MFA Press Statement: Official Opening of 'The Accessible Arctic' Photo Exhibition, 12 August 2013

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Culture, Community and Youth Sam Tan and High Commissioner of Canada to Singapore Heather Grant at the official opening of 'The Accessible Arctic' photo exhibition. [Photo: MFA]
 

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Culture, Community and Youth Mr Sam Tan was the Guest of Honour at the official opening of 'The Accessible Arctic', a photo exhibition of the Canadian Arctic jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore and the Canadian High Commission at The Cathay Gallery on 12 August 2013. 

The exhibition showcases 80 years of photography from the Canadian Geographic Society.  In his remarks, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Tan noted that the exhibition demonstrated the wide-ranging cooperation between Canada and Singapore, as well as Singapore's interest to promote knowledge and awareness of the Arctic region to Singaporeans. 

A transcript of Senior Parliamentary Secretary Tan's remarks is appended.  The exhibition will be open to the public until 31 August 2013.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

12 AUGUST 2013

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TRANSCRIPT OF SPS SAM TAN'S REMARKS

Her Excellency Heather Grant, the High Commissioner of Canada

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

A very good evening to all of you.  It is a great pleasure to be here at the opening of the “Accessible Arctic” photo exhibition.  In this part of the world, the Arctic is not as well understood as it should be, and this exhibition aims to redress that.  This exhibition will make the Arctic more “accessible” and will widen Singaporeans’ perception of the Arctic as purely a region associated with polar bears and icebergs. 

We are therefore delighted to partner the High Commission of Canada to bring this exhibition to Singapore, particularly given our recently-attained observer status at the Arctic Council.  Singapore is a small, tropical country located about one hundred and thirty-seven kilometres north of the equator.  However, we have a significant interest in the Arctic.  It may come as a surprise to many that there are 2 Singapore-built icebreakers currently working in the Arctic.  There are also Singaporeans involved in the Arctic.  We have with us here tonight Don and Kar Yee Thornton, whose company Thornton Media creates iPad apps to teach indigenous languages to children in Arctic communities as a way to preserve their cultural heritage.  We also have with us Ms Tan Wyn Lyn, an artist of Arctic landscapes.  Singapore also welcomes a large number of visitors from the Arctic every year - Arctic Birds, migrating from the Arctic, stop over at the wetlands at the Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve on their way south.

The “Accessible Arctic” Exhibition is particularly appreciated because it brings some of the beauty of the Arctic to Singapore.  Many of you would also know that the Singapore Zoo is showcasing their “Frozen Tundra” exhibit.  Such initiatives have gone a long way to create and raise awareness of the Arctic amongst a large number of Singaporeans.  To encourage exchanges, we welcomed representatives of the Arctic indigenous peoples to Singapore this year on study visits to engage and share our skills and expertise on a range of areas under our technical assistance programme.  The indigenous communities were able to see how Singapore approached technical education and visit some of our offshore and marine engineering facilities.  They were also introduced to Singapore’s world-famous street food such as satay and carrot cake at our hawker centre.

Arctic-related issues affect us all.  As the climate changes, the Arctic region might be the world’s early-warning system.  Singapore is concerned about the effects of the melting polar icecap and rising sea levels.  The emergence of new sea routes in the Arctic will also pose new challenges for Singapore, and create new opportunities as well.  We, like many Arctic States, recognise the importance of protecting the Arctic environment and ensuring sustainable development in the region.  I hope that the “Accessible Arctic” photo exhibition will leave a lasting impression about the Arctic’s importance and global relevance. 

The Accessible Arctic exhibition is another example of the close collaboration between Canada and Singapore.  It has generated positive momentum for closer cooperation between Canada and Singapore in the Arctic Council.  I am therefore confident that both countries will continue to work even more closely together in improving affairs in the Arctic.

I wish you an enlightening evening as you are teleported to a diverse and colourful world of the Arctic region.   

Thank you.

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