This year’s National Day Rally (NDR) was held at the same venue, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) campus. However, the person who commanded our attention on stage was different. Our newly appointed Prime Minister, Mr Lawrence Wong was the one delivering his maiden NDR speech. In keeping with tradition, he also delivered the speech in Malay, Mandarin and English. Hats off to our PMs, past and present for their linguistic talent.
It’s an era of change, not only in our leadership but also a world fraught with new challenges. We need to meet these challenges head on, review our options and carve new niches to survive and prosper. While we have heard some of the exciting plans from PM Wong, it is also timely for us to reflect on how we, as citizens and also those with a stake in Singapore can prepare and equip ourselves to meet the challenges and contribute effectively.
Let’s SWOT this out. Those familiar with management lingo would know that SWOT refers to Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. We need to review not only our current strengths and weaknesses but also what we need to develop and improve continuously to catch future opportunities and mitigate threats. Hence the repeated exhortation for every individual to pursue lifelong learning, irrespective of our age.
Nurturing the mind is crucial to keep us engaged and relevant in an evolving world. But this would be impossible if we do not have the energy for our pursuits. We have all been reminded repeatedly that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans would be age 65 and above, making us a super aged society. How do we keep ourselves fit and better still, be able to help seniors age well.
This is just a start. We intend to form other networks for alumni with common interests to connect, learn and share with one another. Interests can range from community engagement, to technology to hobbies and more. Let’s keep active, doing good to ourselves and for others!
