Each year, the Quest for Wisdom foundation develops an intercultural programme around a socially relevant theme to realize its goal of promoting the art of living as global citizens. We present the Golden Ratio programmes both through various (artistic and digital) media — like the statue of the Rainbow Paradise Bird with Cosmic Egg — as well as in live encounters.
Fresh from my liver bubbles the feeling that these initiatives are essential for a society, bottom-up encounters, where humanity appears in difference.
Warmheartedly,
Personal communication, 4th of April 2019
Global Citizenship of the Street: 2023-2024
A follow up in 2026-2027
Greg Suffanti telling about his Migrant-Aquarelles
The Quest for Wisdom foundation is participating as one of the eight Alliance partners to fight against discrimination (as an administrative priority of the Municipality of Amsterdam for the period 2026-2027) and to promote an inclusive society, in order to develop global citizenship. To this end, the Association Aaneen is applying for a subsidy as the lead applicant. In collaboration, we will organize activities in Amsterdam that bring people together to promote empathy for one another. Together we are stronger, and thus we have developed a Project plan to develop and spread our Global Citizenship program.
In our Report on an experiment “Global Citizenship of the Street” the development of our QfWf-project has been described as an triptych in three phases. The first phase consisted of remembering the colonial past of slavery by means of research and essays by Fred de Haas. This author adds historical and intercultural background to the deplorable facts, as well as the beauty of Caribean poetry and music, reflecting the transforming intercultural identities. Josee Tesser made drawings on the different themes, with a touch of sharpness and humour. The result is a book to be published in 2025 as (Post) Koloniale wa(a)r(d)en as a coproduction with Garant Publishers. The collecting constructive ingrediënts and the world dreams of Global Citizenship by the
Indigenous Surinamese group Wehpokamanong Presentation Amor Mundi 28 sept.2024 OBA
QfWf-Soul circle with painting, singing, dancing and other (inter)cultural expressions was documented in the book Amor Mundi (phase 2). Another ingredient we have explored, consists of Art Dialogues around the board-game Know Thyself, interculturally developed in try outs into Amor Fati, game and book, also highlighting the Wheel on the intercultural art of living. These books helped to develop an intercultural programme to be shared with social groups and partnering organizations in an experimental way. It resulted in two events in the fall of 2024: communication through artistic expression with the Ukrainian refugees, living at the Regenbooggroep and for global citizens of the street in the Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, located in Weesp and Reigersbos (fase 3).
QfWf-Regenboog Paradijsvogel-Kosmisch Ei – Camile Smeets
In this way the QfWf-project group presented Art as a means to wonder and organized a travelling exhibition around Amor Mundi and the presentation of the book and game Amor Fati ― playful wisdom for the cosmopolis. In 2025 more stories, practices and dreams of global citizens will be gathered and published on The Golden Ratio. The intercultural artistic programme was a cocreation with collaborative partners Culturele Droomwevers and Curinesa, autonomous artists, like Camile Smeets — who made together with the QfWf-projectgroup a ceramic statue of the Rainbow Paradise Bird with Cosmic Egg — as well as with the indigenous Surinames Cultural Group in Weesp Wehpokamanong, who is dedicated to transfer the cultural heritage to younger generations. The Qfwf-Exhibition on Global Citizenship will be travelling to other locations with the Qfwf-Intercultural programme.
Animal wisdom-programme ― narratives for both young and old
The Fonds voor Zuidoost has — in collaboration with the Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds — provided the QfWf in 2020 a small grant to support her programme on intercultural storytelling Animal Wisdom, espcially during the Corona lockdown:
“Fund Amsterdam Southeast is unanimously enthusiastic about your project. Although they think the project is ambitious, they find it a worthy initiative. They like how you use this project to introduce children to the multicolored multicultural society.
In the eyes of the neighbourhood committee, you are making an important intercultural contribution that can be used in many schools.
There is confidence in the organization and in the lessons that have already been developed.
They welcome your digitization and wish you good luck.”
Tekening Nour Kayali 2021 voor Animal Wisdom
The Interculturele Storytelling Programma was to be presented as an intercultural lesson for students in which animal stories from the four corners of the world were gathered. Its goal was to transform examples of the old storytelling traditions into educative artistic forms for actual contexts and the young generation, in order to let them discover both the beauty of cultural diversity, as well as transcultural paterns between the divers storytelling and wisdom traditions. During the Corona lockdown the artistically developed materials were gathered on a specially designed website Animal Wisdom. On it you wil find Animal Stories from different cultures, such as the Great Goose Rap from the Buddhist Jatakatamala tradition, as well as information on their (inter) cultural and historical context.
An Intercultural lesson
The wisdom of the octopus is a symbol for Animal Wisdom — Chrisje Ronde
The intercultural lesson on Animal Wisdom serves as an example and intercultural perspective, to be developed further into educative modules for (world-) citizenship; both for primary and secondary schools. The educative materials are presented through different media and arts, to stimulate the imagination and to show how narratives and symbols of animal wisdom, such as the intelligence of the octopus as well as of the fox and of the spider Anansi, transcends cultural borders. The intercultural Animal Wisdom programme shows colourful unity wthin the diversity of cultural traditions.
