Celebrating our Singapore Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage

Speech By Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community And Youth & Second Minister for Law, at the Opening “Southern Breeze” Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition on 17 March 2023

1. 大家早上好。
2. 我很高兴出席《南风雅集》的开幕典礼。
3. 作为一个年轻的团体，有如此宏大的理想，非常值得表扬。 在让新加坡华族文化更丰富的同时，我更希望本地的华族文化能够展现我国社会多元种族的独特风味。
4. 新加坡华族文化中心正带领本地华社研究及推广新加坡华族文化，希望协会也能参与其中。此外，我也鼓励对华族文化有兴趣的人士，为丰富新加坡华族文化而尽一份力。
5. 在此，祝愿展览会圆满成功。
6. 让我用英语说几句话。

In English:

7. Good morning to everyone.
8. I am happy to join you for the launch of the “Southern Breeze” exhibition by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Association (ICHA).
9. As a young group formed in 2021, this is a major step forward. I congratulate ICHA for successfully putting together a big undertaking, coordinating with many partners and working with them to showcase its offerings.
10. I am heartened that there are many who are passionate about safeguarding our Intangible Cultural Heritage. Ground-up efforts such as this exhibition, involving enthusiasts and practitioners alike, keep our arts and culture scene in Singapore vibrant. After all, each and every one of us brings with us our own unique expertise, backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to the table. 
11. I am also happy to learn that SCCC is supporting ICHA through its Arts Housing Programme. As a community-led initiative to celebrate our Singapore Chinese culture, the SCCC plays a valuable role in helping nurture and grow groups like ICHA. I hope that this will also encourage other like-minded enthusiasts to form similar groups to showcase their passion for intangible cultural heritage. This heritage is what binds us together as Singaporeans – sharing our own unique experiences, coming together, making our common national identity even stronger. Shaped by our multicultural environment, this will further enhance our unique Singapore culture as a part of that very distinct national identity.
12. With the active participation and support of the community, I am confident that our unique Singapore Chinese culture will continue to flourish.
13. On this note, I wish ICHA a very bright future, and much success in this exhibition.
14. Thank you.