexico, stayed at a wonderful Mexican Hacienda
surrounded by hills. This old sugar refinery, turned beautiful
rustic hotel, gave us the chance to get in deep contact with
members.Peace Education Course:
We had several peace workshops with the main goal to be aware of
the fundamental role each of us has in peace and understanding and
how it could be developed. The workshops allowed us to know our
inner self also.
Teleconference: Technology and Servas: a personal experience
By means of the Internet we had a conversation with Rodolfo
Alvarado, Servas Mexico City, invited by a German company to
develop sources of renewable energies. He made links between this
technology and the main purposes of Servas.
Conference: The Syle ExperienceServas Youth from Mexico, Panama
and Brazil spoke of their experi-
ences as SYLE travelers.Speakers
The Servas International Youth Coordinator, Pablo Chufeni, spoke
about the importance of Youth. Gary Sealy, President of Servas
International, was another speaker as well as Martin Krajcik of the
Peace Education Workshop.
WorkshopsWorkshops included: The Round Sacred Dance that creates
a communion
between participants, and one about Amaranth, a highly
nutritious plant used to create a traditional Mexican drink called
atole.
Cacahuamilpa Caverns VisitClose to the town of Taxco are the
impressive Caca-
huamilpa Caverns, which are up to 70 meters high.A tour guide
took us on a 2-kilometer walk amongst impres-
sive stalactites, stalagmites and an underground river. Health
and Cultural Diversity
Dr. Hctor Peralta, Servas Mxico City, and Dr. Norma Gabrieli,
Servas Rosario, Argentina, spoke about new al-ternatives to
medicine.
Archaeological Zone of Xochicalco VisitOn Saturday we learned
this site was first occupied in 200
BC, but did not develop into an urban center until A.D. 700 900,
when it had a population of up to 20,000 people.
We also had fun!!!We ate and danced every night, aware of the
wonderful
blessing of being part of Servas. We closed with traditional
songs and chants; then gave each other a hug to seal the
friendships we had built.
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Summer 2010 9
By Lilly Kerekes, Mexico City Coordinator, April, 2010
I go to the airport to pick up visitors and also to say
good-bye. I feel that in this place you mustnt be alone. You must
be feel welcomed.And while we study and discuss the new policies of
SI,
we also laugh at the swimming pool, because Paulo from Panama
acted like John and baptized Reut from Israel . Paulo was baptized
by Mafe, from Brazil. (We fight to have her in our homes).
Martin Krajcik (who delivered part of a peace course) made us
think about our lives and together discovered we are connected by
SERVAS.
We made a human knot, wrote our lives on a piece of paper,
shared our stories of different activities around the globe, our
little contribution to the peace, acting in an instantaneous
performance or playing with a team spirit, discussing
discrimination, injustice and the rules of the game called society.
We enjoyed and learned a lot about ourselves and our role in
SERVAS.
With Pablo Chufeni, we not only talked about SYLE, we made an
agreement: Fatima from Mexico will be visiting Austria, and Yelbi
from Costa Rica will organise the first one in his country.
I was so glad to see so much energy in our youthful members. We
were few, true, but the reunion was full of love, and fluent with
Latin-American Power, in all senses.
To have Gary Sealey and Rita Dessauvage with us was a great
experience and an honour. The few days and words Gary shared with
us were thought-provoking and moving, moving toward a true
PEACE.
The fire of an Aztec ceremony made us feel our energy. The
powerful sense of a hug or a tear meant we didnt need words to
express what we felt [we] will be working for peace, with all our
energy, with all our hearts.
I danced with Mafe (Brazil), worked with Martin (Canada), kept
the... secret of the birthday celebra-tion of Francesca (Italy),
changed clothes with Mausi (Argentina), laughed with Jorge
(Argentina), shared with Reut (Israel), felt moved with the energy
and affection of Chufeni, who I admire profoundly. I felt honoured
to meet Rita (our Godmother, from Belgium) and Gary. I also adopted
a son!! (Yelbi, from Costa Rica).