The project was presented in 2021 in the Library of Amsterdam South-East with two workshops with an introductory and follow up programme:
Workshop 1: When Animals Narrate Cultures …
Workshop 2: Animals as Wisdom Seekers
Worldwide animal stories convey both wisdom about animal coexistence, promoting ecological awareness, as well as serving as a mirror for human society. As such they call attention to issues of diversity and inclusion in education. To this end, there has been a spinn of to the intercultural animal wisdom teaching module, resulting in the QfWf-series of (e)books. The Animal Wisdom series is generic in scope so that it can be applied in many educational contexts – such as secondary education and (higher) education. An Animal Wisdom game is under construction.
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.
Game for wisdom ― the Wheel of the intercultural art of living
The first project of the Quest for Wisdom consisted of the development of the Game for Wisdom in the year of her foundation in 2016. The core of this game was the Wheel of the intercultural art of living in order to categorize the mythical stories, symbols and proverbs from all corners of the world without ranking them in a way suggesting cultural superiority.
To play the game, you are invited to explore your vision on happiness by means of seven questions, confronting you with met different visions from cultures from all corners of the world. As a result the Wheel of the intercultural art of living is leading you to one of the 20 stories and 80 symbols that are integrated in this game.
QfWf-podcasts en more on The Golden Ratio
Mitra Muijen
De QfWf presents on her digitale platform The Golden Ratio Podcast Every year the QfWf-theme on the intercultural art of living is discussed with an expert in the field or other global citizens with wild hair in an authentic way.
In order to spread the Quest for Wisdom mission on global citizenship, more digital and educative means are developed to reach the younger generation, such as games and animaties. Our goal is to enhance opennes for cultural diversity and inclusion as part and parcel of the 21e-century capabilites in education.
A concept for an (digital, hybrid or face-to-face) game, introducing the intercultural storytelling programme Animal wisdom — Animal Wisdom-pranks.
Fenix and the art of transformatie – Nour Kayali
Due to the application for funding from the KNAW Pilotfonds Wetenschapscommunicatie door Wetenschappers the QfWF is building a network with researchers from the University Leiden and the African Research Institute of Óbudai University in Budapest, Hongary.
The Universiteit Leiden has published on the QfWf-projects in her online news. On the Annual Meeting Days of 2020 and 2021 more Animal Wisdom content is developed with storytelling, dance, play, music and art.
Please, take a look at the QfWf-video-channel withanimations and videos.
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 creative 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.
Pillar 1 What is your quest?! — the playful dialogue table
Dis-covering worlds around (your) life theme’s and professional issues
Meeting the other means really letting someone in!
Together you explore the questions and ideas that arise around the issues at stake and you examine each other’s ideas, associations and experiences around them.
The dialogue ‘tablecloth’ contains symbolism for tapping into the ancient wisdom from East and West, North and South.
The playful Dialogue Table What is your Quest?!
In groups of 2 to 8 people, you can explore a personal, professional or social issue with the help of the Dialogue Guide or under the guidance of a QFWF Game and Dialogue Facilitator.
Co-creatively engaging on a quest!
The images on the dialogue table stimulate the imagination of the participants and they contain different symbolic, mythological, and philosophical wisdoms.
Two card sets, one with European and one with intercultural perspectives, facilitate a multi-perspective view of the issue being discussed.
With a small group on a Quest in four game rounds, the QFWF guide or a game supervisor helps you to discover rich meanings around sensitive issues.
The Dialogue Tables of What is your Quest? is suitable for playing in a small group: Either to play it by yourself with the help of the extensive Play Guide. Or you may do so under the guidance of a QFWF game supervisor.
One hundred percent of the money raised by the sale of all of all these games will be used in realising our upcoming QFWF educational projects, all of which are non-profit and run by volunteers.
Turn the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living!
Free as a Bird – Annelie van Steenbergen
The Game for Wisdom 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 of the Intercultural Art of Living. They then choose one of four symbols from that story as an intercultural symbolic signpost. 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 through means of seven questions.
These revolve around themes of the art of living:
To which natural element do you feel connected most (earth, water, air, fire, ether)?
Is your attitude to life more towards being proactive or go-with-the-flow?
Which elemental motto gives direction on your life’s path?
Which strong quality encourages you for further development and which weaker quality do you want to develop more?
In which direction are you heading as 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 art of living?
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 foundation counsellor?
Please contact us for free: info@questforwisdom.org
Heart, symbol of being open and listening to your own heart
The aim of the Game for Wisdom is to review the particular course you’ve taken in your life (and career) as seen from the perspective of (inter)cultural mythological and philosophical wisdom.
