Think Centre kick started 2011 by organizing a dialogue session with Generation X & Y Political Activists
On January 8 2011, Think Centre kick started the new year with a quiet but poignant round table dialogue session, consisting of a diverse group of political activists hailing mainly from Generation X and Y.
The primary aim of the dialogue session was to bring together Singaporean youths who are active amongst the different political parties to have a no-holds barred exchange of ideas and views of the linkages between the themes of Democracy, Human Rights and Civil Society in Singapore.
A secondary goal of the session was to create opportunities for young political activists to gather on a common platform and explore potential avenues for collaboration based on an understanding and a sense of appreciation for the complementary roles civil society groups can play in creating space for political participation.
Mr Sinapan Samydorai introduced the youthful group to the struggles in promoting the growth of a vibrant civil society in Singapore through the experience of Think Centre's founding history and development since 1999. The interactive session warm up on questions revolving around the participants' personal sense of democracy and human rights which ensured the discussion remains stimulating.
The group was finally introduced to United Nations human rights mechanism to inculcate a sense of familiarity and appreciation of current international human rights standards and norms. There was a lively exchange of candid views in the course of comparing and contrasting Singapore's ongoing attitude and commitment level in adhering to international standards.
At the end of the session, many of the participants agreed that such a gathering serves a useful purpose as a platform for information exchange and provides a broader avenue for potential collaboration.
