Last Saturday it was Neighbors’ Day, an initiative by Douwe Egberts and the Oranjefonds to bring people together in their own environment.
What was originally conceived to sell more coffee has developed over the years into a colorful collection of activities aimed at doing something good for each other and the neighborhood.
It is easy to be critical of such initiatives, especially if they are based on a commercial objective. There is no reason for this if, in a time of fragmentation and contradictions, they contribute to what is called social cohesion. Sitting on your hands seems easy, but it is uncomfortable and difficult to maintain.
One of the places where Neighbors’ Day was held was Ter Apel. This happened not far from the registration center, where at the same time more people registered for reception places that were not available, especially underage asylum seekers. With a bit of luck they would get a cup of coffee or tea.
Last week, King Willem Alexander used the term ‘social fabric’ three times in his Speech from the Throne. “In ordinary daily life – at schools, in companies, in churches and mosques, in sports clubs and in families – differences are bridged and mutual trust and a shared future perspective are created,” he said.
The king formally addressed the members of the States General. As always, his words were intended for the rest of the country as well. This also includes the administrators appointed to make decisions about solving the ongoing shortage of reception places for asylum seekers.
Social tissue consists of fibers at the micro level. In a healthy society it arises without coercion and profiteering. The fact that too few municipalities are voluntarily prepared to tackle a shared problem makes it painfully clear how limited social cohesion is when it really counts.