The symbolism of the game forms a valuable mirror, which can be further explored through dialogue for the development of the intercultural art of living individually, as well as of a peer group or family, or as a 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
Images of good and evil, The Wulf and the Crane – Annelie van Steenbergen
With the Golden Ratio Collections, the QfWf aims to give voice to the intercultural art of living, given the hardening social debate. With a cosmopolitan ethos, transcultural values and practices to unite people and make connection between cultures. Harsh voices and destructive forces on the geopolitical stage are threatening both humanity and the entire planet, with all its winged, scaly, hairy and arthropod inhabitants. As a response(-ability), the QfWf-authors with Wild Hair of the (Animal) Wisdom Collections provide answers of humanization and ecological awareness. In doing so, the QfWf aims to contribute to the good life in the cosmopolis – with values of inclusion, cultural diversity and global responsibility.
Drawing and other forms of cocreation
By cocreation, the QfWf wants to propagate this mission as an intercultural community through artistic forms: by drawing, musical expressions, dancing and … By disseminating the developed artistic materials as inspiring examples of global citizenship in wider circles of concern. With this in mind, the Quest for Wisdom foundation has launched the Golden Ratio Collections that stimulate cosmopolitan and ecological awareness, reciprocity and respect for other beings within the cyclical processes of our Mother Earth.
Animal Wisdom Storytelling
The mythical significance of animals as bearers of wisdom and natural power links cultures, however different they may be. This transcultural phenomenon of Animal Wisdom storytelling forms the basis on which the QfWf-authors have collected narratives on Animal Wisdom, enhancing ecological and cosmopolitan values. Examples of stories are presented on the Animal Wisdom website and explained in more detail in the Animal Wisdom (e-)book Collection:
Madagaskar, Land van Orale Cultuur, Lemuren en Kameleons
Golden Ratio Collections — Authors with Wild Hair
QfWf-event on Global Citizenship -Presentation Amor Mundi
Two series of the Wisdom Book Collection are aiming at passing on old treasures to new generations in appealing, contemporary forms. The QfWf-Circle of authors with Wild Hair have collected these as (e)books in the (Animal)Wisdom Collection — since 2024 around a yearly theme of social importance in artistic and musical forms that is collected on the QfWF-platform The Golden Ratio.
Worldwide, cultures have developed wisdom traditions containing artistic, philosophical and spiritual forms expressing the art of living with different perspectives. The QfWf aims to unveil these precious treasures in a unique and artistic way to make the cosmopolitan future happen.
Boekpresentation Amor Fati in the OBA Reigersbos 25 jan 2025
Amor Fati, containing “playing wisdom for the cosmopolis” opens the Wisdom Collection. This first as well as the third book from the Series, Amor Mundi documenting the development of the World Citizenship Project, were presented in 2024-2025 at the Amsterdam Public Library, locations Weesp and Reigersbos, with a colourful intercultural programme, thanks to many involved hands and hearts of the project-group and the QfWf Soul Circle. Amor Fati describes the QfWf background philosophy of the eponymous board-game as well as of the Wheel of intercultural life art of living. Greg Suffanti’s English-language intercultural reflections on his watercolour series give the reader — together with the visual work of Agnes Roothaan, Louis van Marissing, Annelie van Steenbergen, Caroline Young, Nour Kayali, Klaske Rehorst, Josee Tesser, Elin Maljaars, Maya Plas & Mitra Muijen around the mythic-philosophical themes of Amor Fati — a surprising route of the imagination through the book.
Middeleeuwse Chirurgie in Woord en Beeld: with drawings by Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu (1385-1468) with the text of “The Method of Medicine” by Albucasis (936-1013).
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.
The QfWf continues to collect animal stories from all over the world on the Animal Wisdom website. The overarching goal of this storytelling programme is to present how the symbolism in the narratives transcends cultural borders and at the same time the beauty of cultural diversity is presented. This goal is explained in the first two books of the Animal Wisdom Collection. This collection also contains specific cultural storytelling traditions and presents examples with various artistic forms, sharing the intercultural wisdom about how to become truly human (in the mirror of animal life) and how to build happy communities.
By developing this quest for wisdom perspective into (e-)books, teaching modules and other educational forms, these old treasures are preserved and made freshly available for new generations.
The good life in the cosmopolis
Courageous as a tigre – Nour Kayali
Animal stories can be found in all cultures of the world in a colourful diversity of narratives and genres. Through their differences, these stories express a cross cultural elemental wisdom that these animals embody.
The crosscultural significance of the narrative use of animals as embodying wisdom and natural strength forms a golden opportunity for building bridges between cultures. Educational goals of the programme include the strengthening ecological and cosmopolitan values of global citizenship — such as inclusion, cultural diversity, ecological awareness and 21st century skills. In appealing artistic and educational forms, the QfWf aims to reach different target groups: children, students, parents, teachers, professionals, managers and administrators.
On the Animal Wisdom website the intercultural Wheel of Animal Wisdom categorizes the gathered animal stories from all over the world. This Wheel visualizes the overarching goal of the intercultural Animal Wisdom storytelling programme: how do the (un)wise animals mirror in a symbolic way human behaviour, virtues and mischief. The QfWf develops not a “flat moral” from those stories but a multifaceted one in artistic forms that is thought-provoking: as narrative wisdom that cultures worldwide have developed and that tells in a visual language about humanity and community building.
