Singapore Government Press Release

19 March 99

1. President Ong Teng Cheong will unveil the Singapore Millennium Logo and Website at a dazzling laser show at the Suntec City Fountain of Wealth tomorrow evening (Sat, 20 March 99). The launch of the logo serves to inaugurate the official 18-month period of celebrations in Singapore for the new millennium. From March this year, a series of exciting events and activities will be held to mark this significant milestone, climaxing in at least five Countdown Parties across the island on 31 December 1999.

2. The Singapore Millennium logo was chosen from among the many submissions to the nationwide Millennium 'Design A Logo' competition which ended on 31 January 1999. The competition was organised by the Ministry of Information and the Arts, which is overseeing the national Millennium celebrations effort. It chalked up a record number of entries for recent local logo competitions. In all, 781 designs were received, with 217 coming from students. The oldest entrant was a 72-year old man, and the youngest was just 10. The majority prepared designs mounted on conventional cardboard, but some were more innovative, even constructing three-dimensional models for their logos.

3. The judges for the competition were three distinguished and eminent representatives from Singapore's artistic world. They are Mr Teo Eng Seng, Mr Lim Poh Teck and Mr Stephen Leong Chun Hong. All are award-winning artists specialising in the visual and fine arts. (Annex A contains brief biographies on the competition judges).

4. In their assessment of a winning entry, the judges were looking for a distinctive Singapore logo that could best capture the sense of celebration and the spirit of commemoration represented by the millennium. The logo will identify and unify all major events and activities in Singapore organised to mark the dawn of the new millennium. As such, it should be easily recognisable and adaptable for wide application.

5. The winner of the logo design competition is Mr Berwin See, 37, a local corporate creative director. He will receive his award of $10 000 at the laser show tomorrow at the Suntec City Fountain of Wealth from Mr Liu Thai Ker, Chairman of the National Arts Council. 12 other entries were also awarded top honours in the competition. (The list of award winners is attached in Annex B).

6. The Millennium Logo and Website launch will be an impressive visual and aural spectacle, involving interactive laser and light displays, special pyrotechnic sequences, and specially choreographed mime and dance routines. The President himself will launch the logo by engaging a 20 inch electro-plate that will unleash rays of laser energy, forming the logo design.

7. Besides the unveiling of the Millennium logo, the President will also launch the official Singapore Millennium celebrations Internet website at <www.m2000.com.sg>. The website will be the main gateway to news and materials on the millennium celebrations in Singapore. Packed with interesting information, event listings and highlights plus exciting contests, the website will serve as a comprehensive resource for all Singapore and the rest of the world to know more about millennium activities in Singapore.

8. The President will be the first person to send his millennium wish for Singapore through the website, the pages of which will be projected onto a smooth water screen. All net surfers are welcome to post their wishes for Singapore at this website, and also to view the wishes made by others.

9. With the official launch of Singapore’s millennium celebration period tomorrow evening, the organisers hope that more public and private agencies will come forward with ideas and activities to mark the new millennium. Four recent entrants to the national millennium celebrations effort are Comfort Ads, Epson Singapore, Sentosa Development Corporation and The Singapore Mint.

10. Comfort Ads, with the support of Epson Singapore, have decked out three hundred cabs with the millennium logo, all of which will ply the roads of Singapore for the coming three months. A special "Know the Millennium Logo" contest will also be organised in conjunction with this tie-up. On the evening of the logo launch, 20 of the cabs will be present above Suntec City, circling the Fountain of Wealth twenty times as a symbol of good luck and as a blessing for fortune.

11. The Sentosa Development Corporation has lined up at least two mega events in commemoration of the coming millennium. Sentosa Sandsation, an international sand sculpting championship, will take place from 29 May to 27 June this year, featuring world class competition in sand sculpting and other exciting beach activities. Come November, the beaches of Siloso will also reverberate to the beat of Sentosa, 40 Days and 40 Nights, an outdoor beach party that will stretch until the dawn of the new millennium.

12. For its part, the Singapore Mint will be introducing a special cashcard collection to mark the Millennium. The cards each bear a dragon motif, symbolising the year of the Golden Dragon that will coincide with the dawn of the new millennium. Selected cashcards will carry special features, such as a luminous strip, or a 24K Gold Inlay. The set promises to be a valuable keepsake that collectors will treasure.

13. All these activities and more will be captured in Celebrate 2000, a bi-monthly newsletter published in all four official languages in the major local dailies. Through this newsletter, we hope to keep everyone updated on the latest plans for celebrating the coming of the new millennium. On offer will be a cut-out events table, special highlight articles, plus an interesting contest.

14. The inaugural issue of the newsletter will be published as a special colour centrespread on Sunday, 21 March 1999. Among other features, it will carry a message on the millennium from President to all Singaporeans.

15. Lined up in the months ahead are a series of exciting and vibrant activities, featuring the nation’s best in events, entertainment and exhibitions. With the laser show at Suntec City set to thrill all audiences, it is hoped that every Singaporeans will come together and jointly mark this once in a lifetime experience.

__________________________

Issued by:

MILLENNIUM 2000 COORDINATING COMMITTEE

c/o MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND THE ARTS

For further enquiries, please call:

KAREN TAN WEE CHIN

PUBLICITY COMMITTEE

DID: 375 7830

FAX: 375 7887

LIM YUIN CHIEN

PUBLICITY COMMITTEE

DID: 375 7059

FAX: 375 7887

Born in Singapore in 1963, Poh Teck graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts with a Certificate in Graphic Design in 1985, and two years later, with a Diploma in Fine Arts. He later enrolled in the LaSalle College of the Arts and graduated with a Licentiate Diploma. He furthered his studies in Australia and was awarded a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of New South Wales in 1995. Currently, he is a full-time lecturer teaching at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

In addition to winning the Australian Art Award for Young Artist (Singapore) and the City Art Institute scholarship (Australia), Poh Teck was awarded the Merit Prize for the IBM Art Award in 1988 and the 3^rd prize for the following year. In 1990, he won the grand prize for the UOB Painting of the year. He is also the latest recipient of the Young Artist Award in 1997.

.