Cultural Connections – Volume 4 (2019)
Cultural Development over the Past 200 Years
Last updated 7 November 2025
In commemoration of Singapore’s Bicentennial in 2019, the fourth volume of Cultural Connections focuses on the themes which are relevant to our cultural development over the past 200 years.
The articles in this issue remind us of how fast and far Singapore has progressed from our early colonial days to a modern liveable cosmopolitan nation rooted in its multicultural heritage. This issue thus explores the bicentennial through an exciting collection of essays, contributed by notable personalities and culture professionals.
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Foreword and Editor-in-Chief's Note
Rosa Daniel, Deputy Secretary (Culture), Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Thangamma Karthigesu, Editor-in-Chief. [PDF, 52KB]
Nationality, Identity and Culture: A Personal Reflection
Professor Tommy Koh, Professor of Law, National University of Singapore and Ambassador–at–Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore [PDF, 49 KB]
The Hunt for “Majulah Singapura”
Professor Bernard T. G. Tan, Emeritus Professor of Physics, National University of Singapore [PDF, 1,429 KB]
Recalling Home: Looking at Western Classical Music in Singapore 100 Years Ago
Phan Ming Yen, CEO, Global Cultural Alliance Ltd [PDF, 139 KB]
Globalising Foodways and the Production of Economy and Identity
Professor Lily Kong, President, Singapore Management University [PDF, 301 KB]
The Singapore Story through 60 objects
Kennie Ting, Director, Asian Civilisations Museum and Peranakan Museum and Group Director of Museums, National Heritage Board [PDF, 2,677 KB]
A Shared Identity: A Case for Arts and Culture
Dr Sharon Chang, Senior Deputy Director (Research), MCCY, Chief Research Officer, National Arts Council and Kenneth Kwok, Assistant Chief Executive (Planning & Development), National Arts Council [PDF, 286KB]
The Imprint of 1819 – Entrepôt, Place, Community in Images
Iskander Mydin, Curatorial Fellow, National Museum of Singapore (NMS), Daniel Tham, Curatorial Lead, NMS, Priscilla Chua, Curator, NMS [PDF 20, 276 KB]
Place-making and Identity in Singapore: The Role of Integrated Planning and Our Built Heritage
Elaine Tan, Deputy Director, Centre for Liveable Cities and Tan Xin Wei Andy, Manager, Centre for Liveable Cities [PDF, 2,048 KB]
Icons of the Times
Jean Wee, Director, Preservation of Sites & Monuments, National Heritage Board [PDF, 3,547 KB]
What Singapore’s Bicentennial Means to the New Immigrant
Dr Meira Chand, Writer [PDF, 57 KB]