BinghamBasham584
Peace Begins in the home - Hospitality Organizations
Welcoming a stranger into the home is an act of peace.
The Peace Movement wears many faces and manifests in a myriad of forms. Many of us have demonstrated repeatedly, written letters to and lobbied government representatives, signed petitions, participated in boycotts and responsible purchasing, flown peace flags and displayed peace symbols, along with measures of nonviolent resistance. Artists and musicians are creating and shared their work for peace. Many folks happen to be arrested, become victims of violence, and even given their lives toward this goal. Nonetheless there exists a world with wars and related atrocities in many regions, subversive measures and terrorist acts. There exists more grounds for a pacifist movement than before.
In direct solution to World War II, a financial institution called Servas was formed in 1949 on pacifist principles, their motto "With Every True Friendship, We Build the cornerstone for global Peace." The premise was simple: once we fully familiarize the "other", the dichotomy of "us - them" actually starts to stop working so we can no longer distance ourselves from and villainize strangers or members of other cultures, countries, religions; war is a lot more unlikely while we are personally knowledgeable about our supposed or potential enemy. This is often built on sound psychological principles, additionally, the program continues to be in existence today. It is often recognized by the Un as being an accredited NGO with a peace-keeping mission possesses been involved in numerous international projects. At its core, however, it's an hospitality organization which has a system of members opening their properties to many other members who will be traveling, housing and providing them with food for someone to 48 hours, guests sharing in the daily activities of the host in order to higher are aware of the culture of this particular region.
Other hospitality groups have arisen using the advent of the world wide web, first "Hospitality Club" as well as "CouchSurfing" now a wide range of others. The premise of each online hospitality group ranges from free (systematically reciprocal) accommodation to international friendships, English language practice, electronic 'penpals', local travelers' clubs, as well as for some, pacifist principles across the lines of Servas.
The backdrop in social activism of those in online groups is less prevalent or apparent than those in Servas. Nevertheless, the psychological and philosophical premises are universal. Whether other hospitality groups attempt to implement it purpose is of little consequence because the principle remains true even so. Thus, this concept of housing and feeding strangers, an age-old concept built in the hospitality codes of many a culture across the world and today revisited in new form, is often a grassroots pacifist movement on a global scale.
World peace may still be throughout our reach...one couch at one time.
Reference keep going.
