Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts,

140 Hill Street #02-02 MITA Building, Singapore 179369.

Tel: 837 9666

Venerable Kuan Yan, President of Singapore Buddhist Welfare Services

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

My wife and I are most honoured to be here to share with all of you from the Singapore Buddhist Welfare Services and your special guests this celebration of Vesak Day.

The Buddhist community is an important component of our multi-religious society. Over the years, Buddhist organizations have been in the forefront of addressing the needs of the needy and less fortunate in our Singapore society. Through the many acts of benevolence, Buddhist organizations have initiated several voluntary welfare projects to help those in need, regardless of race or religion.

The Singapore Buddhist Welfare Services has to-date offered several welfare and community services, including homes for the elderly, a community hospital and nursing home, a dialysis centre, and a halfway house, to mention but a few. I salute the commendable efforts of the Singapore Buddhist Welfare Services and all like-minded voluntary welfare organizations that have persevered to help the needy in our midst.

Providing welfare services to those in need calls for a sense of mission and purpose. It is not just a matter of providing the facilities and infrastructure, or the money. Neither is it just a matter of providing social workers who have the skills to handle welfare cases, although training, as well as experience, is helpful. What is also needed is "Heartware" – the motivation to serve and help another person with a genuine sense of caring and sharing. All who serve in voluntary welfare organizations, whether as unpaid volunteers, or as paid officers, know how important this "Heartware" and a sense of dedication is, when it comes to helping the less fortunate. I am pleased to note that a religious-based organization, like the Singapore Buddhist Welfare Services has, by its adherence to the Buddhist values of compassion and selflessness, that critical touch of "Heartware" - so vital for success in ministering to the many needs of the less fortunate.

Finally, I also wish to take this occasion to acknowledge and commend all the Buddhist organizations in Singapore for the important contributions they have steadfastly made towards promoting racial and religious harmony. I know of many instances of Buddhist organizations not only making generous contributions to other religious and racial groups, but also readily making available their welfare services to all who are in need, regardless of race or religion. It is such efforts that help foster greater racial and religious harmony in our society.

We need to build up our "Heartware" and strengthen our social cohesion. Ultimately, our progress as a nation and as a society will be measured by the extent to which we have averted the dangers of a divided, fragmented and uncaring society. Let us therefore pledge ourselves, on this special occasion of Vesak Day, to commit to work together to help make Singapore a more gracious, caring and cohesive society for every Singaporean, and for our next generation to inherit.

Thank you.