The Widukind Foundation, as a generous community,
fosters places of encounter where creativity can thrive,
nurturing a sense of well-being, peace and joy -
to protect and support our natural unfolding.
All photos used in the layout — unless otherwise noted — are by Matthias Krispien. Thank you, Matthias.
Unique - just like you
Look around at nature:
not a single leaf is like another.
Everything is one of a kind and special —
with you belonging to it.
You have your own remarkable way
of giving, receiving, and sharing yourself.
No one in the whole world has your voice,
your gaze, your laughter, your dreams.
You are a unique and precious piece
in the great mosaic of life.
Sharing
Sometimes we feel, deep in our belly or our heart,
that something longs to be expressed —
an idea, a song, a lovely thought, or just a sincere smile.
Then a gentle voice within awakens,
the one that knows what it was made for
and wishes to help shaping the world.
When we share that with others, it glows like a small star
that begins to shine — to inspire those around.
Talent
In many of us, talents and strengths stay asleep —
not lost, but merely hidden beneath layers of habits and concerns.
Remembering
The gifts already planted within us are seeking to be developed.
The word develop comes from the French
développer = to unfold, evolve, unwrap.
Evolution, from the Italian evolvere = to unroll, to reveal.
To develop, then, is to uncover what is already there —
to give it air, light, water, and time.
You too are invited to discover and remember
what lives inside you —
to be who you are,
to let go of old layers,
to shake off your burdens,
to rise,
to dance in freedom.
Unfolding
The Widukind Foundation sees itself as a gentle midwife —
one who accompanies the birth of new beginnings.
It forms and opens spaces in which people can bring their essence into the world:
where children may wonder, adults may find stillness, ideas may bloom,
and what is truly ours may unfold and be seen in places of warmth and safety.
It is a gate keeper for becoming,
a guardian of nurturing conditions.
When we begin to unfold —
to unwind the inessential to let the layers fall away,
self-awareness, fluidity, and connections around us
will arise naturally.
Source of Strength
Edifying creativity is a key source of power for harmonious unfolding:
human expression that brings joy, understanding,
and natural resonance in a heartfelt way.
We foster talents that bring along
well-being, harmony found in our nature, and peace.
Together with them, we wish to bathe in the river of life —
and joyfully splash everyone around us.
Bridge Building
Uplifting music, words, paintings, movements,
gently build peaceful bridges between different realms of life.
At intergenerational gatherings — through workshops, concerts,
readings, shared gardening, dance, theatre, study circles, and playful encounters —
everyone brings something of their own, and all can learn from each other.
Maturity meets youthful spirit,
experience meets imagination,
longing meets understanding.
The Cycle
Creativity unfolds, branches, and blooms —
pollinated by all that is beautiful and elevating.
From this, many nourishing fruits grow.
The cycle goes from strength to strength,
the ground itself is restored to health.
The joy of life and health are twins.
Seed
All experience and creations that touch us,
are gathered and preserved in an archive of pictures, sounds, and words —
like seeds collected and shared, to be planted into daily life.
Unfolding — a living expression of nature’s rhythm.
The Golden Thread
Here diversity is a treasure:
many voices and colours enliven the world to make it shine.
Each voice counts — and so does every listening ear.
We invite our audience to a sense of attentiveness —
to focus on what is essential, like a radio operator who,
amid the noise, clearly hears the signal,
the vital message.
We thank to all who have the courage to share something personal.
The one who reveals his inner self offers trust.
We follow the golden thread and witness how every gift
unfolds in its natural power.
Creativity - Like Fresh Water
We take the word creativity as seriously as the word developing and evolution.
To be creative means creation-oriented,to be in the right relationship with the creation itself:
we drink from the inexhaustible source — and pass the cup along.
Creativity is a joyful, playful discovery of given gifts and possibilities.
The great act of making comes from the source itself —
we are invited to join in, to share,
and to marvel together.
