Working together to build a Singaporean identity

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

1. Vanakkam. Very happy to join you this afternoon at the closing of the Singapore Tamil Youth Conference 2016. I look forward to hearing your ideas on how we can make Singapore a better home for all, later on.

Staying rooted through language and tradition

2. In our multi-racial and multi-cultural society, English is used as a common working language. But our ethnic communities continue to stay rooted through their traditions and mother tongue. Familiarity with our mother tongues strengthens our sense of identity and heritage. It makes us richer in our values and perspectives, and opens our minds to build tolerance and understanding. I think this is something precious that we have achieved, something we can be proud of as Singaporeans.

Working together to build the Singaporean identity

3. The government recognises the importance of working with the community to cultivate greater awareness and appreciation of our language and heritage. For example, we work with partners like the Tamil Language Council to actively promote the Tamil language. I am happy to learn that the NUS Tamil Language Society hosted the inaugural Yutham vocabulary competition at this year's Tamil Language Festival. And community partnerships like these are happening for the other languages as well.

4. So peer-led initiatives like today's conference challenge you to explore your culture, your language and values. And in the process of coming together as young members of the Tamil Indian community, you forge a deeper understanding of what it is to be a Singaporean.

Inspiring youths to give back to the community

5. I'm encouraged to know that you are partnering community stakeholders to kickstart projects that benefit the wider community. Project Read, for example, will work with SINDA to help underprivileged pre-schoolers of all ethnicities improve their English proficiency and prepare them for primary school. This is the spirit of the shared future we want for Singapore – Singaporeans who are ready to roll up their sleeves to deal with our social issues, and move forward as one people, regardless of background. This caring and cohesive spirit will make us stronger, and see us through tough times.

6. After today's conference, I hope you will be inspired to continue pursuing the causes that you care for. If you are passionate about serving the community, you can consider joining Youth Corps Singapore, which is part of the National Youth Council. It welcomes youths who are 16 years old and above to join, and it provides training and opportunities to volunteer. You can then carry out projects that address a wide range of community needs, ranging from mental well-being to environmental conservation. The National Youth Council also administers grants like the Young ChangeMakers grant, which helps fund projects that serve the community.

Conclusion

7. Discussions like today's are especially meaningful in our multi-racial, and indeed, multi-lingual society. It brings people from diverse backgrounds together to share ideas on how we can make Singapore a better place. It helps us understand that we can go beyond our differences and embrace our Singaporean identity, while remembering our ethnic roots. Together, we can build a Singapore that we and our future generations will be proud to call home.

8. So with that, I wish all of you a great afternoon ahead, and all the best in the activities that the Tamil Language Society will embark upon. Thank you very much.