I felt important. I felt truly loved.I want to say THANKS to my
Mexican team, to
Gary, to Rita, to my old and new friends, to each one who made
this Conference possible. I made new friends, worked for and
learned more from SERVAS. I have decided to participate more
ac-tively, and I am doing it right now.
We built a real brotherhood in this meeting. THANKS SERVAS, for
giving me so much.
TO TOUCH AND BE TOUCHED(5TH INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SERVAS
CONFERENCE REPORT, XOCHICALCO, MEXICO, 2010)
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10 Servas International News
2011 2011
SYLE SLESYLE:
A Personal Look at SYLE 2009By Dvir Ribovsky, Servas Youth,
Israel
June 2009 I flew to Panama to be a part of a SYLE. It was quite
spontaneous, but so is most of my life.I assume that if it wasnt
for SERVAS it would have taken me a few
more year to see Panama and I dont know if I would have ever in
my life experienced any of the things I did during this trip.
When I first landed I wasnt nervous at all because I had someone
waiting for me at the airport: Lizbeth Gonzales the SERVAS youth
coordinator, the person who made it all happen.
Although we had a small language barrier we managed to
com-municate and even at that night she taught me a little
Spanish.
For the next week I was in Panama City with her and then with
the Tovar family, both showed me the city and formed a base for
me.
I really didnt know what to expect but I dont think I could have
asked for a better first week. At first, when I moved from place to
place, I worried: Will they be nice? Will I feel comfortable? Will
I be able to learn Spanish and how? But every family I met answered
all of my questions with one big YES !
After a wonderful first week Lizbeth took me to Santiago my new
home for nearly 3 months.
It was nerve-racking being alone, in a new country, new people
all the time and without a way to communicate I didnt know
Spanish.
I got to Santiago and met Linneth Lopez my host, who was really
nice but she knew no English, it was really problematic at the
beginning.
One day I reached a decision: I am here for a reason and I will
make it happen and so I did. I started asking questions all the
time how do I say this and that and I wrote it in my notebook. I
practiced day and night.
As days passed I felt more comfortable and I started speaking
whatever Spanish I knew. But, I didnt complete what I came to do.
So I asked Linneth if I could stay longer -- she said yes, and I
did.
I was amazed how well all hosts treated me, Linneth in
particular. They opened their homes to me, gave me everything I
needed and
more. They did it with a smile even if it was really hard for
them.The most important thing I felt was that I now had family on
the
other side of the globe and that I am welcome always!
For that I cant begin to express my gratitude.
Thank you all! Thank you for giving me the time of my life,
thank you for showing me that there are nice, good and honest
people around, thank you for welcoming me, thank you for opening
your heart and for making me open mine and mostly, thank you all
for showing me that there is still hope for peace and happiness.
Because if we all do good deeds and get to know one another maybe,
just maybe this world will be a bit better!
SLE: By Alvany Santiago, Brazil
My Servas Language Exchange [SLE], in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
February 03 to 19 under the coordination of Cintia Amor, with the
collaboration of Felix Sanchez.
It was a unique opportunity to meet wonderful people, to get to
know the cul-ture, improve my level of Spanish and even discover
tips for my research.
SLE has the same configuration as Servas Youth Language Exchange
[SYLE], only it is aimed at people over 30 years. It was launched
in 2008, when Cintia Amor did one in Sao Paulo under the
coordination of Roberto Borenstein. This year I [and Pinar, from
Turkey] did one in Buenos Aires. I stayed with five families and
visited a day host.
Cintia Amor, the Servas Buenos Aires coordinator was my first
hostess and Spanish teacher. The classes of Spanish included
shopping, Brazilian cuisine and even a Thailand massage.
My second hostess was Elizabeth Gothelf in Palermo. I was her
first Servas guest. Our classes included a walk around the
neighborhood some delicious vegetarian food, and tango lesson.
Sunday, Feb.7, was my birthday and Cintia organized a barbecue
in the Austria Tennis Club, San Isidro. Despite a storm, 18 Servas
friends attended, and we had three birthday cakes because, during
February, both Cintia Amor (Feb. 16) and Alejandro Kleisner (Feb.
