MyStory :: Project 3/12: A Nation Remembers :: Project 3/12 & Travelling Dates

3 December 1959, City Hall. Our first Malayan-born Head of State, Yusof bin Ishak, was installed. A new flag, in striking red and white, flew high at City Hall for the first time, replacing the British Union Jack which had flown over the island for more than 140 years. The National Anthem written in Malay made its debut, embodying the hopes of a newly self-governing nation and unveiled on the same day were the Coat of Arms, which heralded the beginnings of statehood.

When Singapore gained full self-governance from the British in June 1959, it was just the start of a long journey to nationhood. Less than half of the adults in Singapore were born and bred here and many of them were migrants who came to seek work, their loyalties belonging to faraway homelands. Singapore’s first locally-elected government had to face this formidable task of forging a national identity in such a diverse community.

Creating these symbols of nationhood was but the first step. Over the years, Singapore’s national symbols have grown from the original three to become six. Today, our loyalties no longer lie with our ancestral lands, but here, on this very island.

So, what does it mean to be a Singaporean now? How do we see our national symbols? Has Singapore changed since 1959? We posed these questions, and more, to over 170 Singaporeans who were born on the same momentous date, that is 3rd December, between 1959 and 1989. Many responded to share their stories with us.

This exhibition showcases how our national identity was born from what we share together – be it our similar experiences of shared heritage. It is about how our national symbols came about and how they now represent the place we call ‘home’.

Make sure you catch the exhibition (find out more about its travelling schedule) and read the stories shared by Singaporeans born on 3 December.

Exhibition Travelling Schedule