RP/ POF DIALOGUE SYNOPSIS

Written by Hanis Humairah Binte Hardiyanto (21SH05), Mak Zhan Rui Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Ms Genevieve Chye 

We discussed ways to tie in social cohesion and multiculturalism in Singapore. More specifically, the different considerations to take when building multicultural ties and social cohesion and how MCCY has allowed youths to be more open-minded and the opportunity to connect with people outside of their social circle. 

We gained deeper understanding into Harmony 1’s strategic area, “Building multicultural literacies to strengthen social cohesion” with Ms Chye's numerous examples including making use of metaverse technology to allow for social cohesion bonding. The insight we gained from approaches undertaken by MCCY to inspire youths join their initiatives and programmes can be meaningfully transferred as we work on our deliverables. 

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr Mohamed Irshad

The guided tour of the Harmony in Diversity Gallery, which the participants went on during the first segment of the dialogue session, enabled greater knowledge about religious harmony in Singapore and the events that have helped shaped Singapore's religious harmony. 

During the dialogue with Mr Irshad, the founder of Roses of Peace which followed after the guided tour, we learnt more about religious diversity in Singapore and how religious leaders come together, working together in building a  harmonious relationship between different religious groups. Mr Irshad shared the rationale behind why he started Roses of Peace and how the diffferent initiatives complement one another to promote religious diversity. 

Written by Mak Zhan Rui Jovan (22SH04), 21SH05 Choo Su Jin (21SH05) and Soong Yuan Qi Sophie (22SH03)

Dialogue with Resource Person Ms Genevieve Chye 

One point raised during our dialogue with Ms Genevieve Chye was the role of Singapore’s youth in preserving multiculturalism. Specifically how past and present measures to promote multiculturalism have impacted youths and how these measures should evolve to remain relevant.  

Harmony 2’s strategic Area is on the “building multicultural literacies to strengthen social cohesion”. During the dialogue, we agreed that Singapore’s social cohesion in the years to come will be shaped by the youths of today. It is therefore essential to determine the educational platforms that can be leveraged upon so as to bring about more understanding and knowledge of other cultures to build up multicultural literacies. 

Dialogue with Persons of Focus Mr Didi Amzar  

Our dialogue with Mr Didi Amzar was centred on building multicultural literacies to enhance social cohesion. We talked about how our differences and disagreements should be resolved harmoniously -- this is important so that small issues do not boil over and result in hate crimes or situations where people are scared for their safety. We came to understand how having a voice is indeed important, but above all that, there should be understanding when it comes to inclusivity. The idea is to make real changes instead of ranting without taking ownership of the rant. 

Written by Wang Yuhan Kelvin (21SH18), Yunn Britney Aye Kyaw (21SH19), Mak Zhan Rui Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Ms Shahrany Hassan 

Ms Shahrany Hassan shared about the Whitehatters and how its events are purposefully organised to enable participants to have real conversations that transcend barriers, including the barriers of race, religion and social class. Ms Hassan highlighted the significance of civic conversations and shared pointers how to set up platforms so that healthy civic discussions can take place. 

Dialogue with Person of Focus Ms Lina Salim

One key takeaway was how to have better civic discourse with people of different backgrounds, if we don't agree with something, find out more. We should not make assumptions. Ms Salim also highlighted that while we may not be able to change people's behaviour but we have control over our own response. 

Written by Chiu Mei Hui, Eva (21SH05), Park Saeeun (22SH14),  Mak Zhan Rui Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Dr Carol Soon

Dr Carol Soon discussed the topic on supporting healthy civic discourse and participation. We explored different platforms where healthy civic discourse can be discussed in Singapore like Citizen's Panel and Speakers' Corner, how to determine the appropriate level of healthy discussion on civic discourse, as well as the effects of technology on civic discourse (eg POFMA). Our discussion also led to a comparison between Singapore and other countries when it comes to freedom of speech. 

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr Gary Lau 

Mr Lau recently graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and is working towards to become a social worker. Mr Lau shared how his personal experiences from interacting with social workers inspired him towards this profession, how he was not accepted into a course at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) because of his tattoos, and how with his perfect grade point average (GPA) score he broke through negative stereotypes. Mr Lau examined the issue of making judgement without information and shared his hope that employers will learn more about others before making judgements for everyone has their own strengths. 

Written by Claire Teo Tze Shyan (21SH02), Bhao Tanush (21SH17), Mak Zhan Rui Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Ms Dawn Yip

We gained invaluable insight on how information is obtained from the public and how this information is processed and used by MCCY. We learnt about the specific areas that needed consideration, and this helped us in planning for our deliverable. We considered the need to consider our target audience and other considerations that needs to be taken into account when designing surveys, activities for out target audience to learn more about different cultures and their practices in Singapore. 

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr. Lewis Liu

We discussed the difficulties of implementing policies to bring about the desirable outcome of social cohesion. We learnt that there will always be trade-offs as we cannot appease two different parties who want two very different outcomes. It would be useful to learn how MCCY decides which group or party of persons to “favour” (or to not completely meet the demands of both) and at the same time, develop policies that satisfy some of the needs of both parties, to ensure that everyone is happy. 