6) also celebrated their birthdays.
I was delighted with such kindness; each person came with food
and a welcome only Servas can provide.
Monday, 08 of February, I went to the home of Felix and we had
an interesting meeting about the human presence on a planet
environmentally sustainable, socially just and spiritually full. We
had a dinner with Cintia, who told me that one of Argentinas
advantages is that it is very close to Brazil. The friendly
interpersonal relations between Brazilians and Argentines made me
feel welcomed and delighted.
Servas Language Exchanges: SYLE [Youth] and SLE
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Summer 2010 11
?
2011 2011
BOTSWANABy Sheldon G. Weeks, NS Botswana,
and African Area Coordinator
History of Servas in BotswanaServas is at least 20 years old
in Botswana. Felix Mulenga and Mmachere Kedibonye Mareka were
among the first members.
Vibeke Matorp from Servas International and Denmark toured
Southern Africa in the early 1990s and had a great influence on
development.
Vibeke Matorp and the Zambia Servas organized an area meeting in
Livingstone in 1997 led by Denis and Margaret Whitehead. Additional
area meetings were held in Blantyre, Malawi in 2003 and again in
Livingstone, Zambia in 2007.
Sheldon Weeks was an initial coordinator and then handed over to
Regina Dambe. Regina was planning the 1st National Workshop in
Kasane in 1999 when she had a stroke. She died in 2001.
Servas Botswana is small with ten hosts in 2004. Membership
hovers around 18 people/families over the last five years.
The First Botswana National Meeting was finally held in February
2005 at Serowe Rhino Camp. A second national meeting was held in
December 2008 at Mokolodi Nature Reserve.
BOTSWANA CONFERENCE, 9-11 April 2010 Some Highlights: History of
Servas , 2009 EGA, future of Servas International, South-North
Links (Twinning with Scandinavia) and progress on imple-menting
them Servas Botswana: History, status, travellers in / travellers
out Review of Servas in Africa and Future of Servas in Africa,
Servas Areas in Africa (past, present and future). Changes taking
place in the world that impact on Servas. Communication Issues Use
of e-mails improving communication with web pages Use of other
networks (FaceBook, BeWelcome, etc) Africa Area Newsletter
Elections / Finances Expectations and realities.
Africa Meeting in August 2011 Now we are planning for Servas
Africa Meetings in
Kampala, Uganda: 15-22 August 2011 [combining World Youth and
National Secretaries from Southern Africa, plus guests]. For info
email: [email protected].
GREECEGreece (and Cyprus)
needs new members! If your country has a Greek populat ion in
Servas, please ask them to contact their relatives and friends IN
Greece and Cyprus and recommend their joining Servas.
Greeks seem to be leery of hosting strangers and the only way to
get in is through friends and family members. Too many of our
current members are ex-patriots, so if your Greek members could
help spread the word it would be greatly appreciated. Servas Greece
wants Servas to grow and grow, especially with Greeks!
Terry Stone, Secretary Greece and Cyprus
Around the World
Are You
Greek?
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12 Servas International News
Servas Cameroon: the new kid on the blockDr. Rolande R. Hodel,
24 Jan. 2010
Coordinator Etienne Franis Maemble, a member since 2003, has
successfully raised our number to 14 members and is currently
registering the group with the Cameroonian government. He is a
francophone with some ability to communicate with written English.
E-mail him at: [email protected]
Cameroon is a beautiful country on the west coast of Africa.
Etienne lives in the capital Yaounde. He is a good networker,
something not so common in Africa.
Cameroon is high on the World Banks list of corrupt countries;
poverty becomes obvious as soon as one travels into rural ar-eas.
Here there is a long list of how to extort, borrow and steal
money.
As president and founder of AIDSfreeAFRICA, I have 4 years of
experience in this country. Anyone consider-ing traveling to
Cameroon, please consult our web site: www.AIDSfreeAFRICA.org and
www.AIDSfreeAFRICA.blogspot.com and feel free to call me.
