Photo courtesy of Singapore Global Network

The Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) cordially celebrates with the Republic of Singapore in honor of its 59 years of independence this August 9, 2024. May we all embrace the spirit of nationhood as we all work together towards the path of economic and social development!

2024 Theme

This year, Singapore follows the theme “Together, As One United People” in celebrating its 59th Independence Day. According to the National Day Parade (NDP), the theme highlights the collective strength of Singaporeans, and underscores the importance of every citizen rallying together towards their shared future. The theme also captures the essence of the country’s success and resilience, which draws along the spirit of inclusivity, community, and trust that yielded Singapore to overcome challenges for the last 59 years.

Logo of Singapore’s 59th Independence Day
Photo courtesy of National Day Parade 2024

The logo symbolizes Singapore’s 59 years of independence which is being portrayed as number “59” and letters “SG.” The five stars in the logo represent Singapore’s ideals: democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality; while the six strokes stand for the Total Defense 40 (TD40).

Celebrations

As steered with this year’s theme, celebrations are divided into four segments:

The Red Lions in 2020 National Day celebrations
Photo courtesy of Channel News Asia (CNA)

  • Pre-parade

    • This segment features performances of students from the Ministry of Education and local artists, including the free-fall display of the Singapore Armed Forces Parachute Team (SAFPT), also known as Red Lions.

    Parade during Singapore Independence Day in 2019
    Photo courtesy of Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images

  • United We Stand

    • This involves the Parade and Ceremony titled “United We Stand” wherein it highlights the Military Tattoo of the SAF Band and four secondary schools’ bands. Some activities included are presentation of the NDP 2024 music video; the State Flag Flypast; and the inaugural Onward March held at the Padang—an open space in Singapore where festivities take place. The firing of the Salute to the Nation, the Presidential Gun Salute, and Feu de Joie are also parts of the parade.

    Photo courtesy of National Day Parade

  • Together, We Are Strong

    • The event for the Total Defense 40 (TD4) Dynamic Defence Display (D3) captures the title “Together, We Are Strong” which will be performed as well at the Padang. It is a segment designated for the cohesive government and community responses to possible threats and scenarios during civil emergencies.

  • Our People

    • This segment called “Our People” is a show with four chapters and three connecting short films, which can be extended to as performances, songs, and filmlets. It focuses on the stories of Our People (Singaporeans) to spotlight their collective strength and unravel the diversity of their society through the years.

    The celebration of National Day on August 9 will continue on August 10, 2024 with the coordination of People’s Association, the organizer of the Heartland activities. Singaporeans can look forward to the stage performances; static displays of Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Civil Defence Force and Singapore Police Force vehicles; fireworks show; and carnival activities during the Heartland Celebrations.

The Official Theme Song for NDP 2024

References:

  • About the NDP 2024 pack. (n.d.). National Day Parade 2024. https://www.ndp.gov.sg/about-the-ndp-2024-pack/
  • National Day 2024. (n.d.). SG101. https://www.sg101.gov.sg/national-day-2024/