We are located
in Singapore
in Singapore
Author Session: Remembering Singapore River
About the Session
Singapore has stood at the crossroads of cultures for centuries. The riverbanks of the long and winding Singapore River are witness to many generations of people who eked out a living, plied their trades and sought refuge from the hustle and bustle through spirituality and leisure.
British colonial rule defined the beginning of Singapore’s modern history two centuries ago. Gradual transformation was setting in by the time Singapore achieved self-rule. The rapid industrialising era of the 1980s saw the Singapore River reshaped into a node of commerce with sights and sounds that offered a combination of tourist sites and local entertainment. It was, and continues to be, an exciting proposition with a cosmopolitan outlook.
As various buildings, enclaves and institutions along the Singapore River are consigned to history over time, its landscape reminds us of the sights and sounds of the past. Who were our forefathers? What shaped the cultures that flourished here through the decades? What made us a unique multicultural society?
This is the story of the Singapore River, and our multicultural heritage.
About the Authors
Dr Wong Chee Meng completed his PhD in heritage studies in 2013 at the Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus, Germany, with a thesis on intangible heritage as a medium for intercultural dialogue. He was involved in various heritage research projects following a postdoctoral fellowship with the Nanyang Technological University, and published a book in 2019 reassessing heritage and identity of Kreta Ayer as Singapore’s “Chinatown”.
Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib is an independent writer and researcher, the director of Dialogue Centre and a founding Board member of Centre for Interfaith Understanding (CIFU). A Philosophy graduate from Birkbeck College, University of London, he writes and research issues of multiculturalism, interfaith and Islam in Malay society. His co-edited publications include Islam, Religion and Progress (2006), Moral Vision and Social Critique: Selected Essays of Syed Hussein Alatas (2007) and Budi Kritik (2019).
Purchase book: Click here.
IN-STORE EVENT
Date: 11 Aug 2024, Sunday
Time: 11.30 am Singapore
Venue: Reading Loft (Level 2, stairs only) Wardah Books, 58 Bussorah Street S(199474)
Free, no registration required
