Members of the Eurasian Association Board of Trustees and Management Committee,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to join you today at the launch of the Eurasian Heritage Gallery. This is a significant year, with Singapore commemorating our Bicentennial, and the Eurasian Association celebrating its centennial.
At the launch of the Bicentennial exhibition four months ago, I spoke about three key traits that define the Singaporean DNA.
The first is openness and connectivity. Singapore has always been open and connected, welcoming of people and ideas from the region and the world. This is, and will continue to be, our strength.
Second, multiculturalism. Our forefathers came from many different lands, bringing their own cultures, religious beliefs and practices, and traditions. Over time, we developed a common and collective sense of identity. It is something precious that we must not take for granted. It must be upheld and nurtured.
The third trait is self-determination. Our ancestors faced challenges and struggles in their early days of moving to a new country, and lived through dark periods. However, they were determined to be masters of their own destiny and they survived. We must adopt the same spirit, continue to innovate and adapt to make our way in the world.
I am glad that the Eurasian community in Singapore exhibits these similar traits. Your community is one with a long history, with customs and traditions from across the world. You make a concerted effort to promote your own identity and heritage. At the same time, your community is focused on interacting harmoniously with other ethnic groups in Singapore.
Eurasians have been an important part of the Singapore Story for more than two centuries. The Eurasian community can trace its heritage to Portuguese, Dutch, British, and many European ancestors, as well as Asian parentage. At 17,000, the community is small, but the impact you have made speaks volumes. You have made many significant contributions to Singapore over the years, not least in the areas of the arts, sports, law, the civil service and armed forces. You have also given back to society through numerous philanthropic efforts, such as raising funds for programmes that help the less privileged. You may indeed be small in numbers, but you have played an integral role in building a successful and inclusive Singapore.
The Heritage Gallery we are launching today encapsulates the long history of the Eurasian community and your important contributions to Singapore. It showcases the inspiring stories of pioneer Eurasians such as the late Mr. E W Barker and the late Dr. Benjamin Sheares, who played key roles in Singapore’s development from Third World to First. Other more recent role models include Jeremy Monteiro and Joseph Schooling who continue to bring pride to Singapore in the areas of arts and sports, as well as Mr Edward D’Silva, previous President of the Eurasian Association, who has held several key positions in Public Service. I must also mention Mr Oscar Oliveiro and Mr John De Payva, who held the important position of President of the National Trades Union Congress at various stages of its development, and were well-known both amongst unions and our tripartite partners. In fact, Mr John De Payva was also known internationally among trade union circles abroad. Both have contributed towards developing and building tripartism and peaceful industrial relations in Singapore.
I am glad that Eurasian Women are also honoured and celebrated in the gallery. The features on leading ladies such as Judith Prakash, the first woman to hold the position of Judge of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of Singapore, Noeleen Heyzer, the first female Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Programme for Asia and the Pacific, and Vanessa Ess, the first woman to graduate from the Singapore Flying College in 2003, will serve well to inspire future generations of female leaders.
Beyond the Gallery, there are other young Eurasians who are making a name for themselves, including Amita Berthier, Singapore’s first World Junior No. 1 foil fencer and Bryan Lawrence de Rozario, an emerging jazz musician. They will appreciate the Eurasian Association for having this Heritage Gallery, where they can come to learn about their history.
As a hub of the Eurasian heritage, the Gallery also contains interesting information on Eurasian history, culture, cuisine, and lifestyle, brought to life through traditions and celebrations. I am particularly delighted to see Eurasians coming together to promote their history and heritage. I understand that over 300 individuals contributed artefacts to the Gallery, and that two thirds of the docents who will conduct guided tours are Eurasians. More Eurasian youths are showing an interest in their roots and identity as Singapore Eurasians, and have a passion to bring this to the wider community. It is through these shared experiences, and a better understanding of one another’s similarities and differences that we continue to build Singapore as a multicultural home for all its peoples.
Apart from the stories and the artefacts, I am heartened by the efforts of the Eurasian Association and the community to raise funds for this revamp, and by the generosity of those who came forward to give. Together with support from the National Heritage Board’s Heritage Project Grant, the community has managed to realise their vision for the project.
This Gallery is a wonderful example of how the Eurasian community preserves and celebrates your heritage and culture, and shares it with others. Just as importantly, I would like to encourage you to come together with other communities to celebrate and create stories of our Singaporean way of life as a multiracial and multi-religious society, and to enhance our collective understanding of our shared roots. For example, many Eurasians, especially the older generations, are able to speak Malay, and can therefore converse and connect with the Malay community very well. That is how we can connect with one another – while we may have different languages, cultures and even cuisines, we look for shared areas and spaces.
Mr Timothy de Souza, the Eurasian Association trustee, wrote me a very nice letter regarding your history and past achievements. If I may quote him, “As the leading Eurasian organisation representing the community, it has rallied our people around its mission of self-help and played a strong role as a unifying agent. The project to build a Heritage Centre appealed to many Eurasians who came forward to help.”
And as I replied to Timothy “The Eurasians, like the other communities, have a worthy place and standing in Singapore regardless of your size. We are all in the same boat. We will sink or swim together and must continue to do our utmost to ensure that Singapore continues to grow and prosper for many more generations to come.”
In closing, let me thank all members of in the Eurasian community for your contributions. Congratulations to the Eurasian Association on your 100th anniversary and the launch of the Eurasian Heritage Gallery.
Thank you.