Written by Fung Zhuowen (21SH20),  Karthickraj Dhanyashri (22SH15), Mak Zhan Rui Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Dr Mathew Mathews   

Institutionalised policies are often perceived as all that is needed to achieve a multicultural society. While these policies have contributed in enabling opportunities, human choices concerning multiculturalism or emotional connection between members of a society cannot be forced. We also learnt that it is important distinguish between multi-ethnicity and multiculturalism, and that the needs of the various communities must be considered as Singapore's demographics evolve with the more new residents of different cultural diversity.

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr Syed Hassan Bin Muhammad Al-Attas 

Casual racism is hard to define, since it can stem from ignorance or genuine bigotry. Where do we draw the line between racial jokes and racism, when there are overlaps in situations in which these "jokes" are demonstrations of affection and closeness? 

We need to be acutely aware and conscious of the challenges and experiences minorities face to progress towards an inclusive society. There are people of the majority race that live life without coming into contact with anyone from the minority race, as their consumed media, culture, and social life all revolve around individuals from the majority race. A key guiding principle is to "look out for the rest" through conversations or in the building of common shared spaces based on appreciation, understanding, respect and mutual trust.

One coping mechanism when faced with racism is to forgive. People make mistakes but their behaviour can be changed. This is why racial harmony is a perpetual work in progress as we work to change the human mindset. There should be more opportunities to allow for the building of relationships and appreciation of different cultures. The significance of these opportunities are important given the increasing disconnect and lack of accountability offered in the digital world which amplifies and exposes undesirable innate behaviours. 

Written by Gan Weixuan Keegan (21SH07), Lai Rou Yin (22SH04 ), Liew Yan Xin Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Dr Mathew Mathews 

During our dialogue, the three main issues discussed were familial ties, race and religion and the immigration and integration of different cultures. To further our understanding of our strategic area - forging consensus and respecting differences in an era of increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity - we asked Dr Mathews for his opinion how harmony can be maintained in a polarised society like Singapore. 

Our takeaway was the need to cultivate the willingness to listen in an increasingly opinionated world. With more time, we would like to have discussed more on the idea of subtle racism with Dr Matthews, which could help to further our understanding of what, if anything, should be done to help curb it as it is often seen as a sign of, unconsciously, being unreceptive to other races. 

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr Ramesh Ganeson 

Casual racism is hard to define. Different individuals have differing perspectives on what racism actually is, and this disparity in perceptions could potentially result in misunderstandings. To achieve the desirable outcome of a more inclusive society, we need to be acutely aware and conscious of the challenges and experiences of the minorities. A key guiding principle is to "look out for the rest" through conversations or common spaces, which builds appreciation, understanding, respect, and then, trust. When experiencing racial discrimination, Mr Ganeson shared that one of his coping mechanism is just to forgive. He shared that people are capable of changing their behaviour, and that racial harmony is still a ‘work in progress’. His view was there is a need to "go beyond tolerance and build mutual trust". 

Written by Meryl Grace Dany (21SH07), Meenakshi Ilango (22SH03),  Liew Yan Xin Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Dr Carol Soon 

Dr. Carol Soon stated that social media, while being inclusive as it offers more voices to be heard as compared to traditional media and offers opportunities to bring likeminded people together to push for social change, still has flaws that needs to be addressed. In general, the main issue lies in the fact that the use of social media as a platform performs comparatively more poorly than traditional media when it comes to credibility.

Dr Soon posited that social media should be viewed as an ecosystem, with different, and potentially more credible and reliable sources. Although the onus is on content creators to write factual un-bias accounts, readers need to be discerning when reading content. One way to be a discerning reader is to consider multiple perspectives before forming an opinion. 

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib 

Mr Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib elaborated on societal issues that could potentially threaten our social fabric and harmony. Issues such as racism and how such acts can occur sub-consciously were raised. Mr Imran highlighted how such acts have worsened due to social media. Several points were discussed including the importance of open conversations and how common shared experiences can support greater mutual understanding. 

Written by 21SH15 Lee Kok Yuan (21SH15), Thania Del Radovan Lofranco (22SH15), Liew Yan Xin Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Ms Shahrany Hassan 

During our dialogue with Ms Shahrany Hassan, we discussed the many facets and examples of integration as well as where and how it can be fostered in modern Singapore. Multiple scenarios were explored - from terrorist attacks to the place of the LGBTQ community in religion. Through these scenarios, we learnt the significance of harmony to Singapore's social fabric. 

Ms Hassan shared her experiences in making civic discourse conversations more comfortable for participants and highlighted that there would be uncomfortable situations. One key principle to abide by, according to her, is to respect the beliefs of others.  

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr Leonard Sim 

Mr Leonard Sim examined the different facets of harmony in Singapore and the challenges of creating harmony in Singapore. He distinguished internal and external challenges, referring to internal challenges as the unconscious and internalised prejudice we hold. External challenges are influences 'spilled over' from other countries. 

We explored the difficultly in promoting harmony between intra-faith groups, as opposed to interfaith groups, and the possibility that there may be unwillingness to communicate openly with one another. 

