Mr See Cher, President of the Society for the Physically Disabled or SPD,

Dr Ow Chee Chung, Executive Director of SPD,

Participants and Volunteers

Good evening,

1. I am heartened to see NTU students working in partnership with the Society for the Physically Disabled. I believe it has been a beneficial collaboration for both sides. In this partnership, the NTU students have had the opportunity to bring their ideas, talents and resources together to collaborate on a funded project with an external organisation. I believe being involved in such projects contribute much to their personal development and also overall tertiary experience.

2. But more than just developing the mind, this partnership has also challenged the students to view life from the perspective of people with physical disabilities. For the first time, they have had to thoroughly consider the needs of wheelchair users, down to the smallest detail. In planning the route of the race and in the games, they had to take accessibility issues into account. With the advice from staff of SPD, they had to re-consider routes, put into place contingency plans, and develop a keen awareness of what could potentially pose as problems to a disabled person.

3. I know it has not been easy having to organise this event, while balancing their studies and the stress of exams. But like in the working world, there are many commitments to balance apart from work as well. It has been a learning experience for them. What is more, their efforts allowed the participants to also gain insight into the challenges disabled people face, by making them step into their shoes for a few hours.

4. I would like to thank SPD for this opportunity to collaborate on The Amazing Wheelchair Race. It is rewarding to see students pull-off a successful project, but more so when it is for a worthy cause. Thank you also to the sponsors for contributing to the success of the event.

I wish all a pleasant evening ahead.