The Wisdom Web operationalizes the intercultural art of living.
Around its core of reciprocity are transcultural values like empathy for inclusion and the beauty of being different.
On the Wisdom Web, wisdom from all corners of the world is collected and presented in a special symbolic way.
By collecting and arranging the artistic, handcrafted, philosophical, spiritual, narrative, and symbolic contributions from all over the world — via the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living — they are organized as expressions of wisdom, developing the Intercultural Art of Living.
In doing so, the QfWf wants to contribute to intercultural connections based on the realization that these:
grow through awareness of the historical roots of cultures,
thrive on interest in other cultures and wisdom traditions and
bear fruit through encounters and cross-cultural perspectives.
The Wisdom Web continues to grow organically, with a rich palette of philosophical, artistic and spiritual expression and reflections, which concretize the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living.
This is accomplished thanks to the input of various QfWf-authors[1]
update 2026-08
[1] QfWf authors are authors, actors, artists, designers, drafters, photographers, illustrators, video and film makers and other producers of text, images, sound, and stakeholders who make the texts and other materials available to a QfWf-site have made.
“It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us — onze diepste angst is dat we buitenmatig krachtig zijn. Het is ons licht niet onze duisternis die ons het meest bang maakt…” — Marianne Williamson in: A Return to Love.
“Let freedom reign. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement!” — Nelson Mandela, 1994.
Leidschendammer Lounge Meeting
Each year the Quest for Wisdom organizes Seasonal Meetings in Circles to cocreate inter-cultural perspectives on themes of social relevance. The materials will be presented bij the Soul Circle on the Annual Meeting Day and events, like the intercultural 2024 programme. The poems, essays, music and other artistic materials are published on the Golden Ratio website as explorations and expressions of the QfWf-World Dream. In 2024 the theme “Global Citizenship” was documented in Amor Mundi and in 2025 Amor Fati, as stepping stones to make the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living work for an inclusive cosmopolitan culture, in which all people may feel at home and in harmony with all living beings:
“Global Citizenship is open communication between people, without being judgemental.
Respectful to each other, acknowledging that however different we are, we can stay connected, and are able to share!”
A world dream emerges when we start dreaming together. By sowing seeds of love in our own circles — instead of going along with reflexes of indifference, aggression and fear — so that a smile elicits laughter, spontaneity is embraced with opening your heart. How valuable are the differences between people to create a meaningful world and to make (working) life more colourful and fascinating — with people developing an eye for (inner) beauty. How beneficial when people are opening up so that the lover between people creates an inclusive society.
World Citizenship – Nour Kayali
A world we dream of is created by dreaming. By not forgetting our ‘childishly naive’ way to be open and confident. And let us not forget that the most beautiful things are born from our hopes and dreams. The most beautiful dreams and positive emotions empower ourselves both as individuals and communities, by an ethos that reaches to the stars and can change the world – these dreams begin with powerful dreamers like Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King. Like John Lennon singing “I’m a dreamer and I’m not the only one…”. Let’s start dreaming together about a world where each can find shelter and people around to feel at home, by starting with small actions in our own circles, so that our world-dream-power comes alive. With small steps that are big and loving deeds that are contagious. Weaving threads of soft skills that connects us as global citizens and living beings on Mother Earth, flowing with the stream of life….
In 2026 we have cancelled the expensive Mollie-service. As a consequence the Donation button does not work anymore. So please, donate via a bank transfer:
bankrekening IBAN: NL14TRIO0777827654
The reason for cancellation is that the monthly costs of this service are too high for our limited budget.
5: The QfWf Policy plan: the intercultural art of living
The QfWf policy is planned in detailed multi-year plans, as documented in point 9: Beleidsplan-QfWf-2024-2026
Objectives and Policy Plans stem from the QfWf Mission and Vision:
The Quest for wisdom was founded on the 20th of September 2016 by Dr. Heidi S.C.A. Muijen with the mission of fostering a culture of openness towards inclusion and cultural diversity. This objective of the foundation according to the statuten calls for an intercultural art of living as response(ablility), given the fear of ‘the strange other’ in order to develop inter-cultural connections as ‘multicultural society’ by means of:
historical awareness of the (inter)cultural roots of wisdom traditions;
interest in other cultures and wisdom traditions and
engaging in inter-esse by living encouters and cross-pollination between cultures
To this end, the QfWf-programmes are cocreated by paying attention to the cultural-historical contexts of the collected stories, rituals and symbolism from wisdom traditions from North and South, East and West on the one hand; on the other hand, by highlighting transcultural values, like hospitality, empathy and humanity through music, visual arts and other intercultural expressions, that help to transform the globalizing society.
