Sub-Theme 5: Culture

Synopsis

Singapore has a diverse populace of nearly 5 million people of which 3.7 million are citizens comprising Chinese, Malays, Indians, Caucasians, Eurasians (plus other mixed groups) and Asians of different origins. It is a country with the sixth highest proportion of foreigners worldwide. The Singapore culture is best described as a melting pot of mainly Chinese, British, Malay, and Indian cultures, a reflection of its immigrant history. But what really is, Singapore‟s culture, identity and spirit? And in this increasingly globalised climate, how would this culture, identity and spirit shape our “Singapore Dream”?

Focus Areas

1. Identity (In Singapore)
What does being a Singaporean mean to you? What is our Singapore identity? What do Singaporeans identify with and what are we doing to foster that?

2. Identity (Beyond Singapore) and Cyber Culture
What does it mean to be a Singaporean outside of Singapore? Does spending a lot of time overseas make one less Singaporean? Why do some Singaporeans choose to work or live overseas and why do some choose to come back?

3. Singapore Spirit
What are some of our shared values? What is it that binds Singaporeans together and how do different Singaporeans interpret „it‟ differently?