Racial Harmony Day 2012 : People, Places, Memories

Hua Yi Secondary School commemorated Racial Harmony Day with meaningful lessons, appetising display of traditional desserts and engaging traditional games.

The commemoration started a week before the Racial Harmony Day with presentations of Quote of the Week from Class 2E3 and 2E4. Class 2E3 presented on the topic ‘We must preserve racial and religious harmony.’ and class 2E4 presented on ‘Meet and Greet – The different cultures’ way.’

On 19 July 2012, all students had lessons during their CE periods on how to preserve racial harmony in Singapore with the Sec 1 classes focusing on enhancing their understanding why it is important to be sensitive to the beliefs of other races and religions and how they can play an active role in diffusing racial/religious tension and conflict. The Sec 2 classes were guided on understanding how to appreciate cultural diversity and to take personal action to foster racial harmony. Lesson for the Sec 3 classes focused on the issue of integration of foreigner/ new citizens in Singapore and understanding the importance of appreciating and understanding people of different nationalities, race and religion. The Sec 4 and 5 classes discussed how the nation can manage ethnic diversity by fostering national identity, safeguarding the interests of the minority groups and developing common space.

Prior to the lessons during recess, the Home Economics Club students, together with the ONE Advocates and Heritagers, set up booths to showcase some of the traditional desserts by the different races in Singapore. Visitors to the booths were informed on the way in which the desserts are made, and some of the ingredients from which they are made. The traditional desserts display was tied in with the Sec 2 Citizenship Education package for them to understand more about the cultures of the different races.


On 20 July 2012, the ONE Advocates led the morning assembly with a presentation on Racial Harmony Day and the Declaration of Racial Harmony Day. Everyone participated in pledging their support for racial harmony. Class 3N2 presented on the racial harmony theme: People. Places. Memories followed by presentation by class 3N1, which presented on ‘Is fasting unique to Muslims?’



During recess, the student councillors and ONE Advocates came together to present to the school four traditional games that were played during the kampong days. The games presented were five stones, capteh, hopscotch and Chinese chess.


The lessons and activities were planned in line with Racial Harmony theme “People, Places, Memories”, which seeks to bring together the future aspirations of our nation (People) and the recollections of our past moments of joy shared with our friends from all races (Memories). These 2 aspects are consolidated in defining Singapore as our “Home” and reflect our shared history and common destiny upon which our sense of identity as Singaporeans is built.

QUOTE OF THE DAY - INTEGRITY

"Living with integrity means: not settling for less than what you know you deserve in your relationships. Asking for what you want and need from others. Speaking you truth, even though it might create conflict or tension. Behaving in ways that are in harmony with your personal values and making choices based on what you believe, and not what others believe"
By Barbara De Angelis

Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right; decide on what you think is right and stick to it.
By Charles Caleb Cotton

Quote of the day - Benevolence

When you make a mistake, don’t look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.
Hugh White(1773 – 1840)

Only I can change my life. No one else can do it for me (Carol Burnett)

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing that you will make one. (unknown)

Quote of the Day - To be One

1. Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you
were born in it. (George Bernard Shaw)

2. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the
world.Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. (Margaret Mead)

3. Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what can you do for your country.”
(John F. Kennedy)

4. Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, BUT how we react to what happens.
Not by what life brings to us, BUT by the attitude we bring to life. (unknown)