Service Civil International
Service Civil International (SCI) is one of the world's largest international volunteering organisations dedicated to promoting a culture of peace through the organisation and coordination of voluntary projects all over the world. SCI has been organising international voluntary projects since 1920.
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SCI Archives
The historical archives of SCI in the Bibliothèque de la Ville La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland) provides an extensive documentation on international volunteering for peace.
News
Posted by Paolo Maddoni on Sep 12, 2020
I ended my trip to France by bike on 22 August 2020, in the afternoon, at a secluded high-speed railway station in the middle of the Meuse River department, some forty kilometres from Verdun. It was the first all-bike trip in my life, at the age of 58. Alone. No experience, then. Bad, to have too much luggage, too heavy on the bike and on my back. Bad, not to be familiar with mobile devices, internet maps, satellite orientation. Good instead to trust the paper maps. Good especially being able to talk that little bit of French useful to ask for information when I got lost, three times...
Good to find out that I have still have good legs. Good to have good luck with the weather, only a few drops of rain in eight days. Good to have a personal purpose for the trip, beyond just spending holidays. Very good to have reached it!
Posted by Philipp Rodriguez on Dec 27, 2019
In 2020 it will be one hundred years since – on Pierre Ceresole’s initiative – a few volunteers had begun an international service for peace and reconstruction. 100 years of Service Civil International are a reason to celebrate, to look forward but also to look back upon our long history of international voluntary service for peace. This is the purpose of this book on the history of SCI!
Posted by Wilbert Helsloot on Oct 30, 2018
Many people would call us weird or crazy: while it is was beautiful autumn-weather in Switzerland, nine SCI-activists chose to work voluntary inside the archives of SCI, located in the local library of La-Chaux- de-Fonds. Our aim was to do research for the planned publication on occasion of the 100th anniversary of SCI.
Posted by H. Gabathuler on Jul 8, 2018
I recently got approached by a student from England who is writing her Master Thesis on SCI’s past involvement in Southern Africa. She was interested in a brochure by Franco Perna with the title "SCI involvement in Africa" – and luckily enough I found an extra copy of the brochure I could send to England by post instead of scanning all of its content. This inspired me to take a bit a closer look at this booklet, published by the International Secretariat, based in Canterbury in 1983.
Posted by Heinz Gabathuler on May 21, 2018
"33 years SCI, 10 jaar VIA" says the cover of "het JUBELboekje!", drawn in black and blue and, at least to my taste which is around half a generation younger than the one of its makers, making a rather depressing and not at all jubilating impression. VIA, the Dutch branch of SCI, indeed has been founded in 1969 – but what is meant by "33 years SCI", as everyone nowadays thinks that SCI exists since at least 1920? Indeed, SCI as we know it, an international organisation consisting of national and regional branches, exists since the end of World War II – one could take 1945 (first International Delegates Meeting) or 1949, first International Constitution as the starting date of SCI. Why the "Jubelboekje" editors chose 1946 is not explained anywhere, and I guess it was just because 33 was seen as a catchy number.