Intercultural Animal Wisdom
Sea Mermaid — drawing Chrisje Ronde
Communities from all over the world pass on their cultural wisdom gathered over generations in the form of stories, proverbs, symbolism and rituals.
The QfWf Storytelling program unlocks this intercultural source of wisdom and gives it appealing artistic forms, focused on connecting the stories and transcultural symbolism!
Animals embody elemental wisdom
Snake, symbol for natural wisdom – Nour Kayali
Animals represent an elementary wisdom, they display clever and vicious tricks as well as being paragons of virtue. However differently the animals are presented, according to the specific cultural and historical context in which the stories were created, in all cultural traditions animals reflect basic natural strength and wisdom.
Beautiful forms of the latter are found in the classic tales of the of the Hindu Panchatantra and the Buddhist Jatakatamala.
Also, the famous stories of the Ghanaian Anansi as well as the less famous but extraordinary adventures of cricket, chameleon and other Malagasy hero’s.
Bolinus brandaris, the purple snake — drawing Chrisje Ronde
Animals in myths, legends and fairy tales present a wise natural force: proverbial is the wisdom of the owl and the cunning of spider Anansi.
Birds in fairy tales and myths often convey messages, like the raven for example, as a mediator between the world of the gods, the humans and the underworld.
In addition to similarities, there are also interesting cultural differences. For example, almost all cultures have stories about dragons. Although they differ in shape on the one hand — sometimes more serpentine, sometimes more like a giant bird or like some kind of dinosaur — they all embody an enormous (super)natural power.
Quest for Wisdom Foundation (QfWf) stimulates the Intercultural Art of Living in a Globalized World!
The QfWf wants to contribute to a culture of openness and to cultural diversity (inter-esse) by tapping into one’s own and shared historical intercultural roots and wisdom traditions.
The QfWf programs have been honored twice by a cultural fund:
Storytelling programma Animal Wisdom in 2020-2021
With a subsidy from Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds i.s.m. Fonds zuidoost, awarded in 2020, the QfWf has developed a storytelling-Project- around animal wisdom in storytelling traditions from the four corners of the world. The purpose of this program is to bring ancient wisdom into new forms for contemporary ears, which has led to the development of the website Animal Wisdom and the development of an Intercultural lesson for elementary education.
The “Global Citizenship of the streets” project in 2023-2024
Start of the project with world cafe dialogues – photo Marc Broens
With a subsidy from the Cultural Participation Fund, the QfWf has realized the “World Citizenship of the Street”-project in 2023-2024 in the form of a triptych in 3 phases. Reflecting on the history of slavery (phase 1) and collecting intercultural ingredients of collective and individueal dreams of global citizenship in images, music, dance, stories and other expressions of (inter)cultural heritage (phase 2) culminating in a social experiment with collaborating partner organizations (phase 3) for global citizenship. The result is an intercultural program with the wisdom and beauty from the four corners of the world.
The QfWf does this by using Art as a magic and collecting it as ingredients in book form, under the title Amor Fati and Amor Mundi, on a digital platform The Golden Ratio and in a co-creative programme; developed and implemented in collaboration with the Cultural Dream Weavers Foundation and the Curinesa Foundation, independent artists, and with the Wehpokamanong association, which preserves the cultural heritage of indigenous groups from Suriname in the Netherlands and passes it on to young generations. This culminated in a final event in the fall of 2024.
First there was the presentatation of Amor Mundi, the exhibition and the presentation of the QfWf-documentation book in the Pubic Library of Amsterdam (OBA) in Weesp on the 28th of September 2024. Especially the series of aquarelles of Greg Suffanti, in which the harsh (anti) migration policy is denounced and migrants are presented as persons like you and me and their human stories. Also Robin Stemerding, Nour Kayali en Louis van Marissing have contributed to the exhibition. Then the final event was organised on the 19th of October 2024 together with the residents of the Regenbooggroep, the organisation that gives shelter to migrants, refugies, homeless and people in need: sharing an intercultural programme with music, dance and sharing food from each others cultural kitches. A ceramic statue, made by Camile Smeets was presented: this Rainbow Paradise Bird with Cosmic Egg incorporates the world dreams of the intercultural project group. On the 25th of Januari 2025 the exhibition Amor Mundi was reopened in another OBA location, Reigersbos, together with the presentation of the book Amor Fati by giving previews of the seven chapters, in which life themes as world citizens are discussed and portrayed. Read more in Angela Gilds review on intercultural meetings.
The need for an intercultural art of living
Being able to deal effectively with our differences is a delicate matter in our current times.
The objective of the foundation calls for an intercultural art of living as developmental path of ‘the multicultural society’ and visualises its mission with the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living.
The QfWf sees Global Citizenship as the right answer facing the collective fear for strangers, migrants and ‘the others’. Instead of hatred and agression we follow dialogical and spiritual traditions, that see ‘otherness’ as a call for openness and inclusion.
