Who am I? And where do I belong?

In this rapidly-changing, fast-paced world, these questions have come to increasingly bewilder us. Paradoxically, we are both more connected to and more disconnected from one another than ever before. Overwhelmed by it all, many of us crave ways in which to genuinely connect, and re-connect, with the people and places around us. We sense that we not only need to see the world differently but also to be in the world differently.

Roots Guide: The Dutch Stories is a novel tool developed to help us do this. Taking the form of an interactive, reflective travel guidebook, Roots Guide invites us to undertake both outer and inner journeys by revisiting what we think we know about life in the Netherlands, starting on our very own doorsteps. Through visual and personal stories, it welcomes us into the lives of our Roots Guide hosts, more than 60 people from diverse backgrounds.

Learn about what brought our hosts to the places in which they live and their experiences of these places.

And, along the way, get fantastic travel tips and recommendations that shed new light on the wonder, weirdness, struggles, and joy that portray contemporary life in the country we call home.

Roots Guide is for everyone who lives in the Netherlands and is curious to explore themselves and their place in this country in a new way. Experience and connect with people and places just next door or all the way across the country, who you thought you already knew like the back of your hand, ones you’ve never heard of, and perhaps even ones you may have feared.

Through in-depth stories, trip suggestions and guided multi-sensory reflective activities specially designed for its readers, Roots Guide opens us up to different ways of seeing and being in our Netherlands, not the Netherlands as some mythical fixed place and culture to which we either belong or don’t belong.

Are you ready to begin your journey?

Guidebook

Are you curious to learn about yourself through the lens of migration? Roots Guide is an interactive guidebook for anyone who wants to understand migration, diversity, and belonging on a deeply personal level.

This interactive guidebook invites you to undertake both an inner and outer journey by revisiting what you think you know about yourself, starting on your own doorstep.

Travel along 11 thematic routes accompanied by 34 inspirational guides from very diverse migration backgrounds. This journey will illuminate the wonder, weirdness, struggles and joy of the place where you live to uncover what connects us all.

Join us connecting with people and places.

‘Roots Guide - Nederlands’ is for sales in the Netherlands (in Dutch).

‘Roots Guide - Global Pocket Edition’ will come for sales soon (in English).

The Roots Guide project is a collaboration between Ingi Mehus, Dr. Daan Wurpel, Rehab Eldalil, Hamzah Kashash and Dr. Meghann Ormond and incredible team of volunteers, including Fiona Hawes, Kristina Mau Hansen, and many more.

Toolkit

Are you an educator or facilitator looking for creative approaches to citizenship education-related content and teaching ideas on themes like diversity, migration, heritage, identity, belonging, and inclusion? 

The toolkit offers you step-by-step instructions and ready-to-use lesson plans that can be used with teens and adults alike, in both formal and informal learning settings.

Designed by experienced educators and facilitators active in the fields of global citizenship education (GCE) and diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) in the Netherlands and around the world, the Roots Guide Educational Toolkit provides solid pedagogical structure and innovative, carefully researched content that enables introspection, sparks curiosity and inspires bravery to explore the complex political, socio-economic, and cultural situations we currently find ourselves in, and to imagine what futures we want to emerge. 

The Educational Toolkit draws on an array of creative methods and resources for large group, small-group and individual explorations to support not only cognitive learning but also socio-emotional and behavioural learning so fundamental to GCE.

We consider this toolkit a living document and will make updates whenever needed to ensure our toolkit is always up-to-date.

The Roots Guide Educational Toolkit’s creation team includes: Meghann Ormond, Ingi Mehus, Fiona Hawes, Kristina Mau Hansen, Daniel J.Wurpel, Rehab Eldalil and Hamzah Kashash

The Roots Guide project is a collaboration between Ingi Mehus, Dr. Daan Wurpel, Rehab Eldalil, Hamzah Kashash and Dr. Meghann Ormond and is operated under the legal umbrella of Stichting Pocket Stories.

The Roots Guide initiative is made possible by support from the National Geographic Society, Stichting Pocket Stories, Wageningen University & Research, and folks like you.