Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's speech at the Foreign Service Scholarship Virtual Dialogue Session 2020

1             Friends, colleagues, parents and of course the scholarship recipients. A very good afternoon to all of you. Let me begin, of course, by extending my heartiest congratulations to all six recipients of this year's Foreign Service Scholarship. I do not need to tell you that you have made your parents proud, very proud. Speaking as a parent myself, I know that nothing gives us greater joy than seeing our children grow up, reach a level of maturity and achievement that all of us can take pride in. For those of you who are receiving the scholarship, I know you have worked very hard to get to where you are today. I know it is entirely justified for you to celebrate your achievements, but I also hope you will appreciate the fact that you are where you are because of the love and support of your parents, families, teachers, colleagues, friends, and schoolmates. I say this, as I also want to remind you to remain grounded in the midst of success, and to appreciate the special, unique journey that each one of you has taken to arrive to where you are today.

2             You are in a sense, still in the beginning phase of your journey in life, and you have chosen to take this next phase of your journey in foreign affairs and diplomacy. In a sense, you could not have chosen a better time. This is a most fascinating period in world history. You are living through a revolution and you are watching the world order reach an inflection point. The world that we have known since the end of the Second World War seventy-five years ago is undergoing rapid, volatile, and uncertain transition. Globalisation and economic integration have been the recipe for peace and prosperity, and for constructive cooperation amongst nation states since the end of the Second World War. These pillars of peace and prosperity are now under stress. All over the world, we watch protectionist, nationalist, and in fact, sometimes even xenophobic attitudes come to the fore. On top of that, there is also a digital revolution well underway. This in turn has also driven a rise in these attitudes because it has created greater anxiety, it has affected middle class wages, and it has affected jobs across the entire spectrum. But it has also gone further to change the way the economies and the way our businesses operate. It offers both incredible opportunities to the most nimble and gifted individuals and the companies in the right place with the right technologies. But it has also disrupted societies, disrupted economies, and will pose a great challenge to countries and to people who are not ready to face this revolution.

3            In addition, superpower rivalry has also sharpened and sharpened very distinctly over the last few months and indeed, has been building up over the last few years. Within our own region in Southeast Asia, we watch anxiously as tensions have risen between the US and China, across a broad range of issues from trade to intellectual property, cyber security, and a potential bifurcation of the technology stack. The most recent event, COVID-19, over the last 6, 7, 8 months has aggravated and accelerated these trends, and it has plunged the world into the deepest global recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. So, it is not an understatement to say that the next decade will be critical for us in Singapore as we ourselves have to adjust to these disruptions and for us to position ourselves for a post-COVID world. It is important to understand that the post-COVID world is not a return to the status quo ante. We are not going to get back to that old normal. Whatever it is, there will be a new normal and we have to find it, and to find our niche in it. We have to find the optimal role that Singapore can take in this new normal.

4            The key purpose of our foreign policy is to advance the long-term, enlightened interests of Singapore and Singaporeans. This means it begins at home. First, on the domestic front, we need to restructure our economy. In particular, we need to upgrade the skills of all Singaporeans. We need to strengthen our social compact, even as we deal with the volatility and the disruption which we anticipate will occur on the economic front. Externally, it means maintaining our reputation for trustworthiness and reliability. The ability, sometimes to say “no” to other states, big or small, powerful, or not so powerful – and to do so not because we just want to throw a tantrum, but because we are upholding our legitimate national rights and we are conforming with international law.

5             It also means serving Singaporeans directly, as we have been doing on a large scale over the last few months. Particularly in the first few months of COVID-19, we embarked on our largest consular operation in our history to bring Singaporeans overseas back home, and we made the commitment that no Singaporean will be left behind. This, in a sense, represents what the privilege of citizenship is. That there are a people called Singaporeans, we look out for each other, and we leave no one behind. When the going gets tough, that is when you know you have a country and you have fellow countrymen.

