NDP 2013: Theme for this year"s parade "Many Stories... One Singapore"

And for the first time, there will be a variety show. It will feature personal and collective Singapore stories through nine short and entertaining segments filled with music, movement and humour.

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File photo of Singapore celebrating its 46th birthday in 2011 with a National Day Parade at the Marina Bay Floating Platform.

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SINGAPORE: ‘Many Stories… One Singapore’ – that’s the theme for this year’s National Day Parade as the nation celebrates its 48th birthday.

And for the first time, there will be a variety show. It will feature personal and collective Singapore stories through nine short and entertaining segments filled with music, movement and humour.

Another first for this year – a video of stories about Singaporeans in line with the Total Defence 2013 theme “Will you stand with me?”.

This will be showcased during the Parade and Ceremony segments.

To be held at The Float @ Marina Bay, the parade will also feature the traditional crowd favourites such as the 21-Gun Salute and the Feu de Joie.

This year’s theme song will also be sung by a choir made up of 68 individuals who auditioned for it.

They will be featured in a reality show “Sing A Nation” to be shown on Channel 5 as a lead up to NDP 2013.

The NDP logo for this year is made up of different circles and colours that come together, forming the shape of Singapore.

The circles symbolise the many stories – at the personal, community and nationals levels – that have shaped our common history.

The NDP Exco Committee also invites Singaporeans to share their personal stories and even photos and videos in a project called “Our Stories” which will also be showcased in the lead up to the parade.

They can submit their pieces to www.ndp.org.sg.

- CNA/de

NDP 2013: Theme for this year"s parade "Many Stories... One Singapore"

Singapore to host WTA Championships

SINGAPORE – Singapore will host the glittering annual finale of the women’s tennis season from 2014 until 2018, the WTA said on Wednesday.

The Southeast Asian city-state beat Tianjin in China and Mexico’s Monterrey for the right to stage the WTA Championships after Turkey’s Istanbul ends its three-year stint in October.

“Your sensational city, the amazing city of Singapore, has won the right to host the WTA Championships for the next five years from 2014,” WTA chairman and chief executive Stacey Allaster told reporters.

Allaster called the agreement a record breaker and “the largest and most significant WTA partnership in our history”, with prize money increased to a record $6.5 million.

The season-ender is the most prestigious women’s tennis event outside the four grand slam tournaments – the Australian, French and U.S. Opens plus Wimbledon.

The top eight singles and doubles pairs over the season qualify for the event which was won last year by American world number one Serena Williams. Russian pair Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova took the doubles title.

The event was first staged in 1972 in the United States but has moved around the world since 2001 with Munich, Madrid and Doha joining New York and Los Angeles in staging it.

The hosting rights are a major coup for Singapore, which has not held a top level tennis event since the 1999 Heineken Cup on the men’s ATP Tour. Lower ranked challenger events and exhibition tournaments have struggled to attract crowds.

The event will take place at the Sports Hub complex, which is due to be finished by the first quarter of 2014 at a cost of S$1.3 billion ($1.05 billion).

The impressive complex will feature a 55,000-seater stadium with retractable roof, a 13,000 indoor stadium, aquatics centre and water sports centre.

The indoor stadium will host the show court with the other facilities to be used in a entertainment filled “10 day fan fest.”

The venue could be key for sports and entertainment businesses to tap into the lucrative southeast Asian market with Singapore’s low crime rate and overall ease of doing business a rarity amongst nearby nations.

World Sports Group, the commercial partner of the Sports Hub, have talked previously about attracting a rugby 7s event and Indian Premier League Twenty20 matches. WSG Chief Executive Andrew Georgiou said the WTA Championships was just the start.

“It is also another feather in the cap for Singapore, which continues to prove itself as Asia’s premier events destination. We are really excited about working towards the first event of 2014,” the Australian told reporters.

“We are pretty proud, one of the first of many to be announced over the next couple of months to be hosted at the Singapore sports hub.”

($1 = 1.2333 Singapore dollars)
(Additional reporting by Ossian Shine; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

Singapore to host WTA Championships

Singapore stories : Making social media good media - Campaign Asia

Last November, I was both amused and perturbed by a global report from Gallup, which said that Singaporeans are the most ‘emotionless’ and also the unhappiest people in the world. I thought, ‘How can?’ (Yes, it’s a uniquely Singaporean comment, laden with emotional undertones). I was pretty sure Gallup goofed up at the poll because I know what the people in this country are really like.