The intercultural art of living is the ability to move as nomads between cultures and to be able to see the beauty of cultural differences. To enhance the art of living as world citizens the QfWf-Soul Circle organises every year around a social relevant theme an intercultural programme and presents this on its digital platform de gulden snede as well as by living encounters such as the yearly QfWf-Meeting Day.
Just like the beauty of the Golden Ratio in natural forms such as the rhythmical growth of leaves and snail shells, as well as in cultural expressions such as the principles how cathedrals are built and the musical harmony in chords.
This QfWf-vision and mission to contribute to a cosmopolic world order and culture of inclusion is the core of our
Quest for Wisdom, meandering along
Quest 1 — the Wisdom web with wisdom from all corners of the World and a digital platform to exchange ideas.
Dealing with differences has been raised as a social issue by Paul Scheffer, in his controversial article Het multicultural drama (2000). Before that, the international debate had been heated up by Samuel P. Huntington’s terrifying perspective on the Clash of Civilizations (1996). Since then, there has been a heated political debate in many lands with multicultural populations, and the social debate in the social media is getting louder and more troubled ….
The QfWf wants to play a role in tilting the debate
Diagram met de 17 duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen
The QfWf wants to help turn the polarized debate about migration, refugees and religious strife from a problem for ‘political experts’, to a relevant issue for all of us, making an ethical appeal to everyone, from the current administration to our neighbours on the street.
How do we deal with, and how do we want to deal with ‘the strange other’?
That strange other can be the foreigner, the outcast, the fringe figure, the refugee and sometimes ourselves …
In order to tilt the debate, the QFWF sees it as a call to recalibrate the awareness of who ‘we’ are as citizens of the cosmopolis: nomads with intercultural identities.
These geopolitical landslides affect all of us as co-inhabitants of our shared planet Earth.
That is why the QFWF addresses this issue as a question, an ethical issue of a practical, social and political nature:
Museo Nazionale Archeologico di Taranto, Italië — foto Joke Koppius
How do we not exclude the other and the others ― the ‘stranger’, of a seemingly different nature ― but to see them as part of us, as ‘the strange other(s)’ in ourselves?How do we create growth inducing inter- and transcultural connections, instead of a divide and rule philosophy, us versus them mentality and an increasingly aggressive environment, as can be heard in the cry: “Who does not belong to ‘us’ (culture, race, religion, ethnicity) is against us …?”
By stimulating the recognition of the beauty of our differences and shared commonality, instead of a fear of ‘otherness’.
The world of the arts and (inter-)cultural expressions create space both in and between people and establish meaningful connections between cultures!
Creating inter- and transcultural connections
QfWf-event in the Library of Amterdam – photo Michel Odjo
The QfWf aims to collect artistic, philosophical and practical forms of cultural wisdom from East and West, North and South and to further develop them into useful forms that inform and inspire the intercultural art of living … so that people interact as willing players in an in-between space (as defined by Hannah Arendt) and also keep in touch with their core selves, so that we can fully develop and happily share our world with each other in a spirit of cooperation, openness and hospitality.
Hospitality, respect and openness and other shared values of humanity are what truly connect people as sisters and brothers ― open to a common playing field for all!
Addressing life themes with symbolism across the boundaries of cultures
A workshop under QfWf guidance
Art Dialogues around the board game Amor Fati
Amor Fati is a board game to enhance the intercultural art of living: you undertake a journey across a colourful landscape full of symbolism and along the way you pick up intercultural visions and mythical wisdom.
Around the Amor Fati game board, you travel through seven game rounds that address life themes and exchange associations and experience with your travel companions for a wise way of dealing with the questions life poses.
On the journey you explore the tension between amor fati as fate of your destiny and the freedom to shape life yourself:
In a workshop to get acquainted with the intercultural art of living.
In a master class to learn how to guide this game form yourself.
From one full day to 9 half days, suitable for individuals, groups and teams
The Quintessence Game
As an introduction to the cosmopolitan art of living of Amor Fati’s there is a shorter play mode can encompassing a (half) daily Quest through the Quintessence Game
This is a wisdom card game that introduces the art of living as a group of global citizen with three different layouts and conversation formats:
Quintessence: how to connect the wisdom of earth, of water, of air and of fire to the unsaid of the fifth element?
Your Quest? Explore an issue with each other by allowing chance or fate to play a role in your exploring the question behind the question!
Oracles: How to unlock ancient wisdom from the four corners of the world by being the oracle for each other?
Sitting around the Play Table with creative materials
Around the Amor Fati game board, full of mythical-philosophical symbolism, you explore the intercultural art of living, with the aim of promoting meaningful encounters and enriching conversations as global citizens.
The board game is developed by Heidi Muijen as Human, know yourself from 2006 onwards in her philosophical counselling practice Thymia, resulting in six game forms of playing around life-themes. These are still available as a workshop as a means for personal and professional growth.
The six mythical-philosophical workshop themes:
Whereas Amor Fati is a play for which you need up to 9 half days time, there are introductory forms to get acquainted with Amor Fati from half a day to 4 half days, suitable for individuals, groups and teams:
Elemental Wisdom — Gnosis game: a quest for wisdom!
