NDP 2020: Stories of S’poreans fighting Covid-19 take centrestage; Nathan Hartono to perform theme song

SINGAPORE — Fifty-five accounts from Singaporeans joining the fight against Covid-19 will be featured in this year’s National Day Parade (NDP) on Aug 9, as organisers hope to inspire citizens to continue doing their part to weather the health crisis.

Their experiences will be retold in various segments of the event such as at the morning parade, evening show and a music video accompanying the theme song, which will be performed by singer Nathan Hartono.

At an online media briefing on Tuesday (July 14), Brigadier-General (BG) Frederick Choo, chairman of the NDP 2020 executive committee, said that the parade was designed around what Singaporeans have gone through in stepping forward to tackle Covid-19 and lending a hand to people in need.

“We hope that by looking at the 55 stories, (we are) able to inspire Singaporeans to continue to do their part to build a better and stronger Singapore, and it's also a reminder that together we can prevail, even in the most testing of times,” he said.

These different episodes will feature “inspiring individuals, community initiatives, families, essential workers, front-line fighters and Covid-19 survivors”, the NDP organising committee said.

Some front-line workers who will tell their experiences via short films include quarantine-order officer Gogulakanan Govindasamy and nurse Eriyana Subadi. Other essential workers, such as those in the teaching and postal professions, will also be featured as part of the parade.

On Tuesday, the NDP organising committee also unveiled the theme song for this year’s parade.

Titled Everything I Am, the song is composed by songwriter Joshua Wan and performed by Mr Hartono. It is an ode to the Singapore spirit of community and serves to motivate Singaporeans to express appreciation for fellow citizens, the organising committee said.

An accompanying music video, directed by screenwriter He Shuming, will focus on community and family ties.

In line with NDP 2020’s focus on the real-life stories of everyday Singaporeans, the video draws inspiration from Singaporeans who have shown kindness and understanding towards others in the midst of adversity.

The music video features Mr Daniel Tan and his wife, Madam Clara Loh, the owners of OK Chicken Rice in Ang Mo Kio who donated 10,000 packets of chicken rice to healthcare workers during the pandemic.

It also turns the spotlight on Redeafination, an independent hip-hop dance club for deaf individuals. The group promotes awareness of and brings the joy of dancing to the deaf community.

Featured in the video as well is Come Makan With Me, an initiative started in 2018 by Dr Mohamad Farid, a volunteer with the labour movement’s Migrant Workers’ Centre. The programme encourages Singaporeans to invite migrant workers to have meals in their homes.

Mr He hopes that the theme song and music video would inspire Singaporeans to think about the people around them who have had an impact on their lives.

“It’s been a challenging year and we hope people remember that we can get through this together,” he said.

Singaporeans may also submit messages about their hopes and aspirations through the Our Heart for Singapore project on social media.

They may do so using the hashtag #OurHeartForSG on Facebook and Instagram, and tag the organising committee @NDPeeps. They may also fill in a card that will be included in the Singapore Together funpack or complete a form on the NDP website.

Some of these submissions will be featured in the parade.

This year’s NDP — themed Together, A Stronger Singapore — will be broadcast live on television and the internet to households in Singapore, with a morning segment at the Padang and an evening performance at The Star Performing Arts Centre in Buona Vista.

The organising committee said that there will be two “unity moments” during the parade when everyone gets to take part.

The first “unity moment” will take place during the morning parade, when President Halimah Yacob will lead the singing of the national anthem. This will be broadcast concurrently with the flag-raising ceremonies in seven locations around the country, including a hospital.

At around 8.20pm, Singaporeans may take part in the second "unity moment" by saying the national pledge, making for a very “meaningful and memorable National Day experience”, BG Choo said.

This will be the first NDP in Singapore’s 55-year history with an indoor evening performance where there will be no audience.