I will do my best to try to save you disasters otherwise
unavoidable. Having said that, I love Cameroonians and the country
and their traditions. There is so much to see and experi-ence, with
some safety rules to follow it will change your life.
I also would like it if you contact me since we always look for
unused luggage capacity to move medical supplies and other items
otherwise too expensive to ship there.
It is our mission to help Africans to build factories and
produce drugs in Africa. I just returned [July 2010] from my sixth
success-ful trip.
Dr. Ro lande R. Hodel , Ph.D. RRHYodel@aol .com 1-914-923-2073
USA/EST. http://www.AIDSfreeAFRICA.org.
Liberia:2010: a new National group
by Marvin Garbeh Davis January 05, 2010, I conducted a
meeting
of persons interested in starting a branch of Servas in Liberia.
The meeting brought together people whom I had contacted earlier
about starting the organization due to my recent visit to the
United States.
While some of these contacts have been informal, this meeting
was the first formal one to discuss establishing Servas. At the
meeting, at my home, I was elected National Secretary of Servas
Liberia.
Participants were informed about Servas. The meaning of being a
host or traveler was then explained and discussed.
Ten individuals signed up as hosts to begin Servas Liberia. All
our members live in Monrovia the capital of Liberia except for Mr.
Alex Tartoe who lives in Buchanan City, the second largest city in
Liberia.
Servas Liberia welcomes YouFor a traveler to visit Liberia, it
is important
that the National Secretary be contacted first so as to initiate
the measures necessary for the traveler to be placed with the right
host. It was agreed upon in our meeting that the National Secretary
will coordinate such arrangements.
Marvin Garbeh Davis lives with two chil-dren: Mardell Joy 10,
Mily Garnayee 3
Facilities include: Two Bathrooms, TV, DVD/CD. We get
electricity from a genera-tor that is run on fuel/gasoline.
Generator runs for 6 hours every day mainly from 7 pm at night. No
AC, standing fans, No running water, we get water from a hand pump
which is chlorinated regularly. There is a laptop to check
email.
Phone: +231-6-432655E: [email protected].
-
Summer 2010 13
Whats up in MALAWI (May 2010)
By Demelza Gordon Benbow, Servas MalawiAlthough World
Cup Fever is whizzing around us nearby, little has changed in
our country of 14 million.
The Char Char Trust (a charitable group focused on literacy and
to which Servas Malawi is linked) has a group coming out to Malawi
in July, which will be involved with the building of a school in a
semi-rural area, which we are supporting.
Our Namasimba community daycare centre link still thrives and is
providing great care to HIV orphans and local children. It is an
interesting encounter for any of our visiting travelers. Our next
meeting is due in mid-May and we have a lot of new members joining
which is exciting fresh blood!
We sponsored, watered and fed a Servas Malawi linked
organization AYISE. They formed a youth volleyball team that came
4th out of 16 teams and got free t-shirts for their efforts
YEH!
The Three Peaks Walk an annual Blantye-based event is due in
June and several Servas Malawi members will try to complete the 36
km fast paced walk across three of the mountains that surround
Blantyre city in southern Malawi (Gordon Benbow a member host of 10
years leads it every year). It's going to be a challenge: starting
at 5am and ending at 6 pm; seriously tiring.
This year also a small number of Servas members are attempting
the Sapitwa sleepover a June event which seeks to be on the top of
Sapitwa mountain as the sun rises (but its a very, very cold
wait!).
Malawi is planning to host a 2011 Servas Youth meeting. New
T-shirts have been printed and a lovely hand-made textile Servas
Malawi banner made which will be great to advertise ourselves at
public and international events.
Servas Malawi reminds all that we warmly welcome travelers get
yourself here and let us help you with the rest! Peace and
smiles.
GIVE A WEEK, SAVE A LIFEI cant see, I am blind now. I have had
toothache for over 1 year. His tummy is sticking out more and more.
These are three patients complaints told at
the Sri Sathya Sai Medical camp held at Mulanje Mission hospital
over five days in May this year. A camp which treated the first
patient with a cataract operation (he had not been able to see for
almost 4 years), the second with a teeth extraction and heavy
antibiotic treatment, and the third with an emergency hernia repair
which for the 7-year-old meant he could now play sports without
crippling pain.