Together Feels Good
We are free in unwinding and letting go of our old expectations.
So with every encounter, we become a place of safety, or an open, sunlit field.
Arrived
Where the mood is good, where laughter is welcome
and no one looks askance,
it becomes easy to simply be ourselves.
There, the uniqueness of each person
with the beauty of being together shine twice as bright.
Something arises that no one could have done alone —
and yet now it belongs to everybody, forever.
Resonating connects us —
with others, with ourselves, and with life.
When the direction is right, . . .
. . . to go with the flow is the pure life wisdom.
Growing Can Be Easy
People — young and old alike —
can flourish where their joy and success are met with generosity.
When their radiance is valued,
they can access their natural gifts with ease,
and in the great dance of life, they evolve from spectators to active participants.
Unfolding is not a method, nor a matter of doing — it is a way of being:
to feel how precious life is, to recognise what is truly good,
and to offer it some space in gratitude.
Patience
All beings moves to their own rhythm.
Unfolding requires time, patience, and gentleness.
Knowledge can help —
but yet wholeness already dwells in our own natural growth.
The blueprint lies hidden in the seed;
its first tender shoot reveals all that can be,
when the conditions are gentle.
Mistakes - Part of the Journey
When we learn something new, things do not always go smoothly.
But mistakes are not the problem —
to stumble could mean we are simply in motion.
A little kindness and humour keeps the soil soft:
to land with ease, to grow new roots.
What truly matters is
that you are here:
with your heart,
your stories,
your gifts.
Laughing and taking joy in the unfolding — that is enough.
In quiet authenticity, everything feels good —
and good is good enough.
Humor
We take it all seriously — especially the humour.
When faced with seriousness,
we may find ourselves laughing through tears —
smiling at our old worries.
From the Heart
When it comes to the ideas, projects, or people we choose to support,
we do not ask: whether someone does everything right —
instead we explore:
"is it doing the right thing inside me?"
How does it feel?
Dark or light?
Heavy or easy?
Tight or wide?
Which way does it point?
Our time, space, and resources are limited — the heart knows the path.
A Moving Moment
The Foundation’s founder, Christoph Michael Pesch, witnessed young musicians
while competing in performances of contemporary music at a guitar festival.
Many played complex works astonishingly fast —
yet much of the music felt strangely hollow.
The rural audience did their best to remain engaged.
At the end of the final day, the exhausted jury gathered to decide on the prizes.
The oldest juror sat in silence for a long while, then spoke softly, in hesitant German:
“I don’t know… do we want to go there?”
“What do you mean?”
“This music — we make our students practice it all day.
I don’t know… I don’t want to go there.”
His few words suddenly filled the room with the quiet dignity.
In front of radios and televisions, and in concert halls, people sit in search of peace, warmth, and joy.
Anyone who plays, paints, or dances from the heart, can offer this — with the simplest of means.
It is often the gentle gesture that reaches a wounded heart.
And whoever opens such a heart is a winner.
Who do we reach — and who do we truly touch?
We wish to create a stage on which people may feel real,
with audiences that let themselves be moved.
We choose to support and foster what nourishes.
We foster what is good.
Photo: Katja Urwank
Our Heart
This brings us to our major pilot project:
We wish to create a place of encounter and experience,
one to which people will always enjoy returning.
Alongside our online platform and ongoing activities —
such as new music recordings —
our focus is on the space that connects people across borders:
“The Encounter.”
A forum for all who wish to receive, give, and share beauty - together.
Ready to Take-Off
For now, the Encounter is simply a piece of land
on the border between Austria and Hungary, in the town called Szakony.
Part of it was once a campsite; the rest is cultivated by a farmer —
until the project takes shape.
In a few small houses on the land some members of the Foundation already live.
At sunrise or sunset you might see them standing in the field — ready for what is to come:
18 000 square meters are waiting to become a garden for human flourishing.
