Servas in brief

History

Founded in 1949 by Bob Luitweiler and his friends as a peace movement, Servas International is a non-profit, non-governmental, worldwide, cooperative, interracial hospitality association and cultural exchange network bringing people together to build understanding, tolerance, mutual-respect, and world peace. Like other hospitality organizations, it promotes world peace by encouraging individual person-to-person contacts.

Legal status

Servas International has consultative status as a non-governmental organization with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, currently with representation at many of the UN's hubs of activity.

What does Servas means?

Servas means "to serve", in the sense of "serve peace", in the language Esperanto. The organization was originally called Peacebuilders, currently present in over 127 countries with over 16,000 "open doors" and run mostly by volunteers through a network of hosts around the world who are interested in opening their doors to travelers, and through open-minded travelers who want to know the countries they visit from within.

Servas homestay

Travelers and hosts are usually interviewed when they apply to join the organisation according to branch (member country) practice; travelers write a self-introduction on a special form valid one year, that is shown to hosts upon arrival.

Servas homestays provide insight into the political, cultural and social realities that face people of diverse cultures and backgrounds around the world. Both the travellers and the hosts are necessary for this homestay to occur! You can choose to be a traveller, a host or both. As a traveller more than 16,000 homes in over 127 countries around the world are open to you. As a host you can travel without even leaving your own home.

Hosts around the world are waiting to welcome travellers with "Open Doors". Whether you are studying or volunteering abroad, travelling to a country for the first time or returning to a favorite place, Servas homestays can help you understand the places you visit on a deeper level and make lasting friendships. An international Servas traveller shares the host's daily life and activities for three days (two nights), gaining insights unavailable to casual visitors. Through person-to-person contact, Servas travellers build bridges and overcome stereotypes.

Servas hosts offer simple accommodations to approved Servas travellers for visits usually lasting three days (two nights), allowing host and traveller time to begin a genuine exchange. Visits can be extended beyond the two night minimum at the invitation of the host. Hosts are not obligated to accept a traveller but welcome Servas visitors when they have the time, energy and interest to receive guests.

Servas development in Southeast Asia

Due probably to a lack of ability to use internet, and having a conservative basis, Servas has not grown as most similar hospitality organizations born recently like Couchsurfing or Hospitality Club.

Currently, as listed on Servas International's website there are no more than 38 official members in Mekong riparian countries (Thailand: 28, China: 23, Vietnam: 6, Laos: 1, Cambodia: 1, Myanmar: 1). Servas Vietnam is trying to help boost its network growth as they do not really have many young people in staff. And we can even make it better with the involvement of Mekong Riverbank Network.

Who gonna join us as hosts and travellers? Please ask your Servas national leader for application forms or check servas.org to learn more, or using the online form at this link: https://dolphin.servas.org/form/application_form