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National Day Gathering

Celebration of Singapore’s 52nd National Day

June 07th, 2017
2017_06_07 National Day Gathering.jpg

Germany welcomes the 52nd Singapore’s National Day, the event is called “National Day Gathering” and it took place in Munich on July 9th at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof München. It started at 14.00 and it was attended by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. All Singaporeans from Germany and Europe were welcomed to the event.

This event was designed for everyone, including friends, families and children. National Days are taken seriously in Asian countries. They are the result of decades of fighting against colonialism and dominance. Thus, they signify the achievement of Independence and liberty for the people. Singapore became independent on July 9th 1965, following the secession from Malaysia. Singapore had to be self-sufficient and during the years, it became a developing nation of the first world status towards the end of the 20th century.

Not surprisingly, National Day is like coming-out parties and tends to show off platoons of soldiers in stiff uniforms marching together and the rumble of armoury. It is usually characterized by the National Day Parade and the National Day Rally, in which the current Prime Minister addresses present future directions and key challenges of the nation.

National Day has been through numerous transformation during the years, parades got decentralized, then centralized, foreigners were invited to perform, the skyline and the backdrop have become more glamorous. Fireworks are spectacular and gratifyingly and Singaporeans compose songs for their country.

The G20 Leader Summit’s is planned in Germany and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has been invited by the German chancellor Angela Merkel to participate. Therefore, this was an opportunity for the Prime Minister to attend the National Day with Singapore community. Being the National Day in Germany, it was an excellent occasion for Germans and foreigners to get into this event to learn and to share cultural habits coming from the other side of the world.

News from Berlin
Valentina Di Carlantonio, Berlin Global