Wanted: Sculpture that best depicts interfaith harmony
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Sculptors inspired by interfaith harmony can now take part in a competition which may see the winning creation displayed in a public place.
The competition is part of DialogueSpace SG Interfaith Forum for Young Adults, a forum for those aged 18 to 35 with different religious backgrounds.
The event on May 23 will bring together young religious leaders and representatives from 10 faiths in Singapore to discuss Catholic, Islamic and secular perspectives on Pope Francis' recent encyclical - or papal announcement - on the formation of friendships among the young, said the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.
Monsignor John-Paul Tan, Vicar-General for Inter-religious Relations at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, said that a public sculpture would help Singaporeans understand that interfaith dialogue has a concrete impact on their lives.
"It is also hoped that we inspire more public artworks in Singapore that celebrate interfaith dialogue."
Submissions are open to any artist or aspiring artist who is a resident here, and entries close on May 3. The winner will be announced on May 14.
The forum is organised by the Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Inter-religious Dialogue in partnership with Singapore Management University's Wee Kim Wee Centre and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.
The event is part of the Catholic Church's commemoration of its 200th year in Singapore.
Attendees will engage in group discussions with those of other faiths, to identify actionable steps towards the creation of lasting friendships and mutual understanding between religious groups in Singapore.
The winner of the sculpture contest, whose creation will be unveiled at the forum, will also be given the opportunity to talk about the inspiration and significance of the work at the forum.
While the future location of the completed sculpture has yet to be announced, Monsignor Tan said that it should be displayed in an area where youth congregate in Singapore.
For details on the competition, readers can visit https://catholic200.sg/dialoguespacesg-sculpture-design-submission/
