“The discovery of a better world” – Joop Brouwer (former board member)

What has struck you in the Walk of Wisdom over the past four years?

Joop: “When I look back, that is mainly the philosophy of the Walk of Wisdom to let people contribute to discovering a better world. A pilgrimage is a great way to do this. By walking in nature and showing that you are part of the whole, there is more cooperation and respect for mother earth.”

I immediately underline that ‘discovering a better world’. I wonder aloud why that appeals to me so much. It suggests that the better world is potentially already here.

Joop: “According to the philosopher Teilhard de Chardin, we will only have peace on earth when we have become completely multicultural: the interconnectedness of all cultures, nationalities and religions. That desire is in the design of the route and, according to Chardin, also in the process of human development.” Laughing, he continues: “We’re still in the preliminary stages.” More melancholy: “It’s a long way off. It may take thousands of years.”

I would like to remind you that in the Netherlands I almost exclusively deal with white Dutch people. Not out of a conscious choice, but simply because I hardly encounter them in the things I do. Neither does Joop. Not with him in the neighborhood in Blerick, nor at the tennis, bridge or golf club. It seems strange to us to choose other hobbies just to meet people with a different cultural background.

Joop: “I always consciously greet Muslim women when I meet them in the park, more emphatically than I do with white Dutch people. I greet those people because I want to give them the feeling that they are accepted. It may be a small act, but it is not unimportant: living together starts with something so simple to greet each other as human beings.”

Should we explicitly work with this multiculturalism in the development of the Walk of Wisdom ?

Joop: “The power of a pilgrimage route is that it asks personal questions such as ‘Who am I?’ or ‘What am I on earth for?’. If you ask these questions in the context of an encounter with other cultures, you promote the process of discovering a better world. But that takes time. I don’t see a Muslim walking this path so quickly. ‘

Why not?

Joop:“I don’t think you can approach a lot of Muslims yet. They are still too preoccupied with conquering a place in society. They often feel that they need the culture of their parents or grandparents to maintain themselves here. This is also the fault of the white Dutchman: he beats his chest because he is so tolerant. But that tolerance usually means, “I’ll tolerate you as long as you don’t bother me.” Many so-called immigrants don’t feel welcome.’

Approaching people as a group does not fit with the Walk of Wisdom as a journey that you make first and foremost as an individual. But Joop encourages me anyway: “If you see opportunities to involve more cultures in the route, I would take advantage of them. The idea of a pilgrimage is no stranger to many, thanks in part to Mecca.”

Do you have any advice on how we can approach the expansion of the Walk of Wisdom to other countries?

Joop: “Search for one existing route per country and develop the ideas of the Walk of Wisdom on that. Choose one per country, so that it remains clear and you can better profile the ideas there. Perhaps you can look at the friendship cities of the municipalities in the Rijk van Nijmegen and involve them in the development.”

What do you think wisdom is?

Joop: “Wisdom is treating your fellow man with compassion and respect. The same goes for nature. Realizing that you are part of the big picture.”