6            So, a lot is at stake in the coming years and we will need a Foreign Service that is manned by some of the best Singaporeans available: who are tenacious, dedicated individuals with the skills, the commitment and the conviction to do what is best for Singapore and Singaporeans. So, as you embark on your university careers, you must do your part. Remembering first and foremost that you are a Singaporean, that you are a responsible citizen, that you have to promote and protect Singapore's image, Singapore's interests, even whilst you are studying abroad. In a sense, you are already going to represent us. You must make full use of this opportunity that the scholarship presents, to not only represent Singapore on the global stage, and in the stages that you will find yourself in. You must use this opportunity to explore new territories, scale new heights, broaden your minds and expand your networks. You have to strive for excellence in everything you do. You have to use this time, as I have said earlier, to broaden your minds, and that means to also develop the ability to have multiple perspectives on issues. This attempt to understand the world, to make sense of it, and the ability to put yourself in different people's shoes and their different perspectives, is absolutely an essential skill and attitude that you will need when you are a practising diplomat after graduation. So remember, you are from this day onward, a member of the MFA family, and you have a responsibility to fly our flag high, in this noble mission to protect and promote Singapore, our Foreign Service, and our citizens.

7             For Rebekah, I believe you are going for a dual-degree program in France and the US. You will therefore have an opportunity to understand and appreciate two distinct cultures and worldviews. For Wang Di, I hope your internship with MFA’s Middle East Directorate earlier this year has helped to prepare you for the Middle East and Mediterranean program, which you will be pursuing. Lorraine, I believe you are pursuing your course in Germany and this will undoubtedly give you unparalleled insights into a rich and unique culture. For Isaac and Yang Jin, who will both be studying in London, I hope you will take full advantage of the cosmopolitan, multicultural metropolis in which you will find yourself. Andrea, your chosen major in Science, Technology and International Affairs is highly relevant as countries around the world look to forge consensus on the rules, the norms and the principles for a digital age, one where there is a technological revolution and where science meets society. While the six of you, if you look around at one another, are actually pursuing quite different courses, it is in fact, this multidisciplinary nature of your courses that is a reminder of the multidisciplinary nature of diplomacy. That means your skills and your expertise in your own way, will uniquely contribute to the fulfillment of MFA’s mission. What is most important for all of you is to be intellectually nimble, cognitively deep and yet, flexible. Remain curious. Sometimes, asking the right question is more important than getting the right answer.

8            Be acutely aware that these are unprecedented and uncertain times, and you need both that sense of adventure and that ability to take risks when necessary, the wisdom to know what should not be changed, but also the wisdom to know that there are things that do need to be changed. Simply going on a straight-line, business-as-usual path is not enough. I also need you to have the confidence and the resilience to know that sometimes things will not work exactly according to plan. Let me be very frank with you. Scholars, clearly you have a track record of excellence and success, and that is why you are here. But, it is all the more important to remember, and to remind yourself that life is not a straight line. There will be ups and downs, there will be successes and there will be failures. You will make many right decisions and sometimes you will also make the wrong decision. What counts in life is not a perfect record, but an ability to bounce back. It is how you respond, especially when you are pushed beyond your comfort zone. That is the difference between long-term success and long-term fulfillment, versus failure. So, for all of you, you are now on the cusp of a very exciting journey. I have always reminded every batch of scholars that I meet, it is wonderful to be young. It is wonderful to have your life ahead of you. It is wonderful to be taking this step on a new journey. Please treat it as an adventure, look forward with both confidence and a sense of wonderment, that there is something big, unseen, intangible and inchoate at this point in time, but it is something very exciting ahead of you.

9             Finally, let me end with this note that a scholarship is not a transaction. It is not a matter of signing a bond or finding sureties to underwrite the bond. It is a commitment to a cause. It is a source of pride for your parents. On your part, it is a commitment to a noble cause, and one in which you have solemnly and voluntarily entered into. What I want you all to appreciate, is that it is a privilege to have a country, and it is a privilege to have an opportunity to serve that country. It is a privilege to be the recipient of that vote of confidence, and that vote of investment that your country places on you. So, it is an honor and a meaningful burden, but it is also a fulfilling journey. I wish you all the very best in the years ahead and welcome to the MFA family. Thank you very much.