Sri Sathya Sai holds these camps each year in various countries
around the world, depending on the suggestion of its members. The
camps last seven days: from set up, treat-ment, to pack away and
go. Country groups fundraise and collect goods in kind, find money
for their own airfares and search for medically qualified
volunteers/members to help run these incredibly useful camps.
Doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, surgeons,
man-agement-experienced people volunteer their holiday time to take
part in these one-off camps and the local Sri Sathya Sai members
slave away, sorting out the practical logistics.
Three of our Servas Malawi members took part in the medical week
this year. Rita Latif was busy in the kitchens producing and
serving food for all the patients 3,000 a day!!
Ramona Bowler accommodated and brought in local doc-tors to
support the camp.
Demelza Benbow worked in triage and pharmacy. Next time it will
be a membership-encouraged activity a
lot of hands are needed for translation and cooking. As a peace
organization its important we seek ways in which we can get
actively involved in doing-peace activities. This type of medical
camp is definitely in the doing category! Those flying out to a
country often take a 1 week tourist trip together after the
camp.
This is the 4th camp held in Malawi. If youd like more
in-formation/photos about how the 2010 camp was conducted and what
wild things really went on! -- contact Rita Latif via my email:
[email protected]
If you would like to selflessly volunteer (especially if you are
medically trained or retired!) contact me also.
Sri Sathya Sai is a Hindu-based reli-gious group but members of
any religion are welcome to join in during the camps and help the
motto being helping our fellow man.
Demelza Benbow Servas Malawi (who just delivered a 2.4 kg baby
boy while passing the maternity unit en route to lunch).
-
14 Servas International News
INDIA60 Years Celebration, Jan. 18 - 22, 2010
by Prof. Man Chand Khandela, National Spokesperson, Servas
India
73 delegates (34 from 19 countries and 39 from Servas India)
greatly enjoyed the 60th SERVAS Anniversary. The conference was
organized at Goa, a wonderland for tourists, under the leadership
of renowned Gandhian, respected Shri Lavanam ji, the Chairman of
SERVAS India.
At Peaceful Society, a tranquil venue, participants exchanged
views, learning about each others culture, lifestyle and social and
political environments. We also discussed peace, harmony and
non-violence, food habits and emotions.
Most foreign delegates came without a conference visa and were
not allowed to take part in any conference according to Indian law.
Dr. Ramesh Sharma, National Secretary and Sushama, the coordinator
of the program made every effort to resolve the problem. Dr. Sharma
managed to get a No Objection from local police officials so
ultimately they had to reorganize the program to permit the
get-together.
There were lectures, reaction ses-sions, games based on the
theme of harmony and understanding, yoga, med i ta t ion , danc ing
, s ing ing e tc . The vegetarian food was appreciated by all. Mr.
Pawas Dubey, a host, travelled 1500 km with 5 special cooks at
great personal ex-pense to prepare food for the delegates.
Unfortunately part of this celebration was marred by the biased
behavior of a small group who made complaints but did not suggest
any practical solution. Against the spirit of Peace these persons
publicly ap-preciated everything yet tried to exaggerate things
negatively in writing.
The celebration was successful, orga-nized nicely and gave a
good message of peace, harmony, mutual understanding and
non-violence
We appreciate the efforts of Dr. Ramesh Sharma and hope in
future that all will think and act positively to enhance the
goodwill of SERVAS.
PAKISTAN Executive Unanimously Re-elected
by Muhammad Amjad, Secretary InformationOn 28th of February
2010, a Servas Pakistan meeting and
election were held at the residence of Dr. Riaz Ahmad (a senior
Servas member).
The main attraction of the meeting was the election
result.Although the election date was announced on 25th
December
2009, and a schedule, nomination forms and procedure were sent
to everyone, all the Servas members expressed their satisfaction
with the former Servas Pakistan National Secretary Mr. Muhammad
Naseem and his executive body. They unanimously decided the
executive would remain unchanged for the next three years.
