Partnership with the Free State of Saxony captivates with a rendition of ‚Majulah Singapura‘ by 800 year old ‚Kreuzchor‘ Dresden

Instead of the annual National Day Reception usually marking celebrations of the “Day of German Unity” each year, German Ambassador Dr Norbert Riedel has invited frontline workers from the public transport and healthcare sectors for a treat at one of the German restaurants in Singapore in the weeks following October 3, Germany’s National Day, in line with local rules and regulations. In addition, roughly 20 German companies have joined a donation campaign that he initiated on the same occasion that has brought in more than 80,000 SGD that will support three local Singaporean charities: Food from the Heart (FFTH), Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) and Mainly I Love Kids (MILK). Staff of the German Embassy also got a chance to volunteer at FFTH, packing and distributing food packs to needy families during the month of September. This allowed for a better understanding of some of the needs of the community here in Singapore, as well as more about the organization which was also co-founded by a German immigrant in Singapore.

Dr Norbert Riedel, Germany’s Ambassador to Singapore, explains the rationale behind the project: “The Covid-19 pandemic is a challenge for all of us. While moving our celebration online again due to Covid restrictions might feel like a ‘setback’, I saw it as a chance for us to do something good.
I am overwhelmed by the response from the German business community who have helped to draw attention to those who are less fortunate in dealing with the economic and social effects of the pandemic here in Singapore. Going through the pandemic together on this same island adds an extra token of solidarity to the long-standing relations that Singapore and Germany have long enjoyed. Hence it is fitting that these businesses give back to the society.”   

Going virtual for its 3rd October celebrations for the second time since the start of the pandemic, the German Embassy also partnered this year with the Free State of Saxony, one of the 16 federal German states with particularly strong ties to Singapore. Mr. Michael Kretschmer, the Prime Minister of Saxony recalls his latest visit to Singapore “This fascinating country full of innovation and full of energy impressed me a lot.”, wishing Singaporeans and Germans every success and emphasized “I am likewise impressed by the many German companies and the community that ensured this good relationship between our two countries.”

World-renowned boys choir ‚Dresdner Kreuzchor‘ with a tradition dating back more than 800 years shared a very special musical greeting to Singapore: a rendition of ‚Majulah Singapura‘, among a series of performances in front of the iconic and historic Dresden landscape.

You can watch a video of our virtual celebration here:
GERMAN NATIONAL DAY 2021

BACKGROUND:

Day of German Unity

The Day of German Unity is Germany's national day. It commemorates the German reunification on 3 October 1990. The fall of the Berlin Wall on the 9th of November in 1989, which marked the end of the Cold War, paved the way for German reunification barely a year later. The Unification Treaty that was signed on the 20th of September in 1990 and declares the 3rd of October the national holiday, sealing the end of the division of Germany and also Europe.
For a video summary of our celebrations, please visit: t1p.de/us66

Free State of Saxony

The title 'Free State' refers to Saxony's democratic tradition – a state not governed by a sovereign, but by free citizens. The Free State of Saxony does not have any privileges or legal peculiarities which would distinguish her from other federal states, but does have much older state traditions.

Many companies with production facilities in the state’s microelectronics cluster dubbed ’Silicon Saxony’ are invested in Singapore such as Siltronic Freiberg and Infineon. Vice versa, Singaporean companies also have a presence in Saxony. STEngineering for one, is partnering with Airbus at Elbe-Flugzeugwerke in Saxony and the technology from Saxony is used in STAerospace’s passenger-to-freight conversion facilities in Singapore. The Prime Minister of Saxony Michael Kretschmer had visited Singapore in 2019 with a delegation of representatives from the science and business communities.

On top of this, Singapore’s National Gallery in cooperation with the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD) will once again showcases the Children’s Biennale entitled “Embracing Nature” in September 2021. The partnership between the two museums began in 2018 and marked the start of a 5-year partnership to explore the exhibition and programming space. On the education front, partnerships between the world-renowned universities in Singapore and the main cities in Saxony are continuously viewed as mutually beneficial and ever-evolving. 

Dresdner Kreuzchor

The Dresdner Kreuzchor enjoys a world-wide reputation as one of the best boys' choirs in Germany. It has an 800 year-old history and is the oldest cultural institutions of the city of Dresden. Today, the choir has about 140 members between the ages of 9 and 19, from Dresden and the surrounding region. The boys attend the Kreuzschule in Dresden. They are also called “Kruzianer”. The choir regularly performs on concert tours in Europe, but also Asia or the Americas.

ON THE CHARITIES:

Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD)

Society for the Physically Disabled is a charity set up in Singapore in 1964 to help people with disabilities of all ages to maximise their potential and integrate them into mainstream society. Their support is also extended to family members and caregivers to ensure a better network of care for their loved ones with disabilities. Many of their beneficiaries are from low-income families. SPD’s services catered to more than 10,000 people with disabilities.

Mainly I Love Kids (MILK)

MILK believes that no child should be left behind regardless of disability, illness, or circumstance. It grew out of the Hope Fund, which was started under the umbrella of the Catholic Welfare Services in the 90s and was subsequently registered in 2004. It was set up to help children and young persons access medical treatment for chronic illnesses but as it progressed, it went beyond just medical treatment because having a chronically-ill child impacts the whole family, in particular, their siblings. MILK supports the 3 main areas: support for education; special and specific need and journeying with families.

Food from the Heart (FFTH)

Food from the Heart is a non-profit organisation that feeds the needy through its food distribution programme since February 2003. It is one of Singapore's foremost food charity with IPC status devoted to alleviating hunger through the efficient distribution of food in a sustainable manner; and making a significant impact in food waste reduction. With the support of partners, donors, food industry partners and more than 10,000 volunteers, Food from the Heart made a difference to the lives of 53,700 people throughout Singapore by distributing S$6.35 million worth of food in 2020.