And we all know: from a single seed, an entire forest can grow.
A Festive Day
Anyone standing there today can already sense what has until now existed only as a plan and a model.
Yet something else is also emerging here — something that cannot be planned:
shared wonder, trust, and a growing inner clarity.
Our last summer festival - a celebration of experience - already offered us a taste of this:
We learned an welcoming dance from one of our companions,
we sang and made music together, embarked on a visual talk about the inner light of a painter,
and rediscovered our childlike sense of wonder through animated hand games.
As night fell, a day full of spontaneity and reflection drew to a close around the evening campfire meal.
Bright Prospects
Among our guests were the mayor — also a neighbour — and the region’s notary.
Their joy and optimism offered invaluable encouragement,
and it opened up new avenues for support and cooperation.
The next step is already underway: We are preparing funding applications
to be sent to Hungarian, European, and international partners.
And while the architectural plans for The Encounter are taking definitive shape,
we will be able to work with firm cost estimates.
A Little Tour
What exactly will “The Encounter” consist of?
Planned is a twelve-sided, oval wooden complex with green roofs at varying levels.
Inside, there will be a variety of spaces for activity, inspiration, and quiet time —
places to exhibit, perform, and discover, to create and to practice,
to catch understanding and to let go via a childlike game.
Inviting multi-purpose rooms with large windows and doors will open onto a park —
a place to breathe deeply, an oasis of flowers, herbs, and trees.
A small open-air stage and a pond with a wooden bridge are also part of the plan.
Across this bridge, visitors will arrive from the parking area
to the forecourt with its large glass frontage.
Behind it, a bright foyer with a cafeteria will warmly invite people to meet and connect —
a welcoming threshold between indoors and outdoors.
In summer, homemade ice cream will be served under sunshades.
A feast for all the senses makes sense.
Within the foyer, a memorial will honour our beloved Widukind.
His urn and portrait will be gently set into a wall niche with care.
Beside it, the wide entrance doors open into the Widukind Hall —
the heart of The Encounter.
A festival and concert hall for 300 guests, expandable by two galleries with 50 seats each.
The stage, spanning 100 square meters, will welcome orchestra, theatre, and ballet alike.
The entire hall will also function as a fine-tuned acoustic studio.
The final design is still open. Yet one thing is certain:
noble gifts deserve to be shared not only in a spirit of generosity,
but also in a place of dignity and beauty.
How would you imagine the Widukind Hall?
Guesthouses with self-catering facilities are also planned,
so that those who wish to participate - or simply pause and unwind -
can stay for a few rejuvenating days.
The old campsite will remain open to long-term guests
arriving with their own caravans, tiny houses, or yurts.
We warmly invite all who wish to join this great work
with heart, skilful hands, and joy.
What guides us:
Honesty – to speak openly about what you can do and what you need.
Trustworthiness – a given word carries weight; changes are shared with care.
Togetherness – every hand, every talent, every idea matters.
Patience – growth unfolds in its own rhythm.
Collaboration – no one builds a house alone; together, we create a home.
Trustworthiness – a given word carries weight; changes are shared with care.
Togetherness – every hand, every talent, every idea matters.
Patience – growth unfolds in its own rhythm.
Collaboration – no one builds a house alone; together, we create a home.
Vision
Close your eyes, and you can already see our hands moving,
reaching out to create, to dance.
Dreams and ideas arise;
paths entwine and weave together.
A place is taking shape where visions are given live.
It is about bringing something on the stage -
or helping others do so. Always with joy and respect -
for one another, and for the world around us.
Anticipation swells, though moments of impatience,
or memories of Widukind, may visit.
Yet good friends remind us:
“Remember what it means if we succeed.”
This is how we began, and this is how we continue —
in Widukind’s spirit, with every word,
every form, every colour, every sound,
every gesture, and every meeting of hearts.
Nurture what is good, share joy freely,
celebrate uniqueness - together.
