SINGAPORE - Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday (June 17) urged more young Singaporeans to step forward to tackle the biggest challenges of the day, and said that the ability to build consensus out of differing viewpoints would be key to coming up with thoughtful and innovative solutions.

"Embrace a life of purpose… channel your passion and idealism to tackle the issues you care deeply about," he said. "Singapore needs you to be an active citizen and a changemaker.

"And there are many possibilities to explore and pursue: You can start by volunteering, and serving your local community... The Government too will do our part to expand the opportunities for you to step up and make a difference," Mr Wong added.

"Each and every one of you has a key part to play in writing the next chapter of the Singapore story."

He was addressing about 60 guests at an award ceremony held at Changi Cove hotel to mark a new National Young Leaders Fellowship launched by the Halogen Foundation, a charity that focuses on building young leaders and entrepreneurs.

The fellowship selects 30 outstanding youth aged 15 to 19 years old to take part in a nine-month programme, where they will be mentored and given the resources and networks to develop their own community projects and grow as leaders.

Mr Wong encouraged the fellowship recipients to make the most of the opportunity.

"Whatever you choose to focus on for your project over the next nine months, remember to engage widely, and hear the views of all stakeholders," he said.

"Take time to listen to them, especially views that are different from your own... And then you will have to find ways to navigate and forge consensus amidst these diverse views and perspectives."

Mr Wong added: "I encourage you to embrace this diversity and draw strength from it; work hard to expand the areas where we have common ground and devise thoughtful and innovative solutions."

He was making his first public speech since being promoted to Deputy Prime Minister at the start of the week, minting his position as successor to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. In April, Mr Wong was endorsed by his peers as the leader of the ruling People's Action Party's (PAP) fourth-generation team.

Mr Wong is Acting Prime Minister with PM Lee on leave this week.

"We are entering a new era for the world and also for us as a country," Mr Wong said on Friday, citing Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's recent comments on how this generation is inheriting a world more dangerous and challenging than any time in the past.

The Covid-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, inflation and a global economy under stress are some immediate threats.

On the horizon are challenges such as geopolitical contestation and tensions between major powers, climate change and pertinent to Singapore, a rapidly ageing population.

"It can be quite daunting when you start to think about all these," said Mr Wong.

"But we can take heart that Singapore is moving forward from a position of strength.

"And what gives me confidence about the future is indeed the attitude and mindsets of younger people," he added, pointing to Covid-19 as a crucible and test for them.

"As the saying goes, the strongest steel comes from the hottest fire. You have risen to the challenges of your time, and you have responded to the pandemic with tremendous grit and resilience," said Mr Wong.

"I've seen many more young people rolling their sleeves and stepping forward to volunteer and to serve the community - some in our dorms, some in our Covid front lines, and many helping the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in different ways."

The minister added that the pandemic experience has been difficult for everyone but Singaporeans' actions have brought them closer together as a people.

"We have been able to keep faith with one another; strengthen our solidarity and trust in each other; and emerge stronger as a nation."

This collective approach will be required as the nation charts a new way forward - "to imagine the kind of society we want Singapore to be, and to build a fairer, greener and more inclusive Singapore together", Mr Wong concluded.

During a dialogue session later with the 30 fellows, Mr Wong was also asked about Singapore's approach in the face of growing political polarisation around the world.

He said the lesson was that the city-state must not only grow its economy, but ensure that the benefits of this growth and progress reach everyone in society.

With its narrowing income gap, Singapore has "not done badly", but work remains to ensure a more fair and equal society, Mr Wong noted.

The Forward Singapore exercise - first announced by him at the May Day Rally - is part of this effort.

"It's meant for us to reexamine our policies, our programmes, our schemes to see how we can strengthen that sense of support for one another - Government doing more to help our families and community and people indeed, but Singaporeans also doing more to help one another," said Mr Wong.

A question was also put to the minister on why he agreed to take on the role of 4G leader and de facto PM-in-waiting.

"Sometimes it's very tempting to say somebody else will do the job… Somebody else will take the responsibility so you can just lie low," said Mr Wong.

"But you know, after a while you will realise it's just us; there's nobody else. You want to kick the can to somebody else but who else is going to do it?"

Eventually, someone has to "stand in the gap", he added. "That's why all of you have to step forward; be an active citizen; know that you can be a changemaker in Singapore."