educative

Space to play — Board Games and Dialogue Tables

Playfulness creates space for establishing meaningful connections between people, which fosters encounters that both entertain, educate and stimulate the participants: by letting go of our compulsion to let norms, codes and protocolles decide for us. This is an escape from our human responsibility and the possibility to cocreate a new interplay: the human condition of natality, as Hannah Arendt calls the new beginning that may arise in in-between spaces…. Feeling free to explore different perspectives together and to agree on appropriate rules for what is at stake, is what makes us human.

The Quest for Wisdom foundation has created the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living, on which the book and game Amor Fati elaborates, enhancing Global Citizenship. Amor Fati is an intercultural redesign of the board game Know your self! The book explains the board game as well as the philosophy of the Wheel of the intercultural art of living. Lecturer Michiel de Ronde says about this book:

“I see your work as a great reassessment, also revaluation, of the pre-modern world orientation. All those profound insights and life-creating practices that were often worshipped or cursed through hierarchical dominance, you present within a depth perspective of an endless horizontal mythic-human field, through which the world can become a home for all beings and people can meet on the basis of dialogue and appreciation.”

With the Quest for Wisdom Soul Circle the Amor Fati game and book have been performed by means of Arts Dialogues in nine gatherings from the summer 2025 till the summer 2026: Read the red thread through these gatherings as Playing Wisdom with Amor Fati Arts Dialogues for the Cosmopolis!

NL/EN, 2024, ISBN 978 90 441 3970 9

Also the bilingual Dialogue Tables Four Winds (De Vier Winden) is developed to enhance an open cosmopolitan culture as global citizens — the intercultural enriched version of What is at stake? What is your Quest?

The Adinkra-game consists of a set of cards with Akan symbols and proverbs, ordered according to the wisdom of the five elements earth, water, air, fire and ether — in a way that the Ghanaian elemental wisdom might be compared to European visions on the natural elements. In this way the game invites you to excercise intercultural communication!

There are more World Games and educative materials (to be) developed, in which intercultural perspectives are playfully and dialogically incorporated.

In the Quest for Wisdom-Brochure you will find our up to date offer!

World Games — for the Cosmopolis

Workshops and Masterclasses around the themes of the QfWf-Archive dialogue and play forms are still to be requested, though not for sale anymore as board-game or Dialogue Table:

QfWf-Archive — Mythical-Philosophical Boardgames

Playful Dialogues — the Dis-covering Dialogue Table

Purchase of Educative Materials

One hundred percent of the money raised by the sale of all of the products will be used in realising our upcoming QfWf educational projects, all of which are non-profit and run by volunteers.

Update 2026-08

Space to play — Board Games and Dialogue Tables Read More »

The Quest for Wisdom foundation (QfWf) is founded to stimulate the inter-cultural art of living

“Every culture passes on its wisdom to future generations to grow as a person on an inward journey to the quintessence, that connects all corners of the world. Thereby we flourish as a community, celebrating life in the cosmopolis “

In a tilting world order the QfWf aims to contribute towards a culture of openness and pluriformity by tapping into one’s own and shared historical roots. Using Art Dialogues to revitalize wisdom traditions worldwide and liberate ourselves from groupthink!

The Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living has been created to realize this mission. By the spinning of the Wheel around a yearly theme the three Quests flow together on our platform DeGuldenSnede – to be followed on these websites with QfWf-Programmes:

 
 

Wisdom Web

The Wisdom Web is both an archive and a forum for cultural exchange to promote wisdom connecting people and their cultures, something that our current times call for.

At the Wisdom Web, wisdom from all corners of the world is collected and presented in its own unique and symbolic way through the Wheel of intercultural art of living.

The Wisdom Web was launched in 2017 under the auspices of the Quest for Wisdom Foundation (QfWf).

To the Wisdomweb >

 

The Golden Ratio

Just as the principle of the Golden Ratio guides natural and cultural development — the growth of organisms like shells and plants, as well as beauty in music, poetry, and the visual arts — the QfWf aims to be a catalyst for connecting people with their cultural heritage, in harmony with natural wisdom and intercultural life skills as an expanding circle of global citizens.

The Golden Ratio works with annual themes. In 2026, this is “Intercultural Rituals for Global Citizenship.”

