SINGAPORE - A new series of public engagement sessions kicked off on Sunday, with the aim of encouraging Singaporeans to share their views about the future and turn them into reality.

The SGfuture series will run until the middle of next year. It is led by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing.

"This is a crucial point for us to look beyond SG50 towards SG100 and amongst the challenges that Singapore will face is how to keep the society united as we find new fault lines in a very new nation," Ms Fu told reporters.

Added Mr Chan in a statement: "The SGfuture engagements are timely in getting Singaporeans to build consensus about the future they wish to have, and to commit these aspirations to action."

The dialogue series will take inspiration from some of the possible scenarios presented at The Future Of Us exhibition, which opens to the public on Tuesday and was launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong earlier on Sunday.

It aims to build on the nationwide Our Singapore Conversation that was completed two years ago.

Ms Fu said the exercise had provided very good ideas about the aspirations of Singaporeans, such as compassion and care for the environment, which were subsequently captured in The Future Of Us exhibition.

"We want Singaporeans to step forward to put the values that they have envisioned in Our Singapore Conversation into action," she said, adding that some of the possible ground-up projects could involve recycling and volunteering to look after elderly.

The first session on Sunday, organised by the National Youth Council, saw 100 youth participants aged between 16 and 35. They discussed issues such as security, the environment, and how to build an empathetic society.

Ms Fu, addressing the youth participants, urged them to "carry the torch" started by pioneer Singaporeans, and to "carry it further and better for us".

Members of the public can visit www.singapore50.sg/SGfuture to sign up for upcoming sessions. One on Wednesday involves non-profit organisations and envisions the future of giving in Singapore, while another on Friday will explore at how to foster meaningful engagement through the arts.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Lee urged Singaporeans to actively particulate in the SGfuture exercise so as to "shape our future, the Future of Us".

That way, 50 years from now, the young generation of Singaporeans today can tell their grandchildren or even great-grandchildren: "It was here they caught a glimpse of what they could create for the future, were moved to turn these dreams into reality and to write the next chapter of the Singapore story.

"And that is why after SG50, Singapore continued to be an endearing and shining little red dot for many many years to come."