Harmony Fest! 2025

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Good morning and thanks for joining us at the Harmony Festival 2025!

Our harmony was forged through collective effort by generations of Singaporeans

2. While we are gathered here in celebration, we must use this as a moment of reflection, to think back to where we were in 1964 during communal riots, where lives, property, and there was a lot of loss all over.

   1. There was distrust among us.

   2. We were vulnerable and young at that point in time.

3. That chapter of ours was written in blood, and with lots of tears. But we did not stop there. We did not take a defeated position as for what it was. And we turned a weakness into a strength.

4. So today, from spilling tears, we worked hard at integration, and we built up trust over the years.

5. Moving from a one-day Racial Harmony Day, and now that has been converted to one month worth of celebrations. We have taken it from strength to strength. Today, the Racial and Religious Harmony Month reaches about 100,000 people.

6. I want to thank our Harmony Circle folks who are here. Community sports have also been included, as well as interfaith dialogues. Sweat to blend various races, religions and cultures into one Singapore without losing our cultural identity. Sweating for 60 years instead.

7. And as we mark SG60 – our 60th year of independence – it is a poignant moment for us to be in reflection as we think of our founding leaders who have set the stage for us. And collectively worked hard in setting up a strong framework of multiculturalism.

8. As we remember what our founding Prime Minister had said – This is not a Chinese Nation. This is not a Malay Nation. And this is not an Indian nation. We are Singapore.

9. However, ladies and gentlemen, the world continues to change and continues to be divided. In many parts of the world, people are judged by the colour of their skin and not the content of their character.

   1. What is happening in other parts of the world can also be imported into Singapore through social media and other means, without quite realising why and what our local context is.

   2. It is therefore important that we sweat even more moving forward, build ourselves from strength to strength in our multicultural roots in Singapore, tighten our social fabric, and deepen trust among the various cultures.

Harmony Fest! an opportunity for Singaporeans to connect and show care

10. So, I like events like Harmony Fest! 2025. It is very important that we do it, because we foster conversations of understanding and conversations among our races and religions.

11. As you know, this is the third edition, and new partners from different sectors have joined us. I want to thank our friends from:

    1. The disability sector – from Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), RunningHour and the Singapore Association for the Deaf. We are all very happy that they are here to join us, and we can keep this as an inclusive activity for all of us;

    2. The heritage sector is also here – Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Indian Heritage Centre, and Malay Heritage Centre as well;

    3. And of course, our educational sector – MOE Kindergartens, LASALLE, and as well as the School of Science and Technology;

    4. And there were many more – including Food Bank Singapore for your food donation drive for needy families.

Everyone has a part to play in contributing to a harmonious Singapore

12. But it’s not only just big names who are joining us today who have contributed to the fabric of Singapore, but everyday people, and I’d like to cite two wonderful individuals.

    1. The first is Ms Meera Begum. She’s the co-organiser of the Iftar @ Marsiling earlier and she had a following for explaining what fasting meant during our fasting month of Ramadan recently.

    2. I also have Mr Max Lee from the Chong Pang Harmony Circle. He volunteered as a traffic marshal during Thaipusam.

13. Now, it’s not only the big names, but everyday Singaporeans, like you and me, like Meera and Max, who makes the difference to what we are today. The ability for us to do our own in our own simple ways to strengthen the fabric in Singapore. To make sure that we are together, we care for one another, and we have conversations with one another and deepen our understanding of the various faiths we have in Singapore.

Conclusion

14. It is activities like these that allow us to shed sweat during times where we are with one another, fostering the idea of camaraderie and togetherness so that we don’t shed tears in the future. I’m sure you agree with me, it’s always better to have a bit of sweat now so that we don’t spill blood and shed tears during times which pull us apart.

15. So on that note, I want to also thank the organising committee for doing a wonderful job. And for all of you here for joining us and continuing the journey of strengthening our multicultural roots, and conversations, and deepening trust among one another.

16. I hope you have a thoughtful and meaningful Harmony Fest! and wish you the very best. Thank you very much.