Naar de Gulden Snede >

 

Animal Wisdom 

is an intercultural storytelling programme: narratively and artistically designed animal wisdom from all corners of the world has been collected and presented through the Intercultural Wheel of Animal Wisdom.

Animals in their element ― in fables, art, fairy tales and myths ― inspire an elemental art of living!

The QfWf Animal Wisdom programme aims to collect animal wisdom from various cultures and develop them into engaging educational material. For the purpose of raising ecological as well as intercultural awareness on transcultural connections and symbolism.

To Animal Wisdom >

 

The Quest for Wisdom foundation (QfWf) is founded to stimulate the inter-cultural art of living Read More »

Game for Wisdom

Golden Ratio — Game for Wisdom — Animal Wisdom — Projects — Soul Circle

Turn the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living!

Free as a Bird – Annelie van Steenbergen

The aim of the Game Quest for Wisdom is to review your course in your life (and career) as seen from the perspective of mythological and philosophical wisdom from all corners of the world. You receive a symbol from this story, assigned by the Wheel of the intercultural art of living, as a signpost for your personal quest.

The Game is based on mythical narratives, proverbs and intercultural symbols that encompass visions of happiness to explore your own art of living.

Twenty stories and eighty symbols from all corners of the world are categorized according to the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living. Through reflecting on questions and visualizations of elemental wisdom, players arrive at one of the 20 stories and are assigned to a personal path, that is mirrored in the narrative, assigned by the Wheel. They then choose one of four symbols from the story assinged, as a symbolic signpost for their quest. In total, the game consists of 80 different symbols from wisdom traditions from the East, West, North and South.

How to play the Game for Wisdom

Animals from the woods ― symbol for natural wisdom

The Game for Wisdom invites players to reflect on (their own and others’) views on happiness in life by means of seven questions.

These revolve around themes of the art of living:

  • To which natural element do you feel connected to: earth, water, air, fire or ether?
  • Is your attitude to life oriented towards being proactive or more towards go-with-the-flow?
  • Choose an elemental motto to give direction on your life’s path!
  • Which strong quality is your basis for further development and which other quality do you want to develop more?
  • In which direction are you heading on your path to happiness:
  • See how a narrative envisions your path in this direction, according to the Wheel of the intercultural art of living;
  • Which intercultural symbol from this story, assigned by the Wheel of the intercultural art of living, would you choose as a signpost for your personal quest?
  • Would you like to receive the full story and the symbol by mail in order to tap into the meaning of the symbolic signpost – possibly in a conversation with a Quest for Wisdom Counsellor?
    Please contact us for free: info@questforwisdom.org

Heart, symbol of being open and listening to your own heart

Would you like to reconsider the particular course you’ve taken in your life and your career, as seen from the perspective of inter-cultural mythological and philosophical wisdom? Please, play the game and you receive a symbol from the story, assigned by the Wheel of the intercultural art of living, as a signpost for your personal quest.

The symbolism of the game forms a valuable mirror, which can be further explored through play & dialogue for the development of your art of living individually, as well as of your group of friends or family, and your work or sports team.

Professional use of the Game for Wisdom

Are you interested in using the game in a professional environment yourself? Inquire about possibilities: info@questforwisdom.org

Purchase: Wisdom Shop

Update 2025-02

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Game for Wisdom Read More »

QfWf: Cultural ANBI status

doneer aan de QFWF

The Quest for wisdom foundation (QfWf) has a cultural ANBI status.
What that means according to the ficus is explained here:  Public Benefit Organizations / Culturele ANBI

Donate? Yes, please: thanks!

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.

Donate? Yes, please!

Cultural ANBI-Status Obligations

Below is the (annual) publication obligation on our website

State of affairs: end of 2025

Publication Obligation Regarding the Cultural ANBI status

1-3: Business data QfWf:

4: The QfWf Goals:

Intercultural Art of Living for Inclusion and Transcultural Connections

The objectives of the QfWf are based upon the statutes of the Quest for Wisdom foundation. As founded in 2016 statuten volgens de oprichtingsakte Stichting Quest for Wisdom foundation. 

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 met de 17 duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen door de V.N. op 25 September 2015 aangenomen als deel van de 2030 Agenda
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

6, 7: The Board of the QfWf

8: Remuneration policy for the QfWf Board

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:

Annual Reports of the QfWf

Update 2026-08

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