Singapore Day
Singapore Day is a signature event to engage Overseas Singaporeans and their families. It is organised by the Overseas Singaporean Unit under the Prime Minister's Office. It is held in cities with a significant community of Overseas Singaporeans. The four key components of Singapore Day are showcase, food and entertainment – all highly-customised for Singaporeans.
Programmes
Singaporean cuisine comprising local hawker fare is prepared and served at the event by Singaporean hawkers.
Singaporean artistes and performers who have participated in Singapore Day include MediaCorp artistes, local comedians Hossan Leong and Jack Neo, singers Kit Chan and Rui En, rapper Sheikh Haikel, musical cabaret group Dim Sum Dollies, blogger mrbrown, actor Gurmit Singh and acoustic and percussion bands like The Great Spy Experiment, Jack and Rai and Bloco Singapura.
Recruitment booths and showcase displays set up on the event grounds allow Singaporeans abroad to keep abreast with the latest developments and career opportunities back in Singapore.
Years
| Year | Date | Venue | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | April 21 | Wollman Rink, Central Park, New York City,  United States |
S$2 million to S$4 million |
| 2008 | October 4 | Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne,  Australia |
S$3 million |
| 2009 | April 25 | Hampton Court Palace, London,  United Kingdom |
S$6 million |
| 2011 | April 16 | Century Park, Shanghai,  China |
S$2 million |
| 2012 | April 14 | Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York, United States |
S$4 million |
| 2013 | October 12 | Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia |
The first Singapore Day in 2007 was targeted at a community residing in New York City and other neighbouring cities and states such as Washington, D.C., New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It was held on 21 April 2007 and attracted an unexpectedly high response. As a result, the venue was shifted from Bryant Park to the Wollman Rink in Central Park. Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng was in New York for the event.[1] 6,000 people attended the event and which included New Yorkers.
Singapore Day 2008 was held in Melbourne, on October 4, with a turnout of over 10,000 people.
Singapore Day 2009 was held at the Hampton Court Palace to the south-west of London, on 25 April 2009. Over 12,000 people, from various parts of Europe, turned up for this outdoor event.[2]
Singapore Day 2011 was held at the Century Park in Pudong District, Shanghai, on 16 April 2011. The event had attracted over 5,500 Singaporeans and their families from all over China.[3]
Allegations of racial discrimination at events
A man wrote to a radio talkshow host on 2GB claiming that he and others were turned away from a public area in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, where the celebration of Singapore day was held in 2013, because they were of Caucasian appearance, whilst people of Asian appearance were allowed in without checking.[4] Material for the event specified that only Singaporeans and their families could attend.[5][6] A contributor to The Real Singapore wrote that there were "no PRCs, India Indians, Bangla or Pinoys to annoy us".[7]
Replying to queries from Yahoo News, the organizers said the event was a pre-registered and ticketed event for crowd control purposes, and that registered Singaporeans were allowed to bring non-Singaporean friends and family members.[5] The acting executive director of the Botanic Gardens responded to questions from the Daily Telegraph by stating that the event had caused community concern and that they would be reviewing whether it is appropriate for the Botanic Gardens to be involved with Singapore Day in the future.[8]
References
- ↑ May Wong (2007-04-12). "Overwhelming response for Singapore Day in New York". Channel NewsAsia.
- ↑ "12,000 turn up to celebrate Singapore Day in London". Channel NewsAsia. 2009-04-26.
- ↑ "Overseas S'poreans celebrate Singapore Day in Shanghai". Channel NewsAsia. 2011-04-17.
- ↑ "Singapore Day". 2GB.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Man complains about being barred from Singapore Day in Sydney for being Caucasian". Yahoo.
- ↑ "Singapore party ban on whites at Botanic Gardens event attacked as racist". Daily Telegraph.
- ↑ "I felt guilty attending Singapore Day 2013 IN SYDNEY TODAY". The Real Singapore. 2013-10-12.
- ↑ "Singapore Day event accused of racism". Nine News. 2013-10-15.