Mr. Muhammad Naseem, the founder and President of Servas
Pakistan, announced Mr. Muhammad Shoaib Khan as a new unop-posed
elected National Secretary. Mr. Muhammad Shoaib Khan is very
competent, qualified, well versed with the management process and
has a dynamic personality. There were many other unopposed elected
executive body members also.
Members shared travel experiences and many amendments to the
rules were also made.
Mr. Muhammad Shoaib Khan (newly elected National Secretary)
announced many strict decisions which will make Servas Pakistan
exemplary in future. He focused on the devotion and dedication of
all Servas members for the betterment of Peace.
A former member of Servas Pakistan Mr. Tanveer Ahmad was
terminated due to misconduct.
The recently elected Servas Pakistan executive body and all the
members paid a rich tribute to the great leadership of Mr.
Muham-mad Naseem who, throughout his career, has been unmatched in
uplifting the image of Pakistan internationally.
He conveyed a noble message to all the members of Servas
Pakistan to have solidarity of determination and integrity to make
the Servas tree greener in the future.
Please watch the Servas Pakistan meeting video at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/naseemservas.
-
Summer 2010 15
AUSTRALIAAUSTRALIAN 60TH BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATIONSBy Di Burch,
Victorian Host Coordinator Australian hosts could not let the
60th birthday
of Servas go without a party to celebrate this great
organisation.
Servas Australian had just been incorporated and needed an
Annual General Meeting to comply with the incorporation rules.
Being able to hold this meeting at a birthday celebration was a
wonderful way to make sure lots of hosts attended.
The beautiful coastal town of Portland 360 km south of Melbourne
was chosen as the venue. Hosts trav-elled from all states of
Australia and we were thrilled to have members from the U.K.,
Malaysia and New Zealand join us. Ages ranged from 17 months to 84
years of age.
Our celebrations were officially opened by an el-der of the
local Gunditjamara people and a birthday cake cut by our President
Lindsay Chambers and our overseas guests.
Hosts enjoyed a variety of activities from sightsee-ing, hiking,
canoeing on the river, riding the cable tram and visiting the local
Aboriginal fish traps.
Of course the best part of the week was the won-derful
friendships that were made and the networking taking place since
this gathering.
A huge thrill was the arrival of a Servas family from Austria
who were travelling around Australia for a year.
Servas is a wonderful organisation and all who attended the 60th
Birthday Party in Australia felt truly blessed to be part of this
world wide family.
NEW ZEALANDServas Spirit
RE-IGNITED By Marijke Batenburg,
National Secretary, Servas New ZealandOn 5 - 7 March, 2010,
Servas New Zealand celebrated the 60th an-niversary of Servas.
The weekend gathering was attended by about 40 of the 400 members
in New Zealand.
It was opened by the Mayor of Waitakere City, Bob Harvey, who
was recently elected as Inter-national Vice President of Mayors for
Peace. He offered a personal account of how he incorporated United
Nations Declaration into the Council proceed-ings and how he
arrived at getting the Council to agree to fly the Peace flag
beside the citys flag.
His leadership in this and belief that the values of respectful
communication and acknowledging diversity can be applied at a local
level, aligned well with the values of Servas. We applauded him for
his twenty years of commitment to this way of leadership.
The weekend continued with sharing, working groups and a
celebration dinner. The dinner hosts had creatively used National
Geographic maps as tablecloths which gave a real global theme to
the evening.
A special cake was made and cut by one of our older active
members, 90-year-old Joyce Irving.
Music and songs were offered by participants after the meal. A
cello piece composed in memory of the destruction of Warsaw, was
played by Kath-erine Hebley. A wonderful poem was offered by the
great niece of the founder of Servas in New Zealand Yvonne
Brown.
In the 40 years Servas has been active in New Zealand, there
have been many regional gatherings. However this was the first
national gathering for some time and while the turnout was smaller
than hoped, the fire of enthusiasm for Servas was re-ignited.