Written by Tan Chong Wei Sebastian (21SH08),  Cheong Ci En, Andrea (22SH14),Liew Yan Xin Jovan (22SH04)

Dialogue with Resource Person Mrs Lucy Toh

Special Education schools (SPED) use a differentiated approach for their students. Lesson plans crafted revolve around these students abilities with the help of SPED officers. However, when we are creating a customised setting for special needs students, these students are essentially cut off from others of their age as they are schooled in a different environment. This is a drawback in trying to achieve quality education for special needs students as there is a conflict of interest which can perpetuate the issue of exclusion. 

To ameliorate this issue, SPED schools have satellite partnerships with schools such as Mayflower Secondary and Yio Chu Kang Secondary where students from SPED schools get to have recess together with students from mainstream schools. In a similar vein, there are many new initiatives that involve vocational training like “TRANSIT”, which teach special needs students relevant skills required in the workforce to help ease their transition into society. The COVID-19 pandemic has also truly made it more challenging for special needs students as they are not comfortable with sitting in front of their screens for a prolonged period of time. Additionally, they are unfamiliar with the process of getting vaccinated hence this area proved to be a challenge. The Ministry of Health (MOH) sends doctors and nurses to SPED schools to facilitate their vaccination process. To create a more inclusive society, Mrs Lucy Toh posed a question, prompting us to think deeper: 'What part can I play within my school's community where there are people with diverse needs?'

Dialogue with Resource Person Mr Shashidaran S/O Kaneson 

Mr Shashidaran is a teacher at Assumption Pathway School who is teaching English, Math, Culinary and Hairdressing. He believes that sports is something that transcends all differences. Students who are academically inclined and students who are less academically inclined for instance, can play together despite their different backgrounds. 

Mr Shashidaran shared how celebrating small success can lead to desirable outcomes. To encourage students of Assumption Pathway School to continue with their studies, successes such as winning a match is celebrated. 

Written by Yang Yi Fei (21SH20), Jaymee Ang Zi Ting ( 22SH16), Matthew Chua Wei Shi (22SH05), Liew Yan Xin Jovan (22SH04) 

Dialogue with Resource Person Mrs Lucy Toh

The topic discussed centered on embracing diversity and forging consensus in building a harmonious society. This is relevant to our strategic area 'Forging consensus and respecting differences in an era of increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.'  Students with special needs, and how they are supported in Singapore was the main focus of our discussion. Mrs Toh shared with us about the policies and initiatives that have been undertaken to support these individuals. For example, the set up of SPED schools and the policies aim towards helping SEN students integrate within mainstream schools. 

Key takeaways include the need to have different support programs for SEN such as the learning support program, trained personnel to support the learning of SEN individuals. 

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr Wesley Loh

Mr Wesley Loh shared his personal experience in interacting with SEN students and as an individual diagnosed with SEN. Mr Loh's sharing allowed us to view daily life through the lens of an individual with SEN and how society can better support these individuals and their families. 

Written by Leron Wong Yock Chee (21SH10), Nagar Jayani Atul (22SH14), Liew Yan Xin Jovan (22SH04 )

Dialogue with Resource Person Ms Dawn Yip

During our dialogue, Ms Dawn Yip explained how the same bonding capital connecting people together can also segregate people in terms of their different backgrounds and values. To address such issues like strengthening social cohesion in policy making, the three basic criteria is to have the ability to critically think and come up with the solutions, have the ability to carry out these proposed solutions and lastly recognise empathy, sympathy and understand one another. 

Whatever the issue at hand, as long as a person feels strongly for the cause, they should continue to spread awareness and fight for their cause in hopes of sparking change - they should not give up. If the country is not ready for change, it will experience some of its youth leaving due to their inability to see change happening. Others will simply bear with it while they continue pushing for their initiatives. Ultimately, the largest issue for the future is the will of the people. In times of fear and uncertainty, the last thing people should do is despair, as it makes people lose the will, courage and desire to press on. It is thus important to understand our motivations and ensure that we can depend on our sense of hope. 

Dialogue with Person of Focus Mr Nicholas Thomas 

Mr Nicholas Thomas used the concept of tribalism to explain how it is human nature that everywhere we go, we are united as one, whether it is by race, religion, or school etc. This sort of tribalism has the power to either unify people or box people up and stratify society. This, according to Mr Thomas, is where the issue of harmony arises. In Singapore, we are a melting pot where people from around the world come together as one. One clear depiction of this, is Waterloo Street, which is lined with many religious buildings reflecting the multicultural community that had populated the area. Mr Thomas also shared his life experiences such as his role as a befriender in the UPLIFT Initiative and how it is hard to break out of poverty in Singapore due to the fact that children are lacking the environment and ecosystem to prosper in. He also spoke about the Singapore healthcare system which is being developed so as to make it more accessible and integrated. Additionally, we discussed how there have been many women focused development programmes in Singapore. 

When asked about how he manages to “do it all”, Mr Thomas answered that prioritising and being clear of your priorities is important. Certain things take precedence and hence it is important to know your needs. He shared that managing our energy, as opposed to managing our time is important - we need to know when our energy is depleting and recognise how to create rituals to help us relax.