Good governance

Since early humanity, people have been thinking about good governance. Looking at Europe, Plato wrote a famous work on the State. In the 14th century, Ambrogio Lorenzetti painted the effects of good and bad governance. In the 18th century, universal human rights were formulated. And after the end of the Cold War, thinking about good governance, in relation to development cooperation, gained new momentum.

The question is how thinking about good governance has developed outside Europe and whether different traditions in thinking about good governance can learn from each other.

This website is here to support newcomers as they take their first steps in a new society. We do this by offering practical tools and opportunities for action, and by sharing ideas that invite reflection and exchange.

Our main audience is newcomers. But the topics we address—such as good governance, justice, human rights, sustainability, and other social challenges—are relevant to everyone. What makes our approach unique is that we aim to present these ideas in an accessible way, while also connecting them with perspectives and wisdom from other cultures. Not just for inclusivity’s sake, but because we genuinely believe in learning from one another. Mutual understanding doesn’t only bring people closer—it deepens and enriches the ideas themselves.

The texts on this site are not the final word. They are starting points. Teasers or starters for conversation, for curiosity, for connection.

We explore this theme further through our initiative and partner project Kouros Public Fieldwork, which focuses on civic engagement, dialogue, and good governance.

Ambrogio Lorenzetti not only painted the effects of good government, but imagined also how good government looks like. On this painting (fresco) you see the cardinal virtues, but also religious virtues (hope, faith, love) and peace.

Maybe this is a first notice: good governance is not primarily about technical organizational skills (such as process management), but about values, about involvement. Involvement with humanity and with live on earth.

Therefore it is good to share ideas about virtues and other values between different cultures. An example are the main human values (or virtues) that are common in Chinese philosophy (especially Confucius) – such as humaneness and loyalty.

Also in governance everything starts with an intention. That is why personal virtues are essential in good governance.

Besides these there are some values recognized for good governance, such as transparancy and integrity, citizen involvement and the ability to learn and improve.

What is why we strive for good governance. It is about hapiness and well-being of citizens. In the painting of Ambrogio Lorenzetti people are pictured that are able to have a succesful and satisfying live.

So it is not about good governance as a value in itself, but the purpose is about people, happy people.

In philosophy, psychology and social sciences there are many different views on happiness and about the quality of life.

We can not go in depth about all these themes, but they are part of our conversation with newcomers who are open to it.