-
16 Servas International News
North America REGISTER FOR TRI-NATIONAL [USA, Mexico and
Canada] CONFERENCE, 1-3 OCT. 2010by Dianne Shiner for the
Conference Planning CommitteePicture sandy Pacific beaches, miles
of trails, wildlife, conversation
in Victorian parlors, and delicious sustainable meals...then you
have a perfect setting for the 2010 Tri-National Meeting and
Conference! Ironically, SERVAS peace-builders from Canada, Mexico,
and the U.S. will meet at Fort Worden, guarding Puget Sound.
Near the charming town of Port Townsend, Washington, USA, all
accommodations, including camping and a youth hostel, are located
on the beautiful state park grounds with unparalleled views of the
Cascade Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. More infor-mation
and maps can be found at: www.parks.wa.gov/fortworden. Register
early to secure a room in handsome Victorian homes that were once
the officers quarters. For the first time, it is possible to
register and pay online.
Travel: Making a Difference! is the conference theme to be
developed in particular regard to service, youth, and the
environment, by several outstanding presenters, including keynoters
U.S. Gene Openshaw (Europe Through the Back Door), Canadian Brock
Tully (World Kindness), and Mexican Fabian Trejo (National
Secretary). For more program and registration information, check
the website: www.usservas.org/conference2010/. The Conference opens
at 3 pm on Friday and ends on Sunday at 1 pm. Full conference
reg-istrants will receive a free copy of Rick Steves latest book:
Travel as a Political Act, for as long as they last.
Port Townsend is approximately 2 1/2 hours from the Seattle
airport, including a lovely ferry ride. A shuttle runs twice a day:
www.olympicbuslines.com. Washington hosts will do their best to
assist participants before and after the conference if requested on
the registration form by September 1. Some scholarships are also
available, and the Planning Committee is very pleased to offer a
great program in a gorgeous setting.....for the SAME prices as last
year.....thanks to many generous SERVAS volunteers! For
informa-tion not found on the website, please contact:
[email protected]. We hope to see you there.
South America3 Servas Meetings
at one time !An amazing opportunity to attend: Servas South
American Meeting Servas Youth Event, and Servas Brazils National
Confer-
ence.Where: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil When: October 20-24,
2010Feel the power of face-to-face in-
teractions with fellow members. Take a vital chance to improve
the Servas network and reach out for peace.
As soon as we met, key members Jaime and Alvany and I got along.
We share the same Servas spirit and life perspectives. Now Jaime is
the brand new South America Area Coordinator and Alvany is the NS
of Servas Brazil. We are very lucky to have them on board.
A regional South American youth event was an idea presented many
years ago and now, thanks to the support of these two wonderful
Servas leaders, it will happen.
In the beauty of the Brazilian north coast, Salvador da Bahia,
well be cel-ebrating THREE events at once. See you in
October!!!
CONTACT: [email protected] / [email protected].
-
Summer 2010 17
Italyby Anna Cristina Siragusa, Newsletter Editor,
Vice-President of Servas Italy and Beatrice Boccardi, Website
Coordinator,
Secretary of Servas Italy
Servas Italy opens up internationallyThis is the first time
Servas Italy engages in the
translation of a few articles from its newsletter, to contribute
to a better knowledge of Servas inter-nationally.
Did you know that Italy is the country with the high-est number
of members? We are almost 2,000 and for a quarter of a century we
have had a Newsletter about the events that make our association
lively. We post it to our members, crammed with news about national
and international events and stories by our travellers; it is a
four-monthly publication and you can also read it online at
www.servas.it.
Since January 2010 the website of Servas Italy has been based on
TikiWiki, which makes it pos-sible for all members to interact
through the site, and for the publication of the calendar of
events, useful also for the travellers in Italy to know and join in
regional activities.
