SINGAPORE: National Geographic will be releasing a Singapore edition of the magazine – complete with an exclusive interview with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong – to commemorate Singapore’s 53rd National Day.
Titled Singapore – City of Tomorrow, the complimentary magazine will be available at community centres and libraries from Aug 1. Only 250,000 copies of the limited edition magazine will be distributed.
The magazine is part of a campaign called #WhatMakesSG, a partnership between National Geographic and the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), the pair said in a joint statement on Tuesday (Jul 24).
The campaign is aimed at celebrating “the passion driving Singapore’s progress and how the city-state is taking steps to seize future opportunities,” the statement said.
Mr Lee shared his views on Singapore’s future, and highlighted the importance of teamwork and collaboration in enabling Singapore’s transformation to a city of the future.
In his exclusive interview with the magazine, Mr Lee shared his views on what he believes makes Singapore different, the country’s future and the importance of teamwork.
“There are any number of cities in Asia which have three or four million people in them; probably dozens, many dozens. Why are we different? It’s because of the way we have been able to make our people work together and to make the system work,” Mr Lee said in the interview.
“It doesn’t mean we’re smarter than other people, I think we work as hard as others but we work together more effectively and so you produce something special,” he added.
In conjunction with the magazine launch on Tuesday was a roving month-long photo exhibition.
The exhibition showcases the five winners of the #WhatMakesSG photography contest in April, where more than 7,000 entries were received, as well as the work of National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita.
The exhibition, which opened on Tuesday at Suntec City West Atrium, will also travel to Changi Airport Terminal 4, Jurong Regional Library, Central Public Library and Cheng San Public Library.
Ms Kang Yen Thiing, Grand Prize winner of the #WhatMakesSG photography contest speaking with Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, Ms Sim Ann. (Photo: Gov.sg, MCI)
