SIF Marks International Day of Friendship 2023 With Networking Dinner

The Singapore International Foundation (SIF) celebrated International Day of Friendship (IDF) 2023 on 28 July 2023 with some 100 volunteers, partners and alumni. Old friends and new met over dinner and exchanged volunteering experiences. SIF shared plans on upcoming projects to keep them apprised of volunteer opportunities.

Jayne Lee, a music educator and attendee, spoke of her first time participating in an SIF event. She said: "It was useful to hear about the work that SIF does, especially the ways that existing and new volunteers can engage with SIF. I enjoyed meeting new friends who are passionate about teaching, learning and building communities. I am excited to continue the conversations from tonight for collaborations in the future!"
 

Guests also enjoyed an evening of activities. One highlight was a pack of three bookmarks to mark IDF 2023, designed by Citizen Ambassador, Aminur Rasyid (YSE 2017 Winner). They featured his signature Artably characters and a punny slogan – International Friend-chip Day – when put together. Some guests made new friends after seeking two others to make a complete set. Some wrote uplifting messages for their friends on the bookmarks, which were made from repurposed paper.

Guests and SIF staff brought their own books for a book swap – from cooking and motivational books to children books and novels. There were robust conversations on what they had enjoyed about the books and definitely wanted others to do so as well. Turned out that many were inspired to take home a copy as there were almost none left by the end of the evening.

Willoughby Niki Lee, from Sustainable Living Lab, spoke about exchanging volunteering experiences: “I volunteered in DigiLABS as a Lead Content Developer and Trainer for the Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security courses. DigiLABS was a digital programme for learners around Asia and I had only interacted with participants and fellow volunteers virtually. It was great to finally meet friends in-person and heartening to know how DigiLABs impacted their digital skilling journeys. I also particularly enjoyed meeting social entrepreneurs and SIF staff to learn about the impact they create in their meaningful work. I eagerly look forward to new potential collaborations and more get-togethers with new friends that I met!”
 

Some of the guests made friends over a story. They had fun contributing their part of a tale about sea creature friends and their travels. It was written in no less than four languages, a great reflection of our multicultural Singapore.

The SIF celebrates its volunteers and friends across global communities to show its appreciation. Most recently, it marked International Volunteer Day in 2022 with networking activities and a partnership with local organisations.