This cleanup is part of a new Humanist Society annual initiative called National Day Community Service. where every year in August, we will roll up our sleeves and take part in various projects to help the needy and protect the environment. This is also our first physical event since the Circuit Breaker. Safety precautions were taken.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world hard. Singapore was not spared. People from all walks of life were affected as circuit-breaker measures were implemented during the second quarter of 2020.

In such times, when social distancing was enforced, vulnerable sectors of the population were disproportionately affected. This includes the elderly. The stream of volunteers bringing life to Thong Teck Home for Senior Citizens had slowed significantly.

From 21-27 June 2020, the Humanist Society (Singapore) will hold World Humanist Week, combining our World Humanist Day with our Pink Dot activities and a third event that will hold discussions on humanism. With the continued Covid-19 pandemic, we will also be distributing ear savers to our members who need it.

The year 2019 is the 200th anniversary of Sir Stamford Raffles’ founding of modern Singapore.  On Darwin Day 2019, the Humanist Society (Singapore) invited Dr John van Wyhe to deliver a lecture on Raffles’ lesser known side – a naturalist in Southeast Asia. Dr John is a British historian of science, with a focus on Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, at the National University of Singapore. We have published a transcript of his lecture below:

As part of our #HumanismAtHome initiative, we held a Skype group chat (‘Skype Party’) on May 9 (Sat), discussing food security in Singapore. It was an informative and highly engaging discussion lasting 1.5 hours. A local farmer in Singapore, Ms Eng Ting Ting from Urban Farm and Barn, joined us and shared her experience as a microgreens farmer.