Singapore and Multilateral Governance: Securing Our Future by Dr Noeleen Heyzer
Singapore’s past, present and future are highly dependent on and integrated with multilateral governance. As the only island city-state in the world, going alone and being isolated was never an option in our journey from third world to first. Singapore and Asia have benefited greatly from the rule-based multilateral global order that emerged after the Second World War — based on values, norms and institutions. In this three-part lecture series, 10th S R Nathan Fellow Dr Noeleen Heyzer will examine how Singapore can continue to contribute to multilateral governance amid 21st century global challenges. What does it mean for Singapore to engage the region and revitalise this multilateral world? How can we build upon the kind of long-term vision and multilateral governance that historically brought giant leaps in our living standards? And critically, how can we secure our common future and shape what we become as a nation?
Grand Transitions: Our Multilateral Journey
Grand transitions of the past and present continue to impact our future. The period after the Second World War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, and now, the global COVID-19 pandemic, have all revealed fragilities in our world and region that require serious attention. Since our inception as a nation, our mindset, choices, foundations, and partnerships have helped shape today’s Singapore and create “Rising Asia”. This lecture will reflect on Singapore’s journey in a multilateral world, examine the mindset of “solidarity as self-interest”, and consider the need for multilateral governance to be continually informed by successes and failures to grapple with pivotal moments of transition. It will also take into account the frequent disconnect between norms of multilateral governance and the practice of development and corporate governance on the reality of people’s lives.
Mr Ho Kwon Ping, Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings Limited and IPS’ 1st S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore, will be moderating the Q&A session of this lecture.
To find out more about Dr Noeleen Heyzer, the 10th S R Nathan Fellow, click here.
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