By: Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports
At Singapore Management University, 10.00 am
Professor Howard Hunter, President of the Singapore Management University
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
A very good morning to all of you. I am always happy to be back in SMU, to witness the energy, ideas and ideals of the SMU family. I note that you have successfully organized three large scale fund-raising projects and have managed to exceed your target of $15,000 in donations. I congratulate the organizing committee, all participating organizations and students for a job well done.
I believe we are all familiar with the saying, ''Volunteer -not so you can build your resume, but so you can build yourself.'' Volunteering is an opportunity to translate your ideals into action, to generate new ideas on how to make a real difference to your society and to strengthen your relationships with a diverse group of people sharing a common mission. It is, of course, also an expression of our common humanity - all of us will need help at some point, and all of us should be willing to extend help whenever we can.
I am glad to note that you also had fun. Those of you who were involved in the ''Car Foam Party'' to raise funds by washing cars managed to set your name in the Singapore Book of Records for the most number of cars washed in a single charity event - well done!
The Singapore that we work towards must be motivated by a vision to be a compassionate society that shares success and failure. We must not allow our hearts to become hardened to the needs of the less fortunate around us because we are distracted by the pursuit of personal goals and concerns.
With starringSMU?09 coming to an end, I would like you to ask yourselves two questions: What is it that you truly treasure in life? What kind of society do you want to see? For it will be your values and your vision that will lay the foundation of Singapore's future. May this event not be a finale, but an opening to a new chapter of your lives - marked with inspiration, boldness and compassion.
Thank you.
MCYS SPEECH NO: 54/2009
DATE OF ISSUE: 29/07/2009