Being able to deal well with differences is a pressing as well as delicate issue of late modern times; a social question that sparks intolerant opinions and heated political and religious debates. To stay away from polarizing discussions, the QfWf focusses on inter-cultural connections, following a path of ‘glocalization’ ― a combined perspective of ‘the local’ with ‘the global’. In this way, the QfWf aims to contribute to a cosmopolitan mindset in growing Circles of Concern (Martha Nussbaum). This integrative approach was discussed by the late emeritus professor Couwenberg on the Wisdomweb.
Dealing with differences: World Citizenship!
The QfWf activities continue to take place together with a growing circle of stakeholders, who share the mission of the foundation – as visualized and expressed in the ‘Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living’.
Therefore, the QfWf focusses on creating awareness of who ‘we’ are as citizens of the cosmopolis: nomads with intercultural identities, transcending differences in culture, race, religion, ethnicity, gender,…
Diagram with the 17 sustainable development goals
The QfWf-goal of world citizenship follows a path of developing inter-cultural artistic programmes both by tapping into the cultural and historical contexts of stories, art, music, rituals, and symbolism from various wisdom traditions, as well as creating in-between spaces through living encounters with music, visual arts, and dialogue, expressing values that connect cultures — like mercy, empathy, and humanity — to foster an ethos of world citizenship in the dynamic field of a globalizing society.
By stimulating the recognition of the beauty of our differences and shared commonality, instead of a fear of ‘otherness’, through artistic and (inter-)cultural expressions, the QfWf seeks to create space both in-between people for a human world (Hannah Arendt) and establish meaningful connections between cultures!
Hospitality, respect and inclusion and other shared values of humanity are what truly connect people as sisters and brothers ― opening a common playing field for all, established by the core value of reciprocity! Please, contact us on out vision and mission: bestuur@questforwisdom.org
The members of the board do not receive any remuneration for their work. They are, however, entitled to reimbursement of costs incurred in the performance of their duties, such as, for example, a travel allowance.
Board members cannot dispose of the assets of the institution separately. There is a separate bank account in the name of the QfWf. In addition, an annual financial overview is drawn up by the treasurer of the QfWf. This overview is discussed and adopted during an annual board meeting (at which at least 3 members of the board are present).
9: Report of the Activities Performed
The Quest for Wisdom carries out its activities through the voluntary efforts of a Circle of dedicated artists, writers, and other volunteers. The occasionally awarded grants have given the QfWf-projects a boost.
The grant applied for in 2025 by an alliance of 8 organisations to the municipality of Amsterdam was unfortunately not awarded. However, this application did provide a spin-off for a new collaboration and for exposure, such as participating at the event in Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam on 19 March 2026 during the week celebrating 60 years of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, established by the UN after the Sharpeville massacre of 21 March 1960.
In 2021 as well as in 2024 the QfWf received funding, due to the cultural and social relevance of her activities. The first grant in 2021 was given for developing an intercultural storytelling programme during the Corona lockdown which was presented on a specially designed website Animal Wisdom including an educative offer with a series of ebooks.
The second grant in 2024 on Global Citizenship resulted in organizing several events around a visual exhibition with an intercultural program and the launching of a digital platform for the Golden Ratio Quest around a yearly theme of the intercultural art of living.
Hereby,the QfWf has integrated the three Quest for Wisdom to serve the shared goal of world citizenship: through the Wisdom Web; Quest 2 ― Golden Ratio of Educative Materials; and Quest 3 ― Meet, by means of Annual Meeting Days, Workshops, Masterclasses, Newsletter ‘Spinning web’ and the Video channel.
From 2024 onwards the three Quests are integrated focussing on the enhancement of world citizenship by developing every year an intercultural artistic and educative programme which is presented on the Yearly Meeting Day as well as on the digital platform The Golden Ratio.
Awarding Cultural ANBI-status
Toekenning Culturele ANBI-status
Since its foundation in 2016 the QfWf celebrated on 6 July 2018 that it has been recognized by the Tax Authorities as a Algemeen Nut Beogende Cultural Instelling (cultural ANBI-status) with its objective and activities in retrospect since 1 January 2018.
See below the reports of QfWf-policy for activities in chronological order:
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On the Wisdom Web, wisdom from all corners of the world is collected and presented in a special symbolic way.
