Singapore, 27 January 2020 – About 1,000 guests gathered at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre on the third day of the Chinese New Year to usher in the bountiful Year of the Rat with Guest-of-Honour, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Heng Swee Keat, at Spring Reception 2020.
Jointly organised by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) and the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA), the annual event gathers distinguished representatives from the local Chinese community and various ethnic groups to exchange well-wishes and aspirations for the new year, while bolstering the appreciation of Chinese values and culture through performances by a youthful line-up from our local arts groups.
Political leaders that were in attendance at the event include Minister Chan Chun Sing, Minister Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon, Mayor Denise Phua, Mayor and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Low Yen Ling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sun Xueling. Other eminent guests include Members of Parliament, members of the diplomatic corps, foreign dignitaries, representatives from local arts and cultural groups, clan associations, leaders and prominent members of the Chinese community, representatives from different ethnic communities and student representatives from various institutes of higher learning.
Highlights of the morning included enthralling performances by tenants from the Cultural Centre’s Arts Housing Programme, namely Drum Feng, QI Ensemble by The TENG Company and Nam Hwa Opera.
Other than the festivities, Mr Heng Swee Keat visited the ongoing Haw Par Villa RE•MIX exhibition at the centre, which was part of its first-ever RE•MIX youth festival. The exhibition brings the iconic Haw Par Villa into the heart of the Central Business District, showcasing fresh takes and reinterpretation of Asian cultural values and philosophical concepts through the mediums of art and technology.
