“Every person longs for the good life and every culture passes on its wisdom to future generations to grow as a person on an inward journey 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. Can we learn to be global citizens by revitalizing wisdom traditions worldwide and liberating ourselves from groupthink?
Developing intercultural programmes according to the Golden Ratio principle of natural and (inter)cultural growth. Since 2024 the QfWf-platform Golden Ratio is dedicated to initiatives of Global Citizenship around a yearly theme with intercultural and artistic forms, play and dialogue: Golden Ratio Collection (e)books and Animal Wisdom storytelling.
Cultures from all over the world have symbols of natural wisdom and beauty, such as the Golden Ratio. This ancient wisdom is passed on through proverbs — for example, with a cultural expression of the Golden Rule: “What you would not want done to you, do not do so to another”, as well as in (animal) stories with a moral from the story: such as how to become as clever as the fox, the crow, the spider and the …. Also, in seasonal rituals for harvest and the solstices with light festivals in which the passage through the four seasons is celebrated in culturally diverse forms. The Quest for Wisdom seeks to gather ancient symbolic wisdom from cultural traditions from all corners of the world in order to cocreatively develop:
contemporary artistic forms as an intercultural language for the benefit of diversity and inclusion
transcultural practices for global citizenship
The artistic educational materials
By focussing on uniting principles like the Golden Ratio and the Golden Rule in culturally diverse materials, the facilitation of personal growth and community building is highlighted and transformed from the collected ancient wisdom in intercultural and (post)modern ways (Quest 1) by developing and presenting these in artistic and educational forms on the Encounter Days, through workshops and on the QfWf video channel (Quest 3) — on a collaborative Quest for Wisdom in order to:
to give a platform for the wisdom from different cultures and traditions
to enhance intercultural communication and interaction
to develop unifying transcultural practices by means of the arts and philosophies
The Golden Ratio as Quest 2 consists of an artistically designed and culturally diverse palette of materials that are grouped around particular themes; such as the wisdom taught through play, proverbs, myths and animal stories. The QfWf has developed, thanks to the collected wisdom as Quest 1 and subsidies for projects, two series of (e)books: the Animal Wisdom Collection and the Wisdom Collection. Since 2024, the three Quests are flowing together on The Golden Ratio, a digital platform dedicated to the personal and collective art of living in the cosmopolis. The QfWf hopes to realize an Intercultural Meeting House as expression of Global Citizenship as a promising future project.
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.
Platform for the QfWf yearly theme — Global Citizenship
QfWf-event on Global Citizenship
The QfWf has launched the digital platform De Gulden Snede in 2024 in order to present the development of the — by the Cultural Participation Funding honoured — project “Global Citizenship of the streat”: through different artistic media and channels the QfWf develops a yearly intercultural programme on a social relevant theme. In 2024 the QfWf-projectgroep created an artistic programme, to give voice to intercultural perspectives and an harmonizing view against the hardening migration policies by contrasting their own positive experiences of intercultural encounters. This was done in words, images and music, expressing the central idea and value of inclusion, embodied in a ceramic sculpture: the Rainbow Bird of Paradise with the Cosmic Egg.
Quo vadis: Becoming who you are
Hey you, being on two feet, wandering around the world … Dazedly dividing Mother Earth into mine and thine: Is this commandment of possession mayby theft and the greatest venom by which you have to prove with a document to be a human ‘citizen’ in order not to be treated as undocumented stranger and pariah?
Beyond the boundaries of the nation-state lies the cosmopolis: there, all beings-with-a-heart-that-can-bleed are welcomed and are asked for their names and stories, sitting around the fire with connecting scents, transcultural spices and honey wine in colourful company, where you as stranger and ‘other’ are welcomed.
World citizen where are you? As a fugitive from inner affairs in danger of losing the most precious thing, that is covered by status and power You split the world into friends and enemies, us and them, and your heart becomes hard – yet you feel a nomadic yearning for paradise with melancholy and sorrow.
Angela Gilds draagt voor in OBA Reigersbos
The 2025-theme is “Practices of Global Citizenship“, in which artists, philosophers and professionals highlight their practices and visions as global citizens through artistic expressions, blogs, podcasts and videos. The launching of the programme took place on Saturday afternoon, the 25th of January 2025, at the Amsterdam Public Library Reigersbos. With the reopening of the Amor Mundi travelling exhibition of artistic expressions on Global Citizenship, as well as the book presentation of Amor Fati! The QfWf-Soul Circle celebrated global citizenship with many stakeholders from the circles around the Quest for Wisdom foundation, together with visitors of the library: in presenting the QfWf-book with Playing Wisdom for the Cosmopolis the quintessence was stressed of seeing each other as humans instead of state(less) and (un)documented persons. Angela Gilds from the intercultural project group and the QfWf Editorial Board:
The indigenous Surinamese cultural group Wehpokamanong
“World citizenship is open communication between people without judgment. Dignity toward each other, knowing that no matter how different we are, we are in connection with each other and can share this feeling together. Getting to know each other, transferring knowledge and experience, recognizing and acknowledging each other’s qualities. Beautiful journey to undertake together.
Last year was a wonderful year with several workshops aimed at connecting with each other through the art of living. Yodeling, modeling, painting, word art, dance, singing. A rich experience that we will continue and pass on this year. Let your light shine. You are unique!”
Practices of World Citizenship will be highlighted with visual and musical expressions, philosophical and professional perspectives. Contributions for The Golden Ratio in 2025 are forthcoming by Angela Gilds, Chiquita and Michel Odjo Seymonsen, Erik Hoogcarspel, Giovanni Rizzuto, Greg Suffanti, Harm Jaap Hartmans, Mitra Muijen, Nivedita Yohana, Tycho Muijen, Wim van de Laar and more wisdom seekers from the QfWf circles.
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