I would like to found the Order of the Teaspoon of people who have the same attitude as me: don’t run away, don’t write letters! But actually contribute to an effective solution of problems.
And I would ask them to wear a little teaspoon on their lapel, so that we can recognize each other as members of the same movement, the same brotherhood, the same order, The Order of the Teaspoon.
This is my philosophy in a nutshell or, if you prefer, in a teaspoon.
The Hague Peace Initiative Foundation has responded to this call and established the Order of the Teaspoon.
There is also such an order in Sweden: Teskedsorden. This Order enters into discussions with adults and children about dealing with diversity, for example by developing learning materials for schools.
The Order of the Teaspoon has a special relationship with the The Walls have Ears Foundation, which pursues the same goal as Teskedsorden by carrying out projects in primary schools that transcend multicultural differences and develop mutual understanding among students.
Wanneer je getuige bent van een grote ramp, bijvoorbeeld een uitslaande brand, dan kun je drie dingen doen:
Run for your life, as fast as you can, and abandon those who can’t run to their fate.
Write an angry letter to the editors of your newspaper and demand that those responsible for enforcing fire safety requirements for buildings be removed from office. You can also call for demonstrations.
But you can also get a bucket of water to put out the fire. And if you don’t have a bucket, take a glass of water. And if you don’t have a glass, take a teaspoon of water. Everyone has a teaspoon. A teaspoon is very small and the fire is huge, but there are millions of us and each of us has a teaspoon.
Part of an interview with Amos Oz for Swedish TV, freely translated from English.