But instead of cursing at the darkness, I thought, ‘Let’s do something about it’.

As a quietly proud Singaporean, I wanted to show a different side of the people. Stories of everyday Singaporeans who are up and about doing their own thing and happy in their own personal pursuits. Stories that Gallup will never know because to uncover them you have to wade deep into the heartlands. Concerned that our stories weren’t being told, and after talking to some colleagues, we decided to launch a personal project, ‘Singaporean of the Day’.

The insight: Don’t be fooled by the quiet, seemingly emotionless demeanour of Singaporeans—there’s life on the inside. Every one of us knows someone from our Facebook friend list who is passionate about life, positively proud about Singapore (though will never say it) and is positively supporting a cause (they just don’t like research very much).

The idea: Draw out the happy Singaporeans too modest to tell their simple stories. Providing the backdrop to inspire many more to come out of the woodwork too.

This gave birth to our video project that documents Singaporeans’ take on life and how they see themselves now and in the future. This is the real Singapore the world should know about.

My agency encourages entrepreneurship and personal action. So we did what we do best—storytelling on social media. We took what we know about brands and marketing in a social age and rallied the community for good. This is advertising for change.

We didn’t want to resort to slick, over-stylised production. We wanted the voices and faces to be authentic, and transmit the same energy as if you heard the story in person. Interviews were not scripted. No make-up artist was necessary. We wanted to feature Singaporeans with their very own stories, pursuits and feelings. It might even provide good primary research material for Gallup to decode. This is communications that understands the real people of Singapore, as opposed to a poll, which focuses on the negatives rather than celebrating the happy stories, which permeate the city.

We were amazed by how the stories spread and grew, and led to more stories. The quietly polite, positive and humble Singaporeans came out to show why emotion can prove to be tricky to measure. Thirteen videos later, we found ourselves sharing our story on the stage at TEDx Singapore, as well as in the newspapers, journals and international publications. More importantly, it struck a deep emotional chord with Singaporeans. I’m pleased to say Singaporeans are living, breathing, feeling creatures. Or to use that Singlish word: ‘Emo-ting’!

There are many Singaporeans who are living their passions and taking up causes they believe in. Like Bjorn Low, who takes to urban farming in the city-state, or Mr Yeo Cheng Yang, whose passion as an opera troupe owner kept him going and humming. Or Elisa Ng, who picked up running with her children and then picked up trash as they ran. They showed the positive energy and spirit in Singaporeans.

In advertising, we are prone to talk up a good game—a good idea, a good campaign. The ‘social good’ agenda provides opportunities for brands to shape their social-media strategy, which becomes a good media strategy. We did it in Singapore and we are seeing great campaigns from all over the world.

With our own skills base, we can influence and change the social media landscape for good. We’ve proven there are lots of happy Singaporeans. What good can you do?

Singapore stories : Making social media good media - Campaign Asia

SOM to build Singapore"s tallest tower - Dezeen

News: American firm SOM has unveiled plans to build Singapore’s tallest tower as part of a mixed-use development in the Tanjong Pagar business district.

SOM’s 64-storey, 290-metre tower will be positioned on the eastern part of the Tanjong Pagar Centre site, and will contain offices on its lower floors and luxury apartments above.

A smaller tower alongside it will accommodate a business hotel with its own restaurants and conference centre as well as a pool overlooking the redesigned Tanjong Pagar City Park.

An additional six-storey building will provide a car park, shops, restaurants and entertainment as well as an area for public art and outdoor performances.

SOM is the architectural practice behind the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The firm recently proposed a floating observation deck over Grand Central Station in New York and a tower with triangular facets in Seoul – see all architecture by SOM.

Elsewhere in Singapore,the Gardens by the Bay tropical garden was named World Building of the Year at last year’s World Architecture Festival, where Dezeen filmed an interview with architect Chris Wilkinson about the project – see all architecture in Singapore.

Here’s some more information from SOM:

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Tanjong Pagar Centre

Singapore, Singapore

Positioned as a premier quality business and lifestyle hub, the 1.7-million-gross-square-foot Tanjong Pagar Centre will provide a mix of uses, comprising office, residential, retail and hospitality, in Singapore’s historic Tanjong Pagar central business district. The development will be a significant contribution to the evolving skyline of Singapore and will become a landmark destination, serving as a gateway to the future waterfront city.

