Chingay Parade 2016- Lights of legacy, Brighter Singapore

Lights of Legacy, Brighter Singapore 智慧灯海，璀璨新加坡

What do you think the purpose of Chingay 2016 was?
The Chingay Parade （妆艺大游行）is a annual national event. This event is an annual Lunar New Year tradition in Singapore. Since 1976, the Chingay has been a multicultural parade to be celebrated by all regardless of race, language and age. This years Chingay's theme is 'Lights of Legacy, Brighter Singapore' . This years's Chingay Parade also lets us think towards the future SG100 after we have just celebrated Singapore's 50th birthday last year. This year the Chingay has also tried to instill the values of Singapore's forefathers with the passing of our founding prime minister the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew last year. 

How has this changed since the first Chingay and why did you think this change happened?
The first official Chingay was in 4 February 1973. The first Chingay was not a multiracial thing and was just to parade for the Chinese to compensate for the banning of fireworks during the Lunar new year. It was full of Chinese culture. Slowly the Chingay took multiracial flavor in 1976 and is now celebrated by all races. In 1987, the Chingay had its first foreign group and throughout the years, there have been more international artistes and troops that have been involved in the Chingay. The Chingay is also shown in other countries to spread and share this joyous parade with many others overseas.

Do you think the organizers have successfully fulfilled its purpose?
I think  the organizers have done it. They also have involved people who did not participate by letting people from the community by letting us write what we think and hope SG100 will be about and these wishes are on light balloons which were help by many of the PAYM (Peoples Association Youth Movement) performers. The parade had many performance by different races and each meaningful and lets us see the culture of these races. Usually I do not really get to see much from the other races in Singapore  and this Chingay is a good platform for me to see and learn about other races.