26 Voices.
One Nation.

Beyond parades and policy, this edition captures the unseen architecture of a nation: its people. Through 26 striking portraits of Singaporeans across generations and sectors, this book reimagines not just how far we’ve come, but where we must go and who we must become if we’re to remain extraordinary.

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The People

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At the heart of every nation are its people: thinkers, builders, dreamers, and critics who define its soul far beyond systems or structures.

(Re)Defining Singapore invites you to meet 26 individuals who each offer a lens into what has shaped, challenged, and elevated our nation. These are the icons, insiders, and outliers who have made their mark in diplomacy, education, innovation, culture, media, and more, not as representatives of perfection but as reflections of the rich, complex fabric that is Singapore.

Through their stories, we discover the spectrum of talent, grit, contradictions, and imagination that continues to define who we are and who we might yet become.

  • Bilahari Kausikan

    Bilahari Kausikan

  • Chan Heng Chee

    Chan Heng Chee

  • Charles Wong

    Charles Wong

  • Dennis Chew

    Dennis Chew

  • Dick Lee

    Dick Lee

  • Fazlur Rahman Bin Kamsani

    Fazlur Rahman Bin Kamsani

  • Joseph Schooling

    Joseph Schooling

  • Kai Nargolwala

    Kai Nargolwala

  • Kishore Mahbubani

    Kishore Mahbubani

  • Koh Buck Song

    Koh Buck Song

  • Michael Thng

    Michael Thng

  • Mohammed Saleem

    Mohammed Saleem

  • Philip Yeo

    Philip Yeo

  • PN Balji

    PN Balji

  • Shashi Jayakumar

    Shashi Jayakumar

  • Tan Chong Meng

    Tan Chong Meng

  • Tan Chorh Chuan

    Tan Chorh Chuan

  • Terence Ho

    Terence Ho

  • Tommy Koh

    Tommy Koh

  • Violet Oon

    Violet Oon

  • VK Rajah

    VK Rajah

  • Wong Siew Hoong

    Wong Siew Hoong

  • Yeo Whee Jim

    Yeo Whee Jim

  • Yip Yew Chong

    Yip Yew Chong

  • Yong Ying-I

    Yong Ying-I

  • Zaqy Mohamad

    Zaqy Mohamad

From the President

“Our journey as a nation has always been a matter of resolve. To do more than survive, to create an identity together as Singaporeans, and to make a distinctive mark in the world. So too, our way forward will depend on how each new generation finds common purpose. How we grow with each other, and how we gain spirit even as people get on in years.

And it will ultimately rest on how we respect each other, not only for our different backgrounds and paths in life, but for the courage and contributions that we each bring.

May these stories spur reflection on our journey together, as it unfolds.”

— THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM
(President of the Republic of Singapore)