COMMON SENSES FOR COMMON SPACES

In May 2015, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong cited the Global Religious Diversity Report which ranked Singapore as the most diverse nation, in terms of religions, out of 232 countries. Diversity is strength when properly cultivated and coordinated. But if left unattended, taken for granted or let to be manipulated, it would be disastrous. Singapore’s interfaith fabric must be consciously and constantly monitored and nurtured to maintain and strengthen confidence and trust amongst the people of this most religiously diverse nation.

Given the challenges of the global security climate and increased religiosity, it is imperative that society must constantly and creatively seek ways to bring people together onto common grounds for the common good through common senses.

The ‘Common Senses for Common Spaces’ (CSCS) interfaith dialogue series seeks to encourage more interaction for a deeper interfaith understanding through the exchanges on key and common religious practices, with the desired outcome that such engagement and acquaintance would help foster greater social harmony and trust. Incidentally, this is in line with two of the five pillars — social and psychological resilience — of Singapore’s Total Defence framework