HarmonyWorks! Conference 2023

What I Did.

As a part of the HarmonyWorks! As a member of the HarmonyWorks! 2023 Conference administration team, I facilitated the collaboration between ITE College East and OnePeople.sg. This non-profit organisation promotes racial harmony. The conference looked into how an individual becomes inclusive and inclusive people are diversity in Singapore regarding race harmony.

In my capacity, I contributed to overall theme, “Me to We” within the discussions on the conference purpose and logistics. My job entailed procuring the food and ensuring that the necessary dietary requirements were followed and that the food provided was fit for consumption. Moreover, I organized volunteer jobs, checked attendance, and coordinated ushers, all to ensure that nothing went haywire. The conference invited various speakers like Minister Edwin Tong, Dr Janil Puthucheary, and Dr Yek Tiew Ming who gave good insights on racial harmony.

While planning and orchestrating the conference, I encountered issues relating to time management and communicating effectively. Organising logistics with various stakeholders required planning and adaptability as well as ensuring that all the volunteers were informed and prepped for their jobs.

What I Learned.

As a result of this experience, I understood better how important racial harmony was and the complexities of cultural identity. Through this experience, I learned how to manage the challenges of an event from logistical management, coordinating communication among team members and volunteers, etc. The attendees gave good feedback and the conference was successful. This shows that if all work together, success is possible.

I also learned about the social issues faced by different communities in Singapore, which made me more sensitive and aware during discussions. Seeing how participants engaged with the speakers and the messages resonating with them made me realize the significance of fostering empathy and understanding in society.

Goals for Continued Learning.

Going forward, I hope to gain more experience and develop my skills to be able to contribute to the planning and running of more events. I intend to participate in workshops and training that focuses on diversity training, conflict resolution and effective communication strategies to add value and positively contribute to the racial harmony discussions.

I also hope to look for volunteer opportunities with organizations that promote social cohesion and inclusivity so I can apply my knowledge and skills in real-life practices. Through active engagement in these efforts, I aim to enhance my comprehension of the difficulties encountered by various groups. My commitment to promoting peace and understanding across communities of different races has become stronger because of this. I look forward to applying the lessons learned from this conference in the future.