Singapore celebrates its 48th National Day on August 9 at The Float@Marina with spectacular displays. The amazing Dynamic Defence Display (D3) will make its return to the National Day Parade this year, and is set to surprise and awe with new assets and personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pointed out in his National Day message that Singapore will have to tread a different path as the economy matures and society’s interests diverge. "The economy is maturing and our population is ageing. Different groups in society now have more diverse and even conflicting interests," he said in the telecast.
Despite global uncertainties, Lee also revealed that the economy is expected to grow between 2.5 and 3.5 per cent this year, higher than the 1 to 3 per cent range previously expected. He also talked about how the government is tackling longer term issues such as population, specifically mentioning the population white paper presented earlier this year which “provoked strong reactions”.
This year’s theme for the National Day Parade (NDP) 2013 is “Many Stories… One Singapore”. It calls on everyone to remember and share the stories that make us who we are and how we identify ourselves as Singaporeans.
The theme song "One Singapore”, was written with Sing A Nation in mind. “One Singapore” brings trough some of the hopes and dreams of different Singaporeans, and showcases the dynamic and distinct natures of the people.
Singapore’s first National Day was held at the Padang in 1966 when the nation gained independence from Malaysia, bringing with it many challenges that were eventually seen through and commemorated up till today.
