SINGAPORE - Lead a life of meaning by contributing to the community, the nation, and even the world.
That was the main lesson Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth hoped to impart to students at a ceremony earlier this afternoon.
Mr Wong, who is also Second Minister for Communications and Information, told students to look beyond "individual happiness" in thinking about their studies and careers.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony for the Pre-University Seminar, held at the National University of Singapore's University Cultural Centre.
Raising the example of Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, the minister urged pre-university students to consider the impact their lives can have on others.
"Because at the end of the day, a life worth living is a life lived not just for yourself, but a life lived also for the people around you," he said.
He also attempted to answer students' questions during a dialogue, including issues such as foreign competition in the workforce, the flaws of the current meritocratic system, and social work.
The Pre-University Seminar has been held yearly since it started in 1970.
In this year's seminar, 550 students from 30 schools will participate in a series of island-wide activities centred around the SG50 initiative to mark Singapore's 50th anniversary over the next few days.
The activities aim to celebrate Singapore's past, present and future, and include interacting with everyday citizens, a panel discussion, information booths, and an exhibition.
The seminar will end with a closing ceremony officiated by Education Minister Heng Swee Keat this Friday.