The centerpiece of the project will be a re-designed Tanjong Pagar City Park to create unique public spaces that provide activity and open space to visitors. In line with the Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority’s mission to create lively and attractive public places, protected and useful outdoor gathering spaces and sustainable urban environments, Tanjong Pagar Centre will set the standard for sustainable, livable development in Singapore for generations to come.

Located on the eastern half of the site, the mixed-use office and residential tower will feature Grade-A office space with luxury residential units above. This tower will be the tallest building in Singapore.

The free-standing mid-rise tower to the west will accommodate the luxury business hotel and its amenities, including restaurants, a conference centre, gym and pool deck overlooking the Tanjong Pagar City Park.

The six-storey podium will provide multiple levels of car parking, retail, restaurants, and entertainment, as well as the hotel, office, and residential lobby and amenities level. A large public component includes a “city room” which will feature public art and outdoor performance areas, ground-level retail, and an underground pedestrian network that will connect to the existing MRT station.

Project Completion Year: 2016

Design Completion Year: 2012

Project Area: 1,700,000 sq ft

Number of Stories: 64

Building Height: 290 m

SOM to build Singapore"s tallest tower - Dezeen

Karl Lagerfeld visits Singapore for world premiere of Chanel"s short film

Fashion maestro Karl Lagerfeld visited Singapore for the first time on May 8, 2013, for the world premiere of his short film, which was screened at Raffles Hotel Singapore. — ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Karl Lagerfeld visits Singapore for world premiere of Chanel"s short film

Singapore tourism scores with WTA Championships

SINGAPORE has beaten Tianjin, China and Monterrey, Mexico to secure a five-year contract to host the prestigious Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Championships between 2014-2018.

 

International tennis stars will battle it out every year-end at the 7,500-seat Singapore Indoor Stadium, part of the US$1 billion Singapore Sports Hub, scheduled to open in April 2014 (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 13, 2012).

 

For the first time at the WTA’s season finale, both top eight single players and top eight doubles teams will face off in the same city for the top US$6.5 million prize.

 

There will also be new entertainment events including WTA Future Stars, WTA Legends exhibition matches, concerts, coaches and trade symposiums, Women in Business Leadership Conference, daily fan festivals open to the public and a VIP experience.

 

Singapore is the first city in Asia – and the ninth city worldwide – to host the WTA Championships.

 

“This world-class event is expected to draw local and foreign tennis fans and add to Singapore’s reputation as a vibrant global city by complementing our existing suite of lifestyle offerings,” said Lionel Yeo, CEO, Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

 

World Sport Group represented Singapore for the winning bid, with support from the Singapore Sports Council and STB.

Singapore tourism scores with WTA Championships

Southeast Asian city-state emerges as 21st-century leisure capital — and conundrum

Singapore, a prosperous outpost in the sweltering heart of Southeast Asia, is growing up.

For years, this tiny island off the southern tip of Malaysia has been something of an anomaly for travelers. Westerners typically view it as a “safe” introduction to the region. Streets are spotless, crime is low, English is a second language and the street-food scene is humming.

It’s also a fascinating mix of strict laws, a highly educated populace and opulence to rival any city in the West.

Yet Singapore is still crafting an identity, as this densely populated tourist spot also faces increasing calls from its residents for political openness, environmental protection and labor rights. There also exists an effort to preserve open space amid the new, multibillion-dollar developments.

The modern, independent city-state — a fusion mostly of Chinese, Malaysian and Indian cultures — was established in the 1960s when it was dealing with a flagging economy. Now, there seems barely an undeveloped block on the 270-square-mile island of more than 5 million people. Tourists flock there to stay in five-star hotels, shop and gamble.

Gardens by the Bay is a sprawling $1 billion parks project opened last year atop 250 acres of reclaimed waterfront land. Looming over the meticulously landscaped gardens are futuristic “supertrees,” gargantuan metal-limbed sculptures garbed in living plants and topped by solar cells.