The Art of Encountering — Mask game: the strange other!
Follow your ‘Hero’s Paths’ — Hero game: play yourself!
Elementary way’s of research — Compassion game: the good life!
The Art of Dreaming — Dream game: Follow your wish!
Envisioning your view of life — Vision game: attune to your inner compass!
Around a colourful Dialogue Tablecloth full of transcultural symbolism ― around myths and philosophical and spiritual perspectives from all coners of the world. These aim to uncover the important questions behind opinions: Explore your differences in framing an issue on a quest towards the core of sense making with intercultural perspectives!
What is your Quest? is played in four rounds by means of symbolic objects and two sets of cards with Western and Intercultural perspectives from East, West, North, South.
By reflecting on the images and symbolism on the Dialogue Tablecloth, a delay of reaction is created and the conversation tilts from simply ventilating opinions, to questioning and hearing the polyphony and layering in different meanings.
Dialogues in personal and professional settings
Workshop on location
Around the playful dialogue tablecloth you engage in a dialogue, with a team, your family, a group of friends on a discovering journey. There are four dialogue rounds, with intercultural symbolism and perspectives, such as: elementary wisdom, the search in the labyrinth of life, meaningful encounters on the journey of life, how do you interpret signs as a language of the soul, listening to your moral compass.
In a workshop one becomes acquainted with a playful form of dialogue.
In a master class you learn to use a playful form around the dialogue tablecloth yourself as a professional.
From half a day to 4 half days, either in Dutch or in English
Suitable for individuals and groups: friends and family and (sports and working) teams.
You either explore a common issue or each participant explores their own question.
Through the QfWf-dialogue game The Four Winds an Educational Team of the University of Applied Sciences has explored the issue of “Inclusive Communication with our students and with each other, how?”.
With the team around the Dialogue Tablecloth Four Winds
One of the responses:
“Talking with images, or from images is sometimes easier, if you don’t know the meaning of symbols at first …. Beautiful work forms, special experiences, cheerful …. Staying with your feelings, not everything has to have a meaning in your head …. It brings you surprisingly close to the core. Norms, values, beliefs …. Free, playful, associative. Instructive how images can evoke so many different emotions.”
The Dialogue Table was developed by Heidi Muijen from 2010 onwards in her philosophical counselling practice Thymia, resulting in different forms of playful dialogues for the purpose of investigating personal, professional and social issues. The workshops around the Dialogue Tablecloth are designed to stimulate the imagination and with creative exercises, so that the participants are focussing on questioning their own frame of reference behind the issues at stake.
There are shorter (thematic) Dialogue forms, playfully tackling life themes, that are still available as a workshop as a means of personal and professional growth:
The Images in Dialogue — in four dialogue rounds to the core of an issue.
The Quest — dialogues around a triptych Past – Present – Future.
The Pythiagame — a creative oracle game to explore your own wisdom.
The Existential game — follow your own path to the good life according to ethical perspectives.
A contemplative game that is both challenging and fun
A workshop under QfWf-guidance
With Adinkra — an intercultural communication game in 2 rounds.
A workshop offers an exercise in an indirect form of communication and an introduction to traditional African wisdoms — in particular the symbols and proverbs of the Akan in Ghana.
In a masterclass one learns to use this form of play professionally
Lasts from 1 to 2 half-days, suitable for groups and teams.
Together with your team, family or other network, you first follow an introduction given by Dr. Louise Müller — an expert in the field of African and intercultural philosophy — about the background of Adinkra, the Asante culture and various philosophies of Ghana.
Also, it is possible to play Adinkra online with each other.
You can see how this intercultural communication game can also work as a digitally powerful game, by connecting within your own network!
A few impressions from participants:
“Great to experience this and see what is possible digitally.”
“Nice and creative initiative. Beautiful things also arise to keep in touch with each other.”
“It’s great that we are not being fooled by the corona virus and still meet each other in this way.”
“Very inspiring and surprisingly fun!!!”
“Adinkra, with image-rich proverbs and powerful symbols from Ghanaian culture, allows people to experience the wisdom of the Akan philosophy in a playful way”.
Workshops, guest lessons and master classes, also on location.
For teambuilding, company outings, masterclasses in cultural diversity, intercultural communication and high-context culture exercises using adinkra.
Dr. Louise F. Müller also gives workshops, guest lessons and masterclasses on location and tailored to the purpose of the meeting and the target group.
Including: an association, a club of friends, a family reunion, a cultural team outing, team training intercultural differences; guest lectures for students, teachers and other professionals, administrators and managers, who take inclusion to heart and want to further develop their skills in cultural diversity.
Workshops and masterclasses both live and online! Requests and to Purchase: info@questforwisdom.org
Hybrid play with the Game for Wisdom
Find your course in life through the Art of Living
A workshop under QfWf-guidance
The Game for Wisdom can be combined with face to face meetings― as an activity introducting the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living!
Is suitable for individuals, groups and teams for the purpose of setting your course in life and career.
The game consists of seven rounds with questions based on intercultural symbols and stories from wisdom traditions from the East, West, North and South.
