Unofficial 'fashion show' that was Racial Harmony Day
Observed every July 21, the Racial Harmony Day was launched in 1997 to mark the 1964 racial riots in which more than 20 people died and hundreds others injured.
Schools in Singapore encourage pupils and students to wear their traditional costumes to school. The schools would also organise activities to give the pupils and students a peek into the traditions and practices of the different cultures.
On June 9, 2003, a working committee chaired by then Minister of State Chan Soo Sen issued the Declaration of Religious Harmony:
"We, the people in Singapore, declare that religious harmony is vital for peace, progress and prosperity in our multi-racial and multi-religious Nation. We resolve to strengthen religious harmony through mutual tolerance, confidence, respect, and understanding. We shall always recognise the secular nature of our State, promote cohesion within our society, respect each other's freedom of religion, grow our common space while respecting our diversity, foster inter-religious communications, and thereby ensure that religion will not be abused to create conflict and disharmony in Singapore."
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