The NYAA Bronze And Silver Award Presentation Ceremony

11 Apr 2005

By Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister Of State For Information, Communications And The Arts And Health

Mr Inderjit Singh

Acting Chairman, NYAA Council

Mr James Soh

Executive Director, NYAA Council

Principals and Teachers

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am pleased to join you this afternoon at the National Youth Achievement Award Bronze and Silver Award Presentation Ceremony.

This afternoon's ceremony is very significant. Today we are publicly recognizing and endorsing the outstanding contributions and achievements of our young men and women.

The NYAA programme was established 12 years ago.  The number of participants then was 150. Today it has more than 92,000 participants. This is quite a remarkable record. I understand that the programme is very well received both by the schools and youth organizations as well as the young people themselves. This programme fosters discipline and character. It promotes confidence and teamwork. It teaches our young people many skills and attributes.  Hence they are well prepared for the challenges ahead. The NYAA programme also inculcates community service as a way of life.

When the tsunami struck parts of South and South East Asia on 26 December 2005, the NYAA Council received many enquires from the NYAA participants who wanted to travel to the disaster area to offer their help. Some of the participants did go to the disaster areas. Let me tell you about the work undertaken by two of these people. Mr Elisha Teo, a Gold Award holder from the 2004 cohort and an undergraduate with NTU, was part of the Red Cross Team in Sri Lanka providing health care service at Trincomalee. He was there from 5 to 17 January 2005 providing different service for the Sri Lankan people. Upon his return, he has to balance his time between his studies and the work involved in planning for the next trip. Mr Teo will be heading for Acheh, Indonesia at the end of May to provide relief work under the Singapore Red Cross. He will be the Mission Commander of the Red Cross Humanitarian Mission to Acheh, Indonesia.

Another Gold Award holder, Mr Darren Soh of the 1998 cohort travelled to Sri Lanka with Mercy Relief. He went to capture the spirit of the Sri Lankan people through photography. In Sri Lanka, he saw destruction everywhere he went. However, amidst this destruction he saw hope. He also witnessed the strength and determination of the people to survive and he was impressed with their tenacity to carry on. He wanted to photograph this sense of hope and, as such all the images, which he captured, help to dignify the Sri Lankan people at a tragic time.  They are not mere snapshots of a tragedy.

Upon his return, he hosted a photo exhibition to raise the level of awareness among Singaporeans about the Tsunami tragedy. The exhibition highlights the spirit of the Sri Lankan people and honours them through the visual arts. These are examples of how the NYAA Gold Award holders can make a difference to the world community through their service to mankind. Both Gold Award holders have different interests and expertise and yet both of them are able to contribute.

An important feature of the NYAA programme is that any young person can sign up for it. They work to provide community service, undertake adventure training develop leadership development or participation in the sports or the arts. Every one stretches and challenges himself or herself to reach the target they set for themselves. Hence, there are no winners and losers. Indeed, the NYAA Programme provides for progress from the Bronze level to the pinnacle of the NYAA Programme, the Gold Award. In this way, every participant can be the best he or she would like to be.

Creating and providing a conducive environment for young people to nurture and hone their skills and personalities must remain a priority for Singapore if we want to survive in the future.

In this regard, the NYAA Council has done well in providing the opportunity and the platform for the youth to develop and excel. Our young people have a very important role ahead of them as the potential movers and leaders of tomorrow. Their ability to face the challenges ahead will depend on the foundation they lay for themselves today. I believe the NYAA Programme can provide them a platform to develop these attributes.

I am very pleased to note that many young people whom have successfully completed the NYAA Bronze and Silver level will be receiving their Award this afternoon.

To the Bronze Award recipients, I would like to congratulate you for successfully completing the first stage of the Award. I would like to encourage you to go for the next level, the Silver Award.

My congratulations to the recipients of the Silver Award. You have done well and are now a step nearer to the Gold Award, the pinnacle of the NYAA Programme. This would be the last lap, so I encourage you to go for the Gold.

In conclusion, I would like to commend the NYAA Council for the good work in the development of our youth. I would also like to congratulate the principals, teachers and youth leaders who have come into partnership with the NYAA Council to provide opportunities for our young people to improve themselves and play a role in our progress as a nation

The NYAA Programme is a commendable youth development programme. We should all give our support to our young people and together we will achieve a brighter future.

On this note, I thank you.