Agents of Change celebrated their achievements at the Closing Ceremony in Singapore.
SINGAPORE, 17 September 2018 – The Closing Ceremony of WFUNA’s Mission Possible Programme Cycle in Singapore was held on 12 September 2018 at Nexus International School. It convened students from Hwa Chong International School, Nexus International School and Tanglin Trust School. Students presented the projects developed as part of the program curriculum and shared the knowledge and experiences gathered over the last year. There were a total of nine presentations.
The event began with two guest speakers who engaged in a dialogue session with the students. The first speaker was Veerappan Swaminathan, founder and director of Sustainable Living Lab Pte Ltd - an award winning social enterprise in environmental, social and economic sustainability. Veerappan spoke to the Mission Possible students about incidental sustainability, and how this concept focus should help shift “awareness creation” to “cultivation of habits” which could yield stronger results. He emphasized a key aspect of Global Citizenship Education, critical thinking, by encouraging students to question institutions and programs that have influenced our views and to reflect on why and how they were formed in the first place.
Cai Bingyu from Ground-Up Initiative, a non-profit community guided by the spirit of innovation, resilience, and leadership in urban sustainability, was the second speaker. Bingyu brought insight to the application of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the local Singaporean context. Lastly, he mentioned how having a connection with like-minded individuals, keeping a positive attitude, and tenaciously working together is vital to build a better, urban, and sustainable Singapore.
Students engaged actively in a dialogue with the guest speakers, seeking more insights into financial aspects of sustainable development in Singapore, the difference between non-profit and for-profit companies working to develop sustainability, the challenges faced and how they might have had to adapt their business models to deal with the challenges. The speakers delved into greater detail about their challenges and their vision for the future, inspiring all attendees to keep doing their part.
Following the dialogue session, the Mission Possible students presented their projects that addressed several of the SDGs. The projects included students reaching out to the elderly population in a local housing community to spread awareness on preventing the spread of Dengue in the community, integrating foreign domestic workers within the local community, becoming eco-warriors to reduce the single use of plastics, and invoking more eco-consciousness in their schools. It was apparent that all of the Mission Possible Agents of Change were passionate and inspired by their work. “I was really encouraged to take an active role in helping to create a more sustainable environment,” said one of the students.
The event came to a close with Mrs. Judy Cooper, the principal of Nexus International School, presenting certificates of completion to the students and teachers involved in Mission Possible: Singapore and the Mission Possible plaques to each participating school to mark their accomplishments.
For more information, please email missionpossible@wfuna.org or Ms. Kanchana Varatharajalu, National Program Coordinator – Singapore at varatharajalu@wfuna.org.
About Mission Possible:
Mission Possible is WFUNA’s flagship global citizenship education program. Over the course of a semester, high school students acquire global competencies and 21st century skills, learn about the United Nations and the SDGs, and apply their learning through student-led projects on topics that are important to them and their communities.
Mission Possible was launched in India by the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) in 2015 with the support of the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF). Learn about Mission Possible here.
