New Friendly Neighbourhood Award aims to foster kampung spirit
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Nisha Rahim
More than 100 residents in Jalan Bintang Tiga at Opera Estate in Siglap got together for an annual street potluck celebration yesterday after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Initiated and largely self-organised by the neighbours since 1999, the event brings residents in the community together for an evening of food, fun and games.
The three-hour party was held in Jalan Bintang Tiga, which was named the first friendly street of 2019 by the Singapore Kindness Movement. To celebrate and encourage more of such initiatives that foster close community spirit, the movement will be launching a new award called Singapore's Friendly Neighbourhood Award in October.
From October until January next year, residents around the island can nominate residential blocks and streets they consider good examples of neighbourliness.
MP for Marine Parade GRC's Joo Chiat division and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong also attended the celebration yesterday.
He said he is happy that Jalan Bintang Tiga has been used as the exemplar for paving the way to kindliness and good neighbourliness.
Mr Tong added: "It is my hope that Singapore's Friendly Neighbourhood Award will continue to inspire a strong sense of neighbourliness, camaraderie and instil that special 'kampung spirit' across more neighbourhoods."
