Remembering our roots

Mrs Elaine Ng, Chief Executive, National Library Board,

Mr Ng Yew Kang, President, Genealogy Society Singapore,

Mr Choo Thiam Siew, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. I am happy to be here this evening to witness the successful completion of the first-ever Singapore Family History Competition. This year-long campaign, supported by the SG50 Celebration Fund, celebrated our nation's 50th birthday through the special way of encouraging Singapore families to compile the Singapore Chapter through their own family histories. Projects such as these remind us that even while we look towards our future collectively as a nation, we should never forget our roots.

2. So I am happy to learn that about 600 entries have been received in this competition. I hear that about half are from students aged 16 years old and below, with the youngest participant being just 3 years old. This response is encouraging because we're seeing active participation from all around, taking an interest in tracing one's family history and heritage.

3. All 600 entries have been deposited on the Singapore Memory Project (SMP) website, aimed at capturing and documenting precious moments and personal memories related to Singapore. These entries contribute to over 1 million memories collected under the SMP. So I hope you spend some time visiting the website to explore these interesting memories and stories for yourselves.

4. One of the entries was by 70 year-old Mr Chui Seng Hwa. I understand that while Mr Chui initially did not intend to compile his family history, his interest was kindled when he learnt about this competition. He then started to dig into his family albums and documents, and having more conversations with his family. Mr Chui documented that his father came from a village in the Guangdong province with only a few personal belongings, toiled and became a successful tailor. He went on to become the President of the Singapore Tailoring Association.

5. His father was also an active supporter of schools and hospitals. I understand Mr Chui went on to visit his ancestral home in Guangdong, and even traced his ancient ancestor to Jiang Ziya in the province of Shandong, a well- known Chinese historical figure. Mr Chui's quest for his ancestry was also highlighted in a Shandong TV Station and he became quite a celebrity too. I am certain that it must have been a fulfilling journey for Mr Chui in this discovery.

6. As we can see from Mr Chui's example, this competition reinforced the importance of knowing and understanding one's roots and heritage. So I hope the effort continues beyond this project. When you systematically collect these valuable nuggets of information, you will be surprised at how it pieces together to form a larger story that you may not have known in the past. It will also be a chapter in your family history to share with generations to come. With it being publicly available now, it will add to the Singapore story that we are all writing together.

7. I understand that the Genealogy Society Singapore and its partners are continuing to promote roots-tracing among Singaporeans. I hope clan associations, schools, cultural and civic organisations will join in these concerted efforts to help families understand their roots and heritage on a deeper level. Even as we embark on a new chapter for Singapore beyond SG50, we should always take some time out to contemplate and reflect on our roots, while working hard to continue the legacy left by our forefathers.

8. On this note, I would like to congratulate all the prize winners of the competition for their success. I hope you will continue to improve the coverage and depth of your family story and share it with people around you. Thank you.

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