MEDIA RELEASE for Immediate Release CELEBRATING OUR
MEDIA RELEASE For Immediate Release CELEBRATING OUR RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS HARMONY WITH NEW GUIDED WALKS BY THE NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD The Singapore Town Plan, showing Queen, Waterloo and Bencoolen Streets to be part of a “European Town”, late-19th century. Despite being originally designated as a European quarter, significant numbers of Eurasians, Chinese, Indians, Jews, Malays, amongst other communities, also settled in the area. Image courtesy of National Museum of Singapore, National Heritage Board Singapore, 14 November 2019 – Along Waterloo Street, a devotee from the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple walks two doors down to the neighbouring Sri Krishnan Temple to offer prayers. This is a common sight in the area, where temples, churches, a mosque and a synagogue are all within a stone’s throw of one another. These houses of worship stand as testaments to the diverse communities who lived, worked and played side by side around Queen, Waterloo and Bencoolen Streets in Singapore’s Bras Basah.Bugis precinct, exemplifying the values of understanding and openness that have allowed them to exist and thrive together. 2 With the launch of a new programme titled Harmony Walks by the National Heritage Board (NHB), Singaporeans will be able to embark on free guided walks along Queen, Waterloo and Bencoolen Streets and learn more about the commonalities shared by diverse communities in the areas of religion, culture and built heritage. Harmony Walks comprises three guided walks that will cover the following designated areas: • Harmony Walks: Queen, Waterloo and Bencoolen Streets • Harmony Walks: Telok Ayer (To be launched in 2020) • Harmony Walks: South Bridge Road (To be launched in 2020) 3 The first of the three walks is Harmony Walks: Queen, Waterloo and Bencoolen Streets, which covers a total of seven religious institutions – Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, Sri Krishnan Temple, Maghain Aboth Synagogue, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Kum Yan Methodist Church and Masjid Bencoolen.
[Show full text]