For some, playing the piano well might be a difficult feat to accomplish. But Ms Siti Sakinah Zainal not only mastered the instrument in seven years, she also did it despite being blind.

The 24-year-old human resources executive learns her pieces by listening to them, playing them back to memorise them, and picking up the musical cues from the conductor's breathing when she is playing in an orchestra.

She was among the many people with disabilities (PWDs) who made up a majority of the 113 performers at the Purple Parade 2020 yesterday.

Held annually since 2013, the parade is Singapore's largest movement to support the inclusion of PWDs and celebrate their abilities.

In previous years, huge crowds turned up at Hong Lim Park and Suntec City to take part in the festivities, which typically included a massive carnival, march and concert. This year, owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, the organisers have moved the events online.

More than 2,600 Singaporeans, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, pledged in a video montage yesterday to support inclusion and celebrate the abilities of PWDs.

Instead of a carnival, Purple Parade merchandise was sold online. And for the first time, a virtual "purple map" replaced the march as a sign of solidarity, allowing people to leave online messages of inclusion and support for PWDs.

The concert was live-streamed on the Purple Parade's Facebook page, with a special screening at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre for invited guests that also incorporated some live segments.

About 35,000 people tuned in to the livestream.

The audience was treated to rousing drum and wushu performances, songs, dances and a special music video, performed mostly by PWDs.

Those watching from home had the chance to win prizes and gifts made by PWDs by sharing and commenting on the stream.

Ms Sakinah, who played the piano as part of The Purple Symphony - Singapore's largest inclusive orchestra - said it was an honour to perform at the concert.

"(The parade) is a great opportunity to show people that although we're PWDs, we can do things that normal people can do as well. And some of the things we can do, normal people can't do," she said.

Housewife June Lim, 45, whose 20-year-old son Royce played the cello with the symphony, said she was very proud of him.

Mdm Lim said she had never expected her son, who has autism, to perform at such a big event.

"I'm happy that he's part of this orchestra… and doing something to showcase his ability to everyone, that he can do this. It's very heartwarming," she said.

The vice-chairman of this year's Purple Parade working committee, paralympian Yip Pin Xiu, said that planning for the event format amid Covid-19 was a "daunting yet exciting task", and that the pandemic should not be a reason to reduce support for PWDs.

The mayor of Central Singapore District and adviser to the Purple Parade, Ms Denise Phua, said she hopes the Purple Parade will remind people that PWDs are not "objects of pity or charity", but equal members of society.

"They, like the rest of us, deserve equal access and full participation in all aspects of life, such as daily living, good education, work, healthcare, mobility and social relationships," she said.

Speaking at the event, Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who was the guest of honour, said: "The spirit of the Purple Parade must continue even after this concert and even after the festivities end... Together, we can do so much more to build a Singapore that is fairer, more equal and more inclusive," he said.