The Game for Wisdom can be combined:
Hybrid Game for Wisdom as a Pre-conference acticity
On a Quest as team for a full day or as a pre-conference activity; also in a hybrid form of training in combination with a masterclass
In a workshop in order to become acquainted with dialogue and play as a means of developing the intercultural art of living. Using intercultural symbols and stories from wisdom traditions from the East, West, North and South.
In a masterclass one learns to use this form of play professionally.
Requiring at least ½ half a day;
Also it is possible to organise a meeting of up to 3 days if desired, suitable for individuals, groups and teams.
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.
Objectives and Policy Plan stem from the QfWf Mission and Vision:
The Quest for wisdom foundation was founded on the 10th of October 2016 by Dr. Heidi S.C.A. Muijen with the mission of fostering a culture of openness to inclusion and cultural diversity. The QfWf does this by collecting and further developing cultural expressions of wisdom traditions from North and South, East and West.
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’.
The QfWf chooses as its course in tipping times the good life by developing world citizenship. To this end, artistic programs are cocreated by paying attention to the cultural-historical contexts of stories, rituals and symbolism from wisdom traditions on the one hand; on the other hand, by bringing into the globalizing society transcultural values, like hospitality, emapthy and humanity through music, visual arts and other intercultural expressions.
The need for an intercultural art of living
Being able to deal effectively and ethically with our differences is a delicate matter in our current times.
The objective of the foundation calls for an intercultural art of living as an answer to the fear of ‘the strange other’ and appeal of ‘the multicultural society’ by means of:
historical awareness of the (inter)cultural roots of wisdom traditions;
interest in other cultures and wisdom traditions and
living encouters and cross-pollination between cultures
Dealing with differences
Dealing with differences has been raised as a social issue in the international debate by Samuel P. Huntington’s terrifying perspective on the Clash of Civilizations (1996). Since then, there has been a heated political debate in many lands with multicultural populations, and the debate on social media is getting ever louder and more troubled ….The geopolitical landslides affect all of us as co-inhabitants of our shared planet Earth.
That is why the QfWf addresses this issue as a layered and multidimensional question, an ethical issue of a practical, social and political nature:
How do we deal with, and how do we want to deal with ‘the strange other’?
That strange other can be the foreigner, the outcast, the fringe figure, the refugee and the privileged citizen …How do we not exclude ‘others’ ― the ‘stranger’ and people of a seemingly different nature ― but to see them as part of us, as ‘the strange other(s)’ in ourselves?
The QfWf wants to play a role in tilting the debate
Diagram met de 17 duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen
The QfWf wants to help turn the polarized debate about migration, refugees and religious strife from a problem for ‘political experts’, to a relevant issue for all of us as world citizens, making an ethical appeal to everyone, from the current administration to our neighbours on the street.
In order to tilt the debate, the QfWf sees it as a call to recalibrate the awareness of who ‘we’ are as citizens of the cosmopolis: nomads with intercultural identities, transcending differences in culture, race, religion, ethnicity, gender,….
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 and between people 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!
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 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 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 subsidy 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 subsidy in 2024 addressed the theme of Global Citizenship and resulted in the fusion of the three Quests as the Golden Ratio Quest around a yearly theme of the intercultural art of living. Hereby,the QfWf has restructured its working method around the three Quest for Wisdom goals: 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 with retroactive effect since 1 January 2018.
See below the reports of QfWf-policy for activities in chronological order:
The QfWf Wisdom Collection was born from the wisdom of wildhaired QfWf authors, who open up the richness of cultures worldwide with stories, music, visual arts, philosophical and spiritual traditions to a wide readership in their own way. They show wisdom from North, South, East and West in breadth, in multifaceted and artistic forms. Collections that go into more depth and highlight specific artistic wisdom from cultural traditions will also appear in the QfWf Wisdom Collection.
These (e)books are published in the Dutch and/or English language; and sometimes multilingual. The proceeds of these (e)books will entirely benefit this programme and upcoming QfWf projects. We hope for a wide and interested audience for this entire varied series.
The first three books in the QfWf Wisdom Collection will be published in a physical form, partly due to a grant awarded in 2023 by the Cultural Participation Fund for the ‘QfWf Global Citizenship from the Street program’.
The fourth and next publications in the series are all ebooks (pdf).
The series opens with Amor Fati: Spelende wijsheid voor de kosmopolis in which Heidi Muijen explores the question of global citizenship through the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living. The book thus highlights both the vision of the Quest for Wisdom foundation and the background for the board game of the same name developed by her, which addresses mythical-philosophical symbolism from the four corners of the world. A Greg Suffanti telling about his aquarelles for Amor Fati
series of watercolours, Chinese brush paintings, drawings and collages by Greg Suffanti, Agnes Roothaan, Louis van Marissing, Annelie van Steenbergen, Caroline Young, Nour Kayali, Klaske Rehorst, Josee Tesser, Elin Maljaars, Maya Plas & Mitra Muijen depict intercultural themes as a common thread throughout the book. (NL, EN, 2024, ISBN 978 90 441 3970 9)
The second book (Post)Koloniale wa(a)r(d)en by Fred de Haas contains layered reflections on (post)colonial history: the author mirrors the Caribbean and Latin-American identity in poetry and literature, also with poems written by his own hand. Josee Tesser has enlivened this charged history with portraits of poets and historical figures in striking and humorous black-and-white drawings. In addition, the approximately 100 clickable links to musical interpretations bring the intercultural identities of Caribbean and Latin-American peoples into experience. (NL, 2025, ISBN…..)
