Speech by President Halimah at Duan Wu Carnival

Mr Chua Thian Poh,

President of Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) and Chairman of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC)

Mr Roger Wong,

Chairman of Toa Payoh Central Community Club Management Committee

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon to everyone.

I am delighted to join you today at the Duan Wu Carnival 2018.

Singapore is home to many ethnic groups and cultures. Regular, positive exchanges between different races and religions provide a strong foundation for social cohesion and a peaceful nation. We are fortunate to have many opportunities to facilitate these exchanges when we take part in the different festivals, not only those of our own communities, but also those of others.

This is a reflection of our multicultural society, and how we have embraced our traditions. It also represents the progress we have made as a society in forging unity as one people. This did not happen overnight. We have been working hard at promoting this social cohesion since the days of our independence. And we should not take our religious harmony for granted. We will have to continue working on building a strong society and a united people.

I am heartened to see that the Duan Wu Carnival has allowed everyone in the community to take part in an array of activities together. I personally enjoyed the Land Dragon Boat competition. Not only was it an interesting concept to bring a traditional water sport onto land, it also reminds us of the importance of team work and how we can achieve so much more if we move in unison.

In closing, I would like to thank Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, and Toa Payoh Central Community Club for organising this meaningful event. I hope to see more ground-up initiatives like this, for our community to forge stronger bonds.

I wish everyone a Happy Dragon Boat Festival, 端午节快乐 .

Thank you.