Creating a sustainable heritage landscape

Mr Ong Yew Huat, Chairman, National Heritage Board (NHB)

Patrons and supporters

Ladies and gentlemen

1. Good afternoon. It is my pleasure to be here today, to acknowledge your strong support towards the heritage landscape. Your support has enabled our museums and heritage institutions to be dynamic and more effective at reaching out to wider audiences. Thank you very much for your support in the past year.

The value proposition of a strong heritage sector

2. The investments that we have made in the heritage landscape reflects our belief that heritage fulfils a social purpose. It helps to create common ground amongst people with diverse backgrounds. Simply put, heritage brings people together.

3. Heritage is not merely about preserving the past, but also gives meaning to the present, and provides an anchor for the future. Understanding our heritage is important in defining who we are, both as individuals and as a community. Knowing our roots and values will help us develop greater resilience and be better prepared for the future. And it is through heritage, that we present Singapore and her distinctive culture to the world.

The importance of patronage in nation-building

3. Your role in helping heritage realise its social purpose is crucial. Your contributions – in cash, in kind, through donations of artefacts or provision of expert services – makes it possible to create a sustainable heritage landscape.

4. In 2016 the National Heritage Board (NHB) received a total of $8.13 million in contributions. Of the 74 awardees today, 42 or more than half, are new donors. This is an encouraging sign, and I hope that all of you will continue to support the NHB. Your contributions are important to our nation-building efforts in fostering our national identity, our national pride, as well as in building a more caring and cohesive society.

5. Your donations have enriched our cultural offerings through exhibitions such as “Port Cities” at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), and “Once Upon A Time in Little India” at the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC). Signature festivals, including Children's Season, Singapore Heritage Festival and Singapore Night Festival have also benefitted from your generosity. For example, Givaudan Singapore, supported NHB in cultivating a love of heritage and museums in our young visitors, through the Children's Season. These exhibitions and festivals have provided a platform where diverse groups from different nationalities, from all socio-economic segments, can come together, to enjoy the rich heritage of Singapore and understand our cultures. We believe that these shared experiences can help to strengthen our social fabric and deepen the sense of belonging to Singapore.

6. Our donors have also generously shared items of personal significance with fellow Singaporeans, through artefact donations. The family of Gnanapragasam Pillaihad donated a portrait of the patriarch to IHC, which is on display at the “Once Upon a Time in Little India” exhibition. Mr Peter Lee, Mr Winson Tan, and the Ong family had given from their collections to The Peranakan Museum (TPM).

7. Alongside donations, we would also like to acknowledge contributions towards our intangible cultural heritage. Donors such as Ms Sun Xia, Ms Gan Ee Bee, SBS Transit, Kaki Bukit Developments, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the YuvabharathiInternational School, had helped safeguard our intangible cultural heritage, through platforms such as Language Campaigns. Mrs Julia Oh, the Lee Foundation, and the Lien Shih Sheng Youth Chinese Literature Fund have supported us in education and outreach. These are vital to ensure capability development and content expertise in the heritage sector.

8. We are thankful for the support of Panasonic System Solutions Asia Pacific and Broadcast Professional Pte Ltd to the National Museum of Singapore's (NMS) interactive installation of TeamLab's “Story of the Forest”. I remember visiting this earlier, and was impressed to see William Farquhar's Collections brought to life through technology. There are too many to mention, there are so many of you who have been so supportive, and I look forward to thanking you in person later on. In making our heritage in both tangible and intangible forms more accessible to Singaporeans, you have indeed enhanced the awareness of our people to our rich cultural heritage.

9. Beyond their donations, our partners have been very generous with their time and energy in harnessing heritage as a means for social bonding. I am particularly encouraged by the success of HeritageCares, which has taken off with the strong support from corporate donations and corporate and individual volunteers. To date, it has mobilised close to 1,000 volunteers and benefitted more than 3,400 persons in heritage-related programmes. This is a big step towards making our heritage institutions more inclusive, bringing about a more caring and inclusive society. I hope that more Singaporeans will join us in this effort.

Positioning the heritage sector for the future

10. Thanks to all of you, we have achieved much. It is only with strong and sustained partnerships, that this positive momentum can continue. To add on to what CE had shared earlier, on heritage for the future, we have invested much to further develop the sector. Earlier this year, the government announced a $150 million top-up to the Cultural Matching Fund (CMF). The CMF Secretariat is currently consulting cultural organisations as part of the CMF review and will enhance the scheme in 2018.

11. At this point, I would like to mention the change in leadership at NHB. I would like to acknowledge the achievements of Mrs Rosa Daniel and to welcome NHB's new CE Ms Chang Hwee Nee. Rosa had overseen major museum revamps to make our museums more relevant and accessible. She had also worked to strengthen NHB's capabilities and network through improving its research capabilities and fostering strong partnerships with agencies and communities. She leaves behind a stronger NHB, and I am certain that the Heritage Plan for Singapore, which she initiated, will come to fruition under Hwee Nee's leadership and your support. Hwee Nee is familiar with, and passionate about heritage. I hope you will give her your fullest support, and work with us to take the heritage sector into the future.

Conclusion

12. In conclusion, I would like to once again express my appreciation to all our donors, for your generosity and support. Your contributions have enriched our sector, increased the opportunities that Singaporeans have to experience and enjoy our heritage. You have contributed towards making Singapore a more vibrant and better home for all.

13. Thank you and I wish you a very enjoyable evening.