Pierre Ceresole was born in 1879 into a distinguished Swiss family and passed his student days in Lausanne, Goettengen and Zurich.
In 1910 he resigned his post as a professor of mathematics to travel across the United States, earning his way as a day laborer. From there he journeyed to Hawaii and Japan, where he worked for two years as an engineer.
He returned to Switzerland with his horizon extended by travel, his sympathies deepened by contact with many kinds of people, and his thinking stimulated by the discovery of Emerson’s writings.
Renouncing militarism, he became a conscientious objector, refused to pay his military taxes and to serve in the Swiss army. He turned over his family inheritance to the government because he felt this was the right course for him. Frequent
imprisonments were part of the price he paid for his convictions.
Contact with like-minded pacifists quickened his search for the ‘moral equivalent for war’, resulting in his creation of Service Civil International, with its emphasis upon constructive, voluntary service for peace thru international work camps in devastated and conflict areas. To this positive pacifist program, he devoted most of his energy until his death in 1945.
History of SCI
1920
Pierre Ceresole and Hubert Parris organize and carry out with a small international team reconstruction service in the war devastated village Esnes near Verdun in France.
1924
First international voluntary work camp in
Switzerland to clear rubble after avalanche.
1928
710 volunteers from 28 countries clear the Rhine valley in Liechtenstein after heavy flood.
1931
During the economic crisis in England a work camp was organized to restore self-confidence in distressed mining town. Volunteers with unemployed men build a swimming pool and layout public park.
1934
First service in India: re-building of a village in the earthquake area of Bihar.
1936
First voluntary work camp in Sweden.
1937
Assistance to civilians during the Civil War in Spain.
First work camp in Norway.
1939
IVS/SCI service is recognized in Great Britain as alternative to military service.
1940
Long-term re-forestation service in Britain for Conscientious Objectors. First work camp in the Netherlands at school of Cees Boeke.
1944
Relief work in Palestine, Egypt and Greece.
1945
Relief and reconstruction work by international voluntary work camps in France, Germany, Italy and Netherland. First international meeting of European SCI representatives.
1946
First work camps in Belgium and Czechoslovakia. Setting up of International Coordinating Committee and electing a President and full time Secretary.
1947
First work camp in Austria. Recognition of
Norwegian, Belgium and German branches.
Preparation of International constitution.
1949
Adoption of international constitution at 4th Delegates Meeting.
1950
Significant expansion of work camps and social work in Europe. Again activities in India (work with refugees)
1951
First service in (West) Pakistan.
1957
A well prepared SCI emergency team goes for the first time into action to assist flood-stricken population in the French Alps.
1958
SCI work camps in Israel and Japan. First USA Conscientious Objector allowed to do his alternative service with SCI.
1959
Work with Tibetan refugees and long-term community development service in India. Creation of SCI international development fund. Re-organization of the SCI international secretariat to consist of secretaries for Asia, Europe and an international coordinating secretary.
1960
First work camp in Sri Lanka. Social, educational and work camps activities in Mauritius.
1962
Renews activities in Algeria : reconstruction of a war destroyed village, medical, educational and community development activities in various villages near Tlemcen. First work camps in Ireland and Bangladesh.
1962
Asia Secretary, Devider Das Chopra followed up with the Malaysian Govt to send two volunteers.
1963
The French branch organizes camps for
Conscientious Objectors. The British branch sends long-term volunteers to the Cameroons, Botswana, Swaziland, Malaysia and Thailand.
1965
First work camp in Botswana and the Republic of Korea. French branch sets up permanent centre for orientation and training of leaders and long-term volunteers.
1966
Work camps again in Mauritius. Long term volunteers in Lesotho, Senegal and Nepal. First SCI camps in Thailand and Canada. Appointment of SCI Asian Advisory Council. Acceptance of international 5 year development plan.
1967
First SCI work camp in Nepal. First Asian Regional Training Seminar. An International Africa Committee is appointed.
1970
Creation of an SCI international Commission for the activities of the Action d’Urgence Internationale (International Emergency Team). International work camp at the Spastic Centre Penang.
1971
Work with Bangladesh refugees in India.
1972
Recognition of Bangladesh branch. SCI group registered in Penang/Malaysia.
1974
Flemish section of SCI Belgium (VIA) becomes an SCI group on its own.
1982
Work with Sri-Lankan repatriates in India and Sri Lanka.
1984
Affiliation of Servei Catala de Camps de Treball in Barcelona/Catalonia/Spain as a group of SCI. SCI
Selangor, Federal Territory, is registered in Malaysia.
1985
Work with Afghan refugees in New Delhi, India.
1986
SCI Malaysia received the First Earth Run for
Outstanding Community Service by the Malaysian
Olympic Council and the UNICEF in commemorating 1986 as the International Year of Peace for its Sentul Playcentre .
1986
SCI teams are sent from Europe to Nicaragua to work in agricultural development projects. The International Secretariat moves from Europe to Asia (Bangalore/India).
1987
An international sub-committee of Solidarity, Exchange and Education for Development (SEED) is established at the 52nd ICM in Belfast, Northern Ireland. SCI receives the United Nations Peace Messenger Award.
1989
Penang organize its First Peace Run for the able and disabled runners. Over 1000 participated.
1998
KL branch supported the Spinal Handicap group by organizing it’s first annual Family day. It has become the biggest gathering for the national disables annually.
1998
KIOKU held its first Family day for the disabled members, fully supported by SCI. 5 years on, KIOKU now is able to fully support and organize itself.
2005
2005 Summer U at Madrid : Participant from over 20 countries took part in the very interactive and action orientated 1 week training.
2005
Tsunami support – Distributed food, essential and cash collected to Kedah’s victims, and did gotong royong on beach cleaning with 5000 others in Penang.
2006
First Asian Summer U – ASU organized at Katmandu, Nepal. Network with other like minded and organized 2 days events to commemorate the International Day of Peace in Taiping and KL.
2007
Malindo Unity Swim from Malaysia to Indonesia and back. Relay took 27 hours and 21 minutes to cover the distance of 94 km. Event has been recorded in the Malaysian Book of Records.
2008
Supported the Global Peace Festival which attracted 15000 participants to the Bukit Jalil Stadium.
Great to read about Service Civil International and becoming Life Member here at Bangalore Karnataka State Bangalore