Everyone is always on the move, both literally and figuratively, and everyone hopes to find something along the way, whether that is spiritual, material, or a combination of both. What we have in common, in any case, is that we are all searching for happiness. We are all seekers of happiness.
The Dutch like to cross the border in their search for happiness. For example, we established colonies in the Antilles, in Suriname and on the Indonesian islands. Even today, Dutch people are represented on nearly every continent. This past and present contribute to the prosperity that we know. It is therefore striking that some people hold it against others that they come here in their search for happiness, solely because they were born elsewhere.
Why are you allowed, as a “digital nomad,” to spend the winter in your second home in Bali, while your Indonesian cleaning lady has not been able to see her children for 14 years? Why should the arbitrary place where you were born give you certain privileges that another does not have? Is that just?
The Stichting Gelukszoekers launched a first campaign in 2016. A newspaper article with the headline “A large proportion of refugees turns out to be a seeker of happiness” provided the impetus for the initiative. Eight years later, the tone around migration has only hardened. The current cabinet proclaims untruths and pursues unconstitutional measures, with which it actively contributes to creating crises and polarization. What we are missing is a powerful countervoice from society, and that is why it is time for a new campaign! With this, we hope to contribute to a society in which everyone wishes the best for one another, regardless of where someone’s cradle stood.
In the end, aren’t we all just searching for happiness?
