Forum: Encouraging to see public transport spaces used for meaningful, educational messages
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I have been noticing the banners across our MRT network promoting the exhibition The Albatross File: Singapore’s Independence Declassified.
These promising and visually striking posters, which I see while riding different train lines, catch my eye and make my daily commute feel more meaningful.
One poster that moved me shows our founding prime minister in tears, with the words “There were tears and anguish. And a story you should know.”
Seeing this image in an MRT station makes me reflect on the heavy responsibility and emotional burden our leaders carried when Singapore separated from Malaysia and became independent, and on the uncertainty ordinary Singaporeans must have felt at that time.
The exhibition uses immersive storytelling and declassified records to explain Singapore’s journey from merger to separation and eventual independence. Featuring it through MRT banners is an effective way to reach commuters who might not actively seek out a history exhibition, but who can be prompted to think about our past in the midst of everyday life.
It is encouraging to see our public transport spaces used for meaningful, educational messages instead of only commercial advertising.
I hope to see more such collaborations with SMRT and other agencies, so that our trains and stations continue to showcase our history and shared values to new generations of Singaporeans.
Madan Kishor
