Visiting Sites of War Commemoration in Singapore—How Visiting War Memorials Can Contribute to the Learning of the Past for Trainers and Trainees

Abstract

In Singapore, the date 15 February marks the anniversary when Singapore was surrendered to the Japanese during World War 2. The event is commemorated annually in a commemorative service held at the Memorial to the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupation. The commemoration service that took place in 2017 was an important one because it marked the 75th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore in 1942. In her speech as the guest-of-honor at the service, Singapore’s Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Grace Fu, said that Singaporeans should “resolve to dedicate themselves to protecting the country, and to learn about the resilience and resourcefulness our forefathers have shown… Never again will we subject ourselves to be occupied, never again will we allow our land to be run by another country,” (The Straits Times, 15 February 2017). When reporting the service, the national newspaper, The Straits Times, ran with the headline “50^th War Memorial Service Commemorates Those Who Died During Japanese Occupation” (The Straits Times, 15 February 2017), giving more emphasis to the 50th anniversary the memorial services that started in 1967 when the memorial was unveiled and dedicated. The minister’s speech and the headline show that war and memory occupy unfamiliar territory in Singapore.