NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS

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NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS

11.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Defence (a) how are the big posters and billboards showing Members of Parliament celebrating National Day funded; (b) what was the yearly budget allocated for National Day celebrations for the lastfive years; and (c) how have these helped to build up a nationalistic spirit for Singaporeans.

RAdm Teo Chee Hean: The National Day big posters and billboards showing Advisors to the Grassroots Organisations are mainly funded by the Grassroots Organisations to enhance the celebratory mood of our National Day. Some of the posters and billboards are also co-sponsored by some of the Town Councils andtwo of the Community Development Councils (CDC).

As an average over the pastfive years, the Government has budgeted $6.3 million each year for the National Day Parade. The parade organisers also receive generous contributions from many corporate and individual sponsors. On average, we have targeted $5.8 million in cash and in-kind sponsorships.

Each year, the National Day Parade, including the National Education show and the Preview, reaches out to a live audience of 180,000, and beyond that, to more than a million Singaporeans at home and abroad, through television and the Internet.

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The National Day Parade brings together Singaporeans from all walks of life to celebrate our nation's birth, to affirm our unity and to pledge our commitment to the success of Singapore. The parade showcases elements that are uniquely Singaporean – a shared history and heritage; a diverse community living a common destiny; a vibrant, resilient and progressive society with an international outlook. The pride among Singaporeans is evident not just in the tremendous response from the spectators. It is also clear from the enthusiastic commitment of the thousands of participants who volunteer long hours of painstaking preparations for the parade, and in the generous support given by sponsors.