Being kind is an essential part of being human. It allows us to connect with others, show empathy, and make the world a better place.
Kindness promotes positive relationships, reduces stress, and improves overall well-being. Small acts of kindness can have a significant impact on people’s lives, even if we don’t always realize it.
We speak to Dr William Wan, the General Secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement about the state of kindness in Singapore, and how we can incorporate small habits to be a “better version of ourselves”.
Dr Wan is also a Justice of the Peace, and the co-founder and former Chairman of the Prison Fellowship Singapore. He is also the Chairman of the Community Advisory Panel for the neighbourhood noise issues.
The Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) wants to encourage everyone to start, show and share kindness and hopes to create a gracious society and make life better for you and me. SKM is a non-government, non-profit organisation, as well as a registered charity and Institution of Public Character.
Dr Wan also touches on how individuals can work with SKM through their programs such as the Ground up Movements (GUMs), SKM’s informal and self-organised groups that have self-initiated voluntary projects to promote the message of kindness to the community in Singapore, and the Voice of Loving Kindness (VoLKs) – Individuals who are self-initiated advocates of kindness, who use their voice to further encourage others to be more gracious through their acts and messages of kindness.
Organizations can also play their part as part of the Organised Kindness Initiatives and Enterprises (OKIEs) program – social enterprises that organise kindness initiatives to promote the message of kindness and encourage others to start, show and share kindness.
Dr Wan also talks about SKM’s search for Singapore’s friendliest neighbourhood, through their latest initiative – Singapore’s Friendly Neighbourhood Award (SFNA) 2023
On 25 April, the Singapore Kindness Movement, together with Happiness Initiative, will be hosting the National Kindness Conference 2023, from 12pm at the Capitol Theatre.
Minister of Health, Mr Ong Ye Kung, will be gracing the event as the Guest-of-Honour, in addition to a keynote by Dr Gerard Ee (Chairman of AIC), and a panel discussion that includes Mr Barathan Pasupathi (CEO of Jetstar Airways), Dr Li Jing Mei (Co-Lead A*Star Diversity Working Group), Mr Simon Leow (Co-Founder Happiness Initiative) and Dr William Wan.
More information will be made available on the Singapore Kindness Movement website and you may RSVP here.