Aldo Capitini , an historical figure of Italian Pacifism
The reflection of Servas 60th birthday has pushed us to know the
biography and thoughts of those Italians who devoted their lives to
peace, merging thought and action in a consistent way. It is hard
to imitate such examples of life; masters such as: Aldo Capitini,
Danilo Dolci, Lanza del Vasto
Last April in our National meeting at Assisi we had two lectures
on the figure of Aldo Capitini (Pe-rugia, 1899 - 1968). A
philosopher, politician and educator, Capitini was the first in our
country to catch and theorize the Gandhian doctrine in the 1930s,
to the point that he was called the Italian Gandhi. It is not easy
to sum up his work here, so we will simply remind you that in 1961
he organized the first Peace March and Brotherhood among Peoples, a
non-violent march, world-famous today and known in Italy as the
Peace March from Perugia to Assisi, held every year in spring.
Fifty years ago, Aldo Capi-tini created the rainbow-coloured peace
flag still in use today. Those travelling in Italy have probably
noticed this symbol waving from the balconies: here is one in
Venezia [Venice].
Aldo Capitini said: The true lover of non-violence does not wait
for the others to start following it, before he starts himself:
just like those who are in love do not wait until the others fall
in love.
Capitinis ideas live on in Servas Italy and give many occasions
for reflection. Through the future diffusion of the proceedings of
our meetings and study materials, we want to spread a peace rainbow
to the whole world!
The Servas Italian logo at a regional meeting in Lombardia.
The Peace flag in Venezia [Venice].
-
18 Servas International News
Friends Close to Homeby Michael Johnson, former Nat Sec, Servas
Canada
"We don't get enough visitors." This is the most common
complaint in much of the Servas
world. But it can be easily solved and you'll have a great time
doing it, believe me. The answer: TRAVEL NEARBY.
My wife Dafi [former Nat Sec, Servas Israel] and I have made a
lot of friends in Canada and USA by visiting and invit-ing hosts
nearby: e.g. Louise and David, Canada, above.
In Canada all you need to do is phone a host and point yourself
out in the host list. No papers or payment.
Another way to have more Servas visits is to stay in touch with
past Servas friends.
The mother of this Danish family [right] has been a friend for
over 20 years and visited us this July.
Blanca from Guatemala [be-low], whom I know from past GAs, came
this winter.
Stay in touch!
Travel Tales
Georgia and ArmeniaMay 2010
By M.E. Chatwin, Servas Rep. from Tbilisi, Georgia
Meeting Charlotte is like encountering a bub-bling fountain of
facts and energy, and we quickly feel that much of her enthusiasm
flows from the many cultures she has encountered. Sometimes she met
people on the road; some were guests in her Pennsylvania home,
bringing with them their wonder of discovery. Servas seems a
perfect fit for Charlotte. She was first attracted by travel, but
Discovery and Peace are key words for Servas.
Charlotte has hosted visitors for 20 years, and visited some of
her guests in their homes, in FIVE continents.
She served in the Marine Corps during WWII. For Servas she has
been a traveler, host, inter-viewer and coordinator. In 1994, she
distributed in-formation to potential members in Kazakhstan.
Charlotte says of Servas You meet people who remain life-long
friends, learn about the daily lives of people living on the other
side of the planet and even next door! As a hostess Charlotte
frequently takes visitors to social local parties, club meetings
and festivals. As a Servas traveller, she has seen many
off-the-beaten-path sights and taken part in cultural activities
that most tourists would miss. One odd example: a woman in Krakow,
Poland asks guests to take off their shoes and use pieces of
carpeting to polish her wooden floors! Charlotte enjoys the gifts
of cultural diversity.
Charlotte Melville, USA, in the orange shirt on right and Mary
Ellen Chatwin, the new Servas rep from
Georgia, is on the left in red.
-
Summer 2010 19
Friends Close to Home continued . . .We visited these Servas
members in 2009, all within
a day's drive of our home. From above, clockwise: James and
Claudia, who live in Brazil, during their
stay in Detroit. Claudia is a past Exco member. Chicago hosts
took us to a huge outdoor cin-
ema downtown and gave us free passes to see the famous "American
Gothic" at the Chicago Art Institute.
In our host's pool near Chicago.
Michigan hosts took us d in ing on their sailboat. Another
preferred l a k e k a y a k i n g . And a 75-year-old member took
us flying in his home-made plane.