Excellencies
Singapore Scholars
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the Singapore Government, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of you. It is my pleasure to be here this afternoon to honour the 48 promising young men and women who form the 8th batch of Singapore Scholars under the Singapore Cooperation Programme administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2 Diogenes Laertius, the biographer of the Greek philosophers, once said "The foundation of every state is the education of its youth". This is especially true for Singapore, where our only resource is our people. We believe that human resource development is vital for social and economic progress. It is, in a way, on this basis that the Singapore Cooperation Programme and the Singapore Scholarship were initiated.
3 The Singapore Scholarship was launched by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong at the 6th ASEAN Summit in 1998. At that time, the region was suffering from the debilitating effects of the Asian economic crisis. The Scholarship was initiated as a means to ensure that good education opportunities remained available to bright, young people in ASEAN.
4 With the inclusion of the latest batch of 48 scholars today, we have awarded a total of 400 scholarships to deserving young men and women from each of the 9 ASEAN countries, excluding Singapore. These scholarships are an affirmation of the importance that Singapore attaches to human resource development and people-to-people contacts within ASEAN. Through living together and learning from one another in a multi-cultural environment, we can foster our identity as members of an ASEAN community. You form the seeds of this core ASEAN citizenship, so do let it grow along with your succeeding generations.
Singapore Scholars
5 The world is undergoing an effervescent period of political, social and economic changes. Globalisation, the rapid rise of China and India as economic superpowers, international terrorism, cross-border military conflicts and the threat of an avian flu pandemic are some of the challenges that we face. Yet there is opportunity in adversity. There remains much promise in ASEAN's future if succeeding generations can rise to the occasion and seize the opportunities brought about by the geopolitical changes. As scholars, you are likely to assume leadership roles in the social, business and public sectors in your respective countries. You represent the hope for a better future for the people of this region.
6 You have been given the opportunity to study at one of the three competitive universities in Singapore - the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University, and the Singapore Management University. Your predecessors have distinguished themselves in their studies. Many have received book prizes and were placed on the Dean's list for their academic brilliance. This was achieved through constant hard work and dedication. They are your role models. Let me share with you an example.
7 Mr Jose Miguel Abito, from the Philippines, has graduated from NUS with a First Class Honours in Economics earlier this year. Realising that his long-term goal was to play a part in shaping his country's economy, Jose was determined to excel. Today, Jose is the proud winner of numerous academic awards, including the Economic Society of Singapore Gold Medal, Monetary Authority of Singapore Book Prize and the You Poh Seng Prize in Econometrics. He will be embarking on a PhD programme in Economics in France, where he will focus on competition and antitrust policies.
8 Besides academic performance, I would like to stress the importance of an all-rounded education. A university education is not just about obtaining good academic results. It is also a time when you should pick up essential life skills, such as critical thinking, problem analysis, social interaction and the art of communication. These skills are not only taught in the classrooms, but are also developed during your interactions with your supervisors and peers through social events and participation in co-curricular activities. I am glad to know that most of you have been active in co-curricular activities and community work in your own country. For instance, Mr Lay Seak Meng, from Cambodia, created a "one-to-one" tuition scheme by pairing up top students with academically weaker ones during his high school days. Mr Worawat Rujirapoom, from Thailand, represented his country as a Rotary exchange student in Canada and helped raise funds to support the reconstruction efforts for tsunami victims. I encourage all of you to stay active on the co-curricular and community front despite your busy academic schedules.
9 For many of you, this will be your first time away from home. To help each of you settle in quickly, we have arranged for a Singaporean host family to be your guardian. The family will act as a valuable point of contact for information, friendship and advice. To the participating host families here, I would like to thank all of you for volunteering the time and effort to support the young scholars. In addition, a senior scholar has been assigned to each of you as a "buddy". They will help ease your adjustment to campus life and also provide valuable advice. Do use this bond of friendship well as such relationships provide the memories that many will cherish beyond the scholastic achievements.
10 On behalf of my ministry, I would like to thank the Ministry of Education, NTU, NUS and SMU for helping us implement the Singapore Scholarship programme. I am confident that our scholars are in good hands.
11 Finally, I would like to wish each and every Singapore Scholar the very best in your studies. May your stay in Singapore be memorable and fruitful.
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