Friends of Chinatown

Ladies and Gentlemen

Tonight we celebrate yuan xiao which brings the Lunar New Year festivities to a close. It is a time for family gatherings and reunions. How appropriate then that this first ever Chinatown Residents Reunion Dinner is held tonight here at Far East Square. It is truly a gathering of old friends, neighbours and relatives. Whether you still reside in this rich historical district or have moved elsewhere, I believe you hold Chinatown dear in your hearts. There are stories to tell, memories to share. For those of you who are prepared to be interviewed by the oral history department of the National Archives of Singapore, the old Chinatown spirit will come alive for those who have never lived here before.

Those who are involved in the Chinatown Revitalization Project, in particular, the Singapore Tourism Board and the National Heritage Board, will benefit from your individual recollections of life as it was then in Chinatown. Yours is a precious minefield of memories to be plumbed. But for now, we are all here tonight to enjoy a family reunion like no other, a gathering of the extended Chinatown clan, as it were. Let this be a joyous occasion of feasting, sharing, remembering and coming together. I congratulate the National Heritage Board and Far East Organization, as the organisers of the Chinatown Residents Hunt, on the staging of tonight’s event which also has the support of Singapore Tourism Board. It is a meaningful exercise, and one which the organisers may want to consider organising annually for the benefit of Chinatown residents. Enjoy the evening.

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