Two massive glass domes on the property re-create overseas climates indoors. One is a greenhouse conservatory of flowers, cacti, and other plants and trees from cool and arid lands. The other remakes a cloud forest, with waterfalls plunging hundreds of feet through cool mist. In the air-conditioned indoors, schoolchildren are led through educational exhibits on global warming, carbon pollution, endangered species and recycling.

Gardens by the Bay is a spectacular engineering feat, and it’s beautiful in a decidedly unnatural way.

Nearby, the center of downtown is buzzing, but not congested. Open-air food-hawker centers are packed into the night, sending the fragrance of grilling meats and spices into the air just blocks from the drab sight of fast-food restaurants.

The area is architecturally stunning. Some buildings ooze modern sophistication and others give a nod to the country’s British colonial history. The marina that once greeted immigrants and fishermen is now home to a skyline of international banking centers; luxury hotels that pipe their trademark “scent” into the lobby air; casinos that welcome tourists, but charge locals to gamble; and shopping centers and food courts. They are all products of Singapore’s tightly managed prosperity in the midst of the so-called developing world.

The price of this manufactured tranquility? A government criticized by some as autocratic, and a cost of living that is among the highest in the world. One may wonder if Singapore is a model of a sustainable urban future or an Eastern mirror of Las Vegas-style materialism.

A short distance from the central downtown area you will find glimpses of the country’s earlier history and diverse influences.

In the Kampong Glam neighborhood — once home to Malaysian royalty before the British assumed power — restored 18th-century shop houses brightly painted in shades of red, blue and marigold reside amid Muslim shrines.

A museum in the Civic District is dedicated to the unique culture of the Peranakans, descendents of Chinese and Indian merchants who married Malaysian locals. An expansive Chinatown has retained some of its historic character even as young entrepreneurs pour into nearby gastropubs at happy hour.

And while the upscale shopping area of Orchard Road is ablaze with holiday lights on winter nights, in another part of town the grittier Geylang neighborhood offers some of the country’s more notorious vices.

In the northern part of the island, a tiny train creaks along the tracks through acres of contrived African forest and savanna at the Singapore Zoo’s popular Night Safari, not far from one of the country’s crucial freshwater reservoirs.

Resorts World Sentosa is a sprawling entertainment, shopping and hotel complex located on nearby Sentosa Island. It celebrated the opening of a new aquarium in December; a wondrous series of exhibits display the ghostly visages of sharks, rays, anemones and jellyfish rising and falling behind thick glass.

And yet in the local headlines the next day, resort officials were trying to defend their environmental practices as outraged local activists accused them of poorly caring for dolphins imported to headline one of the resort’s attractions.

As Singapore opens itself more to the world, one hopes — for a country so embracing of modernity, yet so dependent on smart development, careful management of its resources and tourism — that they are getting the model right.

If You Go: Singapore

Sultan Hotel: The family-owned boutique hotel in the Kampong Glam neighborhood features traditional Muslim architectural motifs consistent with the area’s history. www.thesultan.com.sg

Singapore Zoo: Get up close with nocturnal creatures from around the world at the zoo’s popular Night Safari. Trains run until midnight. www.nightsafari.com.sg

Gardens by the Bay: Tour the magnificent outdoor gardens, and the dramatic indoor Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. Enjoy exquisite dining and views at Pollen restaurant. www.gardensbythebay.com.sg and www.pollen.com.sg

Marina Bay Sands ArtScience Museum: This lotus-shaped museum at the Marina Bay Sands hotel features engaging exhibits on art, history, science, technology and more. www.marinabaysands.com/artsciencemuseum

Lau Pa Sat hawker center: This popular indoor and outdoor market downtown is packed with indoor restaurants and outdoor grills. www.laupasat.biz

Capella Singapore: For luxury accommodations on Sentosa Island, Capella is an eye-catching architectural mix of classic and modern, with restored British colonial buildings and gorgeous views of the water. www.capellasingapore.com

Peranakan Museum: This petite jewel of museum outlines the history, art and culture of one of Singapore’s most unique peoples. www.peranakanmuseum.sg

Singapore Flyer: Take in Singapore’s stunning downtown and marina from 165 meters up on the world’s tallest Ferris wheel. www.singaporeflyer.com

Singapore River Cruise: Putter peacefully along downtown Singapore’s historic waterways in a bumboat. www.rivercruise.com.sg

Southeast Asian city-state emerges as 21st-century leisure capital — and conundrum