The editoral board of the third book Amor Mundi — Heidi Muijen, Klaske Rehorst en Robin Stemerding — documents the QfWf project ‘World Citizenship of the Street’ with art, poetry, images, raps, intercultural and philosophical reflections of the Quest for Wisdom Soul Circle how the world dream of the cosmopolis is developed into artistic forms for current contexts. (NL, EN, 2024. ISBN 978-94-92-127-198)
Hans van Rappard expertly explains the fascinating Chinese and European wisdom traditions in an intercultural-philosophical manner in e-book 4, Walking Two Roads, Accord and Separation in Chinese and Western Thought (EN. 2023. ISBN 978-94-92-127-204)
In e-book 5 Russische Zigeunerromances, Fred de Haas opens up a hitherto little-exposed genre of Gypsy Romances with its rich intercultural and historical sources. The (90!) clickable links to beautiful old and newer renditions, including the musical renditions of Fred de Haas (guitar and vocals) and Ralph Kreuter (balalaika), are surprising. (NL, RU, 2023. ISBN 978-94-92-127-211)
In e-book 6 Middeleeuwse chirurgie in woord en beeld, Marcel Reyners makes this invaluable combinations of the drawings of Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu (1385–1468) with the text of ‘The Method of Medicine’ of Albucasis (936–1013). about illuminated medieval surgery available to a broad Dutch-speaking audience – drawing on his years of life, travel and work experience with his richly flowing and literary pen. (NL. 2023, ISBN 978-94-92-127-228)
E-book 7, Ik ben iemand die intens leefde… — Bloemlezing: gedichten en illustraties by Marianne H.B. van Halewijn contains a large collection of poems and digitised mandalas bequeathed by the author to the Quest for Wisdom foundation. This colourful anthology expresses an intensely felt cosmic connection. (NL, 2024, ISBN 978 94 92 127 174)
E-book 8, Knipoogjes: Korte en luchtige tijdreisjes in gezelschap van Henry Bergson, consists of columns in which essential issues are light-heartedly addressed by philosopher Rosalie de Wildt. The illustrations, watercolours by Greg Suffanti, add a humorous, colourful and intercultural layer to Rosalie’s philosophical outings. (NL, 2024, ISBN 978 94 92 127 181)
E-book 9, Het duurde maar even … – Gedichten die mij raakten by Fred de Haas contains about 60 poems with translations and adaptations by about 40 poets in Creole, German, French, Galician, Papiamento, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian…. (NL, multilingual, 2024, ISBN 978 94 92 127 242)
E-book10, Eye of the Tiger – Colorful Heritage of the Far East contains a unique collection of Chinese brush drawings by Caroline R. Young, interspersed with historical and mythical stories from the Far East. (EN, 2025, ISBN 978 94 92 127 259)
The financial benefits from these (e)books and other educational materials – which are all realised by volunteers – will entirely benefit this programme and upcoming QfWf-projects.
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Each year, the Quest for Wisdom foundation develops an intercultural programme around a socially relevant theme to realize its goal of promoting the art of living as global citizens. We present the Golden Ratio programmes both through various (artistic and digital) media — like the statue of the Rainbow Paradise Bird with Cosmic Egg — as well as in live encounters. 
as well as with the indigenous Surinames Cultural Group in Weesp Wehpokamanong, who is dedicated to transfer the cultural heritage to younger generations. The Qfwf-Exhibition on Global Citizenship will be travelling to other locations with the Qfwf-Intercultural programme.
The Fonds voor Zuidoost has — in collaboration with the Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds — provided the QfWf in 2020 a small grant to support her programme on intercultural storytelling Animal Wisdom, espcially during the Corona lockdown:
Worldwide animal stories convey both wisdom about animal coexistence, promoting ecological awareness, as well as serving as a mirror for human society. As such they call attention to issues of diversity and inclusion in education. To this end, there has been a spinn of to the intercultural animal wisdom teaching module, resulting in the QfWf-series of (e)books. The Animal Wisdom series is generic in scope so that it can be applied in many educational contexts – such as secondary education and (higher) education. An Animal Wisdom game is under construction.
The first project of the Quest for Wisdom consisted of the development of the Game for Wisdom in the year of her foundation in 2016. The core of this game was the Wheel of the intercultural art of living in order to categorize the mythical stories, symbols and proverbs from all corners of the world without ranking them in a way suggesting cultural superiority.
With a subsidy from 
On the journey you explore the tension between amor fati as fate of your destiny and the freedom to shape life yourself:
