Dr Maliki Osman

Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs

Mr Roger Tan, Vice President Manufacturing Operations (Asia), TechnipFMC

Our partners, sponsors and volunteers 

Participants

Ladies and gentlemen

A warm welcome to the SPD Ability Walk and Run 2023. We return to the iconic Singapore River. This has been a beautiful backdrop for this Walk and Run event on four occasions.  It’s wonderful to see so many of you gathered here this morning. I was initially worried whether the excitement of the presidential election would affect the turn out this morning. Glad to know my worries are unfounded and there is strong support for the cause to enable and empower people with disabilities.

Thank you for being here to support one of the oldest charities in Singapore. SPD is 59 years old. We support individuals with disabilities as well as their families, and we do so through over 20 programmes and services. These include early intervention for young children, therapy services, employment support and day care services, all with the aim of helping people with disabilities to be as independent and self-reliant as possible, and to be a part of mainstream society.

The demand for our services has grown, due to factors such as better and earlier detection and diagnosis, as well as an ageing population. SPD has been working on building up our capabilities and capacity over the years to respond to these growing needs. With the support and goodwill of our funders, donors, volunteers and partners, today we serve over 11,000 persons with disabilities and their families.

The SPD Ability Walk and Run is one of our signature events, to raise funds to help keep our programmes and services running, ensuring that people with disabilities have access to them, AND can afford them. Therefore, we are very grateful to all our supporters today for helping us raise $270,000 for this event!  A special shout-out to our good friends TechnipFMC and Phillips 66 who have supported us since day one in 2016. Very special thanks also go to Exyte and VDL Enabling Technologies Group for your unwavering support.  We are also very grateful for the support of our new friends to this event including Singapore Cruise Centre Pte Ltd and Lincstech Circuit Singapore Pte Ltd.

And of course, not forgetting the 3,400 participants who have signed up both for the in-person event as well as the virtual edition which ran from 14 August and concluded yesterday.  You have enlivened this event with your presence and enthusiasm.

This Walk is not just about the distance we’ll cover.  It is an opportunity for all of us to come together and embrace the spirit of caring and sharing.  It is about the shared experiences, memories, and connections that we create along the way. It’s also a celebration of our commitment to make a difference and accept those who may be different from us. Let this be a reminder that every step we take is a step closer towards a more inclusive society that welcomes people of all abilities.

Finally, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Minister Maliki for gracing us with your presence and doing us the honour of flagging off the event. 

Let’s enjoy this scenic walk and healthy exercise. We hope the experience today will spur you to bring the message about inclusion and diversity to your school or workplace and the larger community.

Thank you!