Ordinary Singaporeans take centre stage at NDP 2024 show

The National Day Parade (NDP) returns to the Padang on Aug 9. The six-chapter show will kick off after a pre-parade segment, with the theme of Together, As One United People.

We Uplift One Another, the fifth segment of the show, will reflect on Singapore as a caring and compassionate society.

It will feature 700 performers from Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai Singapore, in its 39th year performing at the NDP, as well as 234 performers from non-profit arts organisation Voices of Singapore (VOS).

The performance is anchored by a short film titled Care And Compassion, which is accompanied by emotive songs.

NDP 2024 creative producer Noorlinah Mohamed told The Straits Times on July 19 that the ordinary Singaporeans featured are the heroes of the film – she and her team looked for different Singaporeans to put a spotlight on those going above and beyond to uplift the community and those around them.

The Straits Times spoke with four participants featured in this segment to find out more.

Social worker who hopes to break mental health stigma

Mr Devanantthan Tamilselvii, the co-founder and executive director of non-profit organisation Mental ACT, experienced the grief of losing a close friend to suicide while serving his national service.

After dealing with the loss, and compounded by his personal problems, the social worker was diagnosed with depression and had suicidal ideations. He also wondered where people like him would belong in the community, being someone with a mental health condition.

Having received training as a suicide interventionist, Mr Devanantthan provided support to anyone who was suicidal.

On a date night with his then girlfriend, now wife, Priyahnisha Noorulla, he received a call in the wee hours of the morning from someone who needed help.

The couple went to the Housing Board block where the person lived, and sat with him for two hours, listening.It was this incident that inspired the creation of Mental ACT.

 

“Towards the end of our time with him, he asked: ‘Why aren’t there more people like you guys? Why isn’t there an organisation or any form of agency that caters to mental health, especially suicide, within the South Asian community?’” Mr Devanantthan recalled.

“That’s how Mental ACT was born – along the streets, from the ground – by just two individuals who wanted to do something so that someone else like us wouldn’t be alone with thoughts of suicidal ideation.”

The couple co-founded the non-profit in 2017, with the aim of providing mental health programmes and services to the South Asian community and the larger Singapore population.

NDP creative director Brian Gothong Tan, speaking to ST at a media event on July 19, said he thought Mr Devanantthan’s story was quite hard-hitting, especially when he talked about the death of his friend.

NDP is a platform through which Singaporeans can learn about ordinary people who are doing extraordinary work, Mr Tan added.

“Let’s talk about the things that we don’t talk about in Singapore. You know, I felt it was just very important to make the invisible visible. Things that we don’t talk about (such as) mental health… How can we celebrate Singapore when we leave out certain people? That’s just not who we are,” he said.

Mr Devanantthan hopes that his organisation will shutter one day – for a good reason.

“It’s because we are no longer relevant, because we will have reached a stage where the community is empathetic and knowledgeable, and mental healthcare is affordable and accessible… where common men can get the necessary intervention.”

Singer with neurodiversity and her supportive sister hope for more inclusive arts scene in the future

Neurodivergent singer Christie Klassen, 21, will be performing at the NDP for the first time.

Ms Klassen, who has autism, performed for the National Day Concert 2023 as part of the virtual choir and the President’s Star Charity in 2015.

Ms Klassen is a member of VOS Starlight Voices – a choir of talented people with special needs.

She started singing in the school choir at Pathlight School – the first autism-focused school here – when she was a Primary 3 student.

“Singing makes me happy,” Ms Klassen said.

Her sister Genevieve, 29, is a special educator at the school and supports Christie in her pursuits.

“We have the same interests; I also like to sing. For Christie, we are trying to develop her talent. So, wherever I can support her, I would like to do it. When she does well, I think all of us feel happy for her as well,” the older Klassen sibling said.

Ms Tham Pei Wen, conductor of Starlight Voices, said that Christie seemed quite afraid of the cheering at the end of their performance, because the clapping from the audience could be quite overwhelming for her.

She hopes through education and advocacy that Singaporeans will become more aware of how to support people with special needs. 

“I know you want to show support. You are cheering, but the way to show support might be a little bit different for this group of children. We share… how to behave around them and hopefully, the audience will also become a bit more educated in this way,” she added.

Genevieve will be performing alongside Christie at the NDP with the Starlight Voices choir.

She hopes that the arts scene in Singapore will become more inclusive in the future, citing Starlight Voices as an example.

Student volunteer wishes to offer humanitarian aid in the future

Student Natasha Zain, 18, volunteers with non-profit organisation SG Beach Warriors to help with islandwide beach cleanups, as well as charitable organisation Blossom World Society to clean the homes of seniors.

Currently in her second year of studies at Tampines Meridian Junior College, Ms Zain grew up learning about the importance of gratitude and service.

“Growing up, my parents instilled in me the importance of service to the community and giving back. My primary school, secondary school and junior college experiences reinforced the importance of service to the community. So that’s how I grew up, with these shaping my personal values and beliefs,” the student volunteer said.

 

Ms Zain said that she started volunteering in 2022, after her O-level examinations.

She used to volunteer two to three times a month in 2023 before reducing the frequency of her volunteer work to once a month because of her A-level examinations in 2024.

“I have a bigger goal: I would like to offer humanitarian aid to different countries around the world,” said Ms Zain.