Minister Edwin Tong,
Minister for Culture, Community & Youth, and Second Minister for Law,

Mr Eric Chua,
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry for Culture, Community & Youth, and Ministry for Social & Family Development,

Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang,
President of Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC),

Partners & Members of SDSC,

Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening.

Tonight, we honour our award winners – they have done proud for themselves, for their family and friends, for their coaches, teachers and mentors, for SDSC, and for Singapore.

I am privileged to join you tonight to celebrate the grit, the courage, and the achievements of these heroes among us.

I want to salute the SDSC too, for their conviction and commitment to uplift lives through sports at all levels.

Often, it takes tremendous patience to draw people out from their post-trauma shells or from their setbacks. There are also constraints of very different disabilities. But SDSC is both patient and gutsome. They will always ask 'why not?' and start exploring innovative solutions, whether it is to help a single individual athlete, or to bring able athletes together with disabled athletes in the same game, adapting rules and so on.

And so, one athlete at a time, the SDSC journeyed alongside each of the award winners tonight.

Our award winners inspire us. When I came through this room, it was very nice to see so many familiar faces that I’ve watched on TV, and am now seeing in person. Each of them have many, many stories of everyday resilience, courage, and fortitude.

Many find joy in their chosen sports and as Sock Miang says, they relish the abilities they have, over the disabilities they face.

But more than just the apex of world class medallists, SDSC also celebrates the everyday heroes, who take up sports for leisure and relaxation, or for mental health. 

Recreational sports have helped many to gain or regain confidence, and conquer their frustrations and self-doubts.

I salute the families too. Many have overcome challenges, and threw their wholehearted support behind their disabled kin. Families come closer and bond deeper, finding joy to see their own sibling or child grow in strength and wisdom, and in independence and maturity, through sports. 

SDSC also builds deep foundations of quiet, daily victories, that foster lasting change. It contributes to initiatives like the new Disability Sports Masterplan. It has piloted inclusive sports education in schools, through a partnership with Temasek Foundation and many others. We’ve just heard about Haw Par Corporation. 

It is through this spectrum of sports, from recreation to apex performance, from schools to international arenas, that the SDSC is shaping a society, where everyone is valued, where families can celebrate their abilities rather than fret over disabilities, and our community can bond stronger as a more resilient people, as we’ve seen tonight.

Next year, as Sock Miang has mentioned, Singapore will host the World Para Swimming Championships Singapore 2025. 

SDSC has worked very hard to bring this event to Singapore, to showcase the spirit of Singapore, and the champions we have among us. We still need to raise more funds and will be working towards getting matching support from the Government too. 

So I urge those who can, to donate generously to the SDSC, either to support the World Para Swimming Championships, or for other programmes. 

Beyond donations in cash or kind, partnerships to boost inclusive sporting initiatives can also help improve family health and fitness, and strengthen family bonds.

Sports is one of the many dimensions of life and living that can build courage and resilience. Together, we can champion the ideals of a stronger, healthier, kinder, and more inclusive society through sports. 

Thank you.