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Please click here for information on the 2008 Grandparents Day Walk

PRESS RELEASE :

Gentle Walk to lead Grandparents' Day Celebration

21 November 2007, Council for Third Age (C3A) has taken the lead to recognise the important role played by grandparents in the family by celebrating Grandparents' Day – the second key event under the Active Ageing Festival – with a bigger bang. This special day, which has been in Singapore's annual calendar since 1999, will be marked by a national-level walk and participation from retailers and food & beverage outlets.

The Grandparents' Day Gentle Walk starts at 8.00am on Sunday, 25 November. This event is organised by Council for Third Age, and co-organised by National Library Board (NLB) and National Heritage Board (NHB) as part of its Explore Singapore! campaign. The Gentle Walk aims to forge stronger inter-generational ties, and to provide a platform for young Singaporeans to honour their grandparents for their roles are caregivers, baby-sitters and mentors and recognise the wisdom that their richer life experiences bring.

The 1km Gentle Walk will feature musical tributes from young performers to seniors in a casual outdoor setting, while seniors and their families who participate in the Gentle Walk will be entitled to free entry to the Asian Civilisations Museum. In addition, "Letters from Grandma and Grandpa", a series of books that capture the bond between generations and the life experiences of seniors, will be launched.

"It is encouraging to see so many inter-generational families signing up for the Walk. Although this is the first major initiative for Grandparents' Day, we hope more Singaporeans will take the cue from this year's efforts and celebrate it annually like they do Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day," said Dr Aline Wong, Member of the Board of Directors, C3A.

Highlights of Gentle Walk are as follows:
1km walk along Singapore River
Participants will start the walk from Raffles Place Park and proceed to Boat Quay, a historical area of trade and economic activities and now a trendy wining and dining area for yuppies. They will cross Elgin Bridge – the first bridge to be built across Singapore River – before ending the walk at ACM, itself a historical monument. The Singapore River route was chosen for the unique place it occupies in the hearts and minds of many seniors and its modern role as a hip lifestyle hub for younger Singaporeans.

Entertainment for Grandparents and their families
After the walk, families can leave their handprints on a 42-metre long wall to create a colourful commemorative mural. Fun and joy await both young and old as the likes of Boys Brigade, Tampines Junior College and De La Salle Primary School put up performances for the families.

Within the ACM, there will be a blockbuster show on the history of Buddhism entitled On the Nalanda Trail: Buddhism in India, China and Southeast Asia. Participants of the Gentle Walk will enjoy free entry to the ACM, as part of its Explore Singapore! campaign.

Love messages
In October, the winning artworks from the My Grandparents and I Art Competition had been converted to Grandparents' Day postcards, which were then distributed to the public to encourage grandchildren to write down messages of affection for their grandparents. At the Walk, grandparents will have a chance to hear these messages read out to them by grandchildren. And vice versa, the younger generation will enjoy stories that will be read from the book, "Letters from Grandma and Grandpa", which will be launched by NLB at the Walk.

Launch of "Letters from Grandma and Grandpa" by NLB
NLB will be launching "Letters From Grandma and Grandpa", a series of four books comprising letters from doting grandfathers and grandmothers to their grandchildren. The series is published by the NLB, with each book carrying different letters in Singapore's four official languages.

Dr N Varaprasad, Chief Executive of NLB said, "In compiling these multi-lingual collections of meaningful letters from grandparents to their grandchildren, NLB has sought to revive the art of letter-writing, and at the same time, create a book of collective wisdom to be passed down to future generations.

A book such as this brings together knowledge and wisdom, words and insights; it reconnects our old and young people and preserves the oral history and heritage of our nation that would otherwise be lost. "

That's not all. After the day's activities, participants can round up their Grandparents' Day celebrations with a scrumptious meal at selected F&B outlets. More details can be found in the attached fact sheet.

About Council for Third Age
Set up in May 2007, Council for Third Age is an independent body set up to promote active ageing, so that seniors can achieve a better quality of life in all the six dimensions of wellness – social, intellectual, physical, vocational, emotional and spiritual. The Council plays a leadership role in driving the thrust towards creating an active ageing culture in Singapore, and partners businesses, government agencies and statutory boards, as well as non-governmental and non-profit organizations to develop products and services that fulfill the needs and interests of seniors.