Servas Peace School | Turkiye | 2025

Rooted in Simplicity, Rich in Connection

Servas Peace School, Turkey. 04-14th July, 2025

“Be the change you wish to see in the world,” said Mahatma Gandhi.
Inspired by this philosophy, we believe that a peaceful, earth-friendly world begins with each of us taking a step—no matter how small. The world today needs fewer words and more action. This is something war-makers have understood for ages. But we believe in a different kind of action—one that builds, connects, and heals.

If you have a great idea, don’t wait for the perfect conditions to begin. Create the conditions yourself.

Since 2009, we have been doing just that through Servas Peace School—an initiative that started in Ekinci, Antakya (Hatay), Turkey. In 2024, it expanded to Uganda and Georgia. Our mission is to build a new world for children and their communities through peace, cultural exchange, and shared living.

The core idea of Servas Peace School is to bring the rich diversity of world cultures to local villages, and to connect local traditions with the global community. By sharing homes and daily life, we create deep and lasting ties between people from different backgrounds. As Bob Luitweiler, founder of Servas (1949), believed: “If we share homes, we will never think of fighting those friends from 'other' countries.”

Who Joined Us This Summer? (July 4–14, 2025)

This summer, we welcomed a group of wonderful volunteers who came to live, work, and share with us:

• Radha, Nila, Surya (USA/India)
• Francisco (Mexico)
• Luigi and Martha (Italy)
• Ana Maria (Colombia)
• Elisabeth (Venezuela/England)
• Alexa (Canada)

Over 15 enthusiastic local young volunteers—many of whom grew up attending the Peace School—actively contributed to and experienced the daily life and events of the Servas Peace School throughout the program. It was clear that this experience has had a good influence on their personal growth, self esteem, feeling better after the devastating earthquake and being encouraged to make bigger dreams in and out of this location.

What Did We Do Together?

During our days at the Servas Peace School, we explored and celebrated:

• Strong friendships and intercultural understanding,
• The spirit of community and cooperation,
• Ecological awareness and environmental responsibility,
• Tree planting on the Servas Peace School campus,
• The beauty of language diversity,
• Traditional street games and toys,
• Outdoor life and the richness of nature,
• Creative expression through art and handcraft,
• World music and musical instruments,
• Folk dances and songs,
• Stories with morals,
• Creating picture of wall of peace, 
• Culinary exchange: dishes from different cultures and the universal value of bread (especially sourdough!)
• The dream of spreading Servas Peace Schools worldwide
• Reflecting on and sharing emotions about the post-earthquake realities of Antakya, while exploring the village, the town, and its beautiful surrounding landscapes (Olive fields, pomegranates, water falls, beaches not far from the sea border with Syria). 

Homestay: The Heart of the Experience

One of the most powerful parts of Servas Peace School is the homestay experience. Volunteers stayed with local host families, many of whom are not members of Servas. These shared living experiences foster spontaneous and deep connections—ones that cannot be scripted or predicted. This is where the real peace-building happens: in kitchens, gardens, and conversations around the dinner table. That's why it is not easy to predict the number of children and adults who have been part of this event. 

Let us continue to take action—together—to create the world we dream of.