SINGAPORE - Celebrations for Singapore’s 60th year of independence are a time for the nation to reflect on how it defied expectations and plan for its future, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Speaking at the Team Nila Carnival on March 8, PM Wong said Singapore continues to overcome challenges through collective strength. But 60 years is a short time for a country, and Singapore has much further to go, he added.
“So SG60 this year is a time for us to reflect on our journey, to give thanks for all that we have here in Singapore, and to look ahead and consider what more we can do together,” he said.
He later added: “Singapore will face new challenges in our road ahead. But I’m confident that we can overcome them together, if we stay strong and united.”
PM Wong said that such a united spirit can be seen in Team Nila, a volunteer movement led by national agency Sport Singapore to promote giving, citizen partnership and social cohesion through sport.
He paid tribute to the group’s willingness to help Singaporeans from all walks of life, pointing out how its members stepped up during the Covid-19 pandemic to serve as safe distancing ambassadors, and to distribute masks and hand sanitisers.
These volunteers also helped pack and sort donation items for victims of the 2023 earthquake in Turkey. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and the north-western regions of its neighbour Syria on Feb 6, destroying thousands of buildings and killing over 50,000 people.
“Your willingness to step forward to help your fellow Singaporeans gives us encouragement, because what you do strengthens the bonds that tie us together as one people, as one nation and one team Singapore,” said PM Wong.
The Team Nila carnival, organised as part of SG60 festivities, celebrates a decade of sports volunteerism from the group. It saw more than 5,000 volunteers, families, corporate partners, and community members come together to participate in activities like creative workshops and sports tryouts.
The event was also attended by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development Eric Chua.
Mr Selvaraj Sakthivel, a Team Nila volunteer since 2023, said he joined the movement because he wanted to contribute more to sport in Singapore.
The 33-year-old contract manager at an interior design firm added that one of the things he loved most about being part of the group is cheering on Team Singapore athletes at competitions.
Thanking Team Nila volunteers in his speech as the event’s guest of honour, PM Wong noted how many volunteers are keen to do more.
More training programmes will be rolled out, he said, so volunteers can deepen their expertise in areas like sport competition management, event logistics and manpower coordination.
More volunteers will also be nurtured to be leaders, so that they can take on larger responsibilities like serving as service managers for specific venues.
From left: Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua; SportSG Chairman Mr Kon Yin Tong; Team Nila(TN) volunteer Ms Tan Poh Sim; Prime Minister Lawrence Wong; Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu Grace Fu; TN volunteer Mr Zainuddin Bin Mohamed Adam; and SportSG CEO Mr Alan Goh; wearing friendship bands made with decommissioned Team Nila uniforms at the Team Nila Carnival held at Bukit Canberra Sport Centre on March 8, 2025.
(From left) Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Ministry of Social and Family Development Eric Chua, SportSG chairman Kon Yin Tong, Team Nila volunteer Tan Poh Sim, PM Lawrence Wong, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu, Team Nila volunteer Zainuddin Mohamed Adam and SportSG CEO Alan Goh wearing friendship bands made with decommissioned Team Nila uniforms.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
2025 will be a very exciting year given how Singapore will be hosting several major international sports events this year, said PM Wong.
These include the World Aquatics Championships, held for the first time in South-east Asia, as well as the World Para Swimming Championships, held for the first time in Asia.
Team Nila will be crucial to help run these events, and PM Wong underscored the important role volunteers play in this field.
“And with a strong core of volunteers, we can host more top-tier events in Singapore. And we can ensure that our athletes will have more opportunities to compete on home ground, with Team Singapore, with Team Nila, cheering on for all of them,” he said.
A highlight of the carnival was the Team Nila Gallery Locker Display, a showcase of key milestones and achievements over the years featuring Team Nila photographs and memorabilia from the past decade.
In a release from SportSG, chief executive Alan Goh underscored the role that Team Nila plays in bringing Singaporeans together through sport volunteerism.
“Over the last 10 years, this volunteer force has grown in numbers and skills, becoming an essential part of our sporting ecosystem,” said Mr Goh.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to further empowering our volunteers and welcoming new members to our community.”
Hariz Baharudin is a correspondent at The Straits Times covering politics.
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