Singapore’s first migrant festival – can it foster understanding, as organiser hopes?
- Migrant workers are an essential part of Singapore’s workforce but don’t really have a voice
- Organiser of two-day festival hopes it will educate Singaporeans about migrants, a million of whom toil there, and inspire compassion in them
When it comes to Singapore’s relationship with migrant workers, “it’s complicated”. Shivaji Das, who has organised this month’s two-day Global Migrant Festival, hopes Singaporeans will come away from the event with a deeper understanding of, and more compassion for, migrants and refugees and the issues they face.
In Singapore, a million low-paid migrants contribute immeasurably to the country’s success.
Das, an author and artistic director of the festival, is aware that migration is a challenging theme for a festival.
“In recent years, the language around migration has become particularly vitriolic. This is not an isolated phenomenon [in Singapore], but can be seen around the world, from developed to developing countries.”
The aim of the Global Migrant Festival on December 15 and 16 is to give the country’s transitory workers an opportunity to show their creativity and potential, and to lend a voice to stories about their origins.
With support from the US embassy in Singapore, the Singapore Book Council and literary non-profit Sing Lit Station, literary arts platforms and international partners such as FilmAid, a humanitarian and media organisation, events will be held in multiple venues, including the National Gallery, the Arts House and the Singapore Book Council headquarters.