Singapore Celebrates Total Defence Day
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean was the Guest of Honour at the Total Defence (TD) Commemoration Day at Nanyang Polytechnic this afternoon.
In his speech, Mr Teo said: “When taken together, the many “I Will’s” become “We Will”. Total Defence today is about both “I Will” and “We Will.”
It is only when we come together with a shared goal and pool our resources into a common effort that we can overcome any challenge or threat.”
A specially commissioned art installation comprising five intricately sculpted stainless steel letters spelling out the words “I Will”, the theme of this year’s TD campaign, was displayed for the first time at the event.
Casey Chen, the artist behind the commemorative art installation, said, “Every Singaporean is an integral part of Singapore.
We live, work and play in this country together and it will take every individual’s commitment to protect our unique way of life.
And this is what the sculpture celebrates – our collective will to defend all things dear to us in Singapore.”
Youths from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Fairfield Methodist Secondary School (FMSS) were present at the event to showcase their “I Will” initiatives. The three final-year students from NTU were behind a donation drive initiative, in which donors were asked to wrap an old shoebox attractively and fill it with little gifts that children will enjoy and find useful.
The boxes were then distributed to the less fortunate children and teens in centres run by The Salvation Army, Beyond Social Services and Children’s Cancer Foundation. The students from FMSS turned their pledges into action by taking part in community works to distribute food and necessities to the elderly residents of Queenstown as well as painting the homes of the less fortunate living in one-room HDB rental flats.
Building on last year’s campaign which invited Singaporeans to reflect on what they hold dear and would defend, this year’s TD campaign aims to get Singaporeans to act on them. Singaporeans are encouraged to make this commitment through online contest for the public to submit a text, photo or video pledge, and an island-wide distribution of “I Will” ZoCards which allow Singaporeans to write their personal pledge on these cards.
Mr Teo also presented prizes to the winning teams of N.E.mation!. NJC Design Club from National Junior College was awarded the top prize – a fully sponsored trip to visit DreamWorks Animation Studio in the United States to learn more about animation. The teams C.H.E.F. from School of the Arts and Yellow-Earthworms from Dunman High School were the first and second runners-up respectively.
Total Defence Day is commemorated yearly on 15 February, the day Singapore fell to the Japanese during World War II in 1942.
This is to remind Singaporeans that everyone has a part to play in defending our country.
Topics: animation, Beyond Social Services, C.H.E.F., Children's Cancer Foundation, Deputy Prime Minister, elderly, Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, FMSS, Governance, government, HDB rental flats, health care, Health Care, I Will, military, MOH, monitor, Nanyang Polytechnic, Nanyang Technological University, news, NTU, Queenstown, Singapore, speech, TD, Teo Chee Hean, The Salvation Army, Total Defece Day, Total Defence, ZoCards
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