


Full Session Descriptions
From Merdeka to Millennials: Doing Democracy in Singapore
Venue: Blackbox (in red on the map)
Speakers:
- Chan Wai Han – Function 8
- Daryl Yang – formerly from The G Spot and CAPE
- Thirunalan Sasitharan – Arts Engage
- Wong Cai Jie – Singapore Climate Rally and Fossil Free Yale-NUS
Moderated by: Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh
Activism is often a dirty word in Singapore, where some individuals and groups are typecast as “troublemakers” while others are lauded as good citizens. Whom does the good/bad activist narrative serve, and can it be challenged? An intergenerational panel will discuss what activism means to them, and how the political climate of Singapore has shaped strategies for social change over the years. Were the hopes and fears of artists and activists in the past similar to those of young people today? When we toe lines drawn in the sand, or cooperate with those in power, do we risk co-optation? Are confrontational methods counterproductive? Or are pluralistic approaches necessary for a vibrant democracy? This conversation hopes to reflect on what has changed, what has remained the same, and what lies ahead for Singapore civil society.
#callpolice and other bad habits: a workshop on empowered citizen action
Venue: Classroom 15 (in yellow on the map)
Speakers:
- Izzaty Ishak (Beyond Social Services)
- Nathalie Pang (Institute of Policy Studies)
- Preeti Nair (Comedian)
- Subhas Nair (Artist)
Moderated by Kokila Annamalai
This year, incidents such as the ban of the Watain concert, and police investigations into Preetipls and Subhas Nair raised the question: do we rely too much on punitive state actions to deal with situations where things get uncomfortable or a problem presents itself in our community? What are the costs of invoking excessive state intervention, and can we imagine alternatives that involve meaningful citizen engagement? This experiential workshop focuses on several real-life case studies in Singapore and invites participants to imagine how democratic practices can transform how we discuss matters of public concern, negotiate differences, and make decisions.
Toolkits for change: A peer learning platform
Venue: Art Studios (in green on the map)
At this skills sharing session, arts practitioners, community organisers, students and others will share the tools they’ve used to build community, lobby policymakers, nurture counter narratives and disrupt power imbalances in society. Participants can choose to join different conversations and exchange ideas, develop their practice and reimagine possibilities.
Round 1 Booths (Only for 1pm – 2.45pm session)
- How to design and run a campaign? – Ready4Repeal
- Leveraging international human rights mechanisms – Jean Chong, Sayoni
- Organising online and offline peer support groups – The Bi+ Collective
- Lobbying businesses and regional governments– Benjamin Tay, People’s Movement to stop Haze (PM Haze)
Round 2 Booths (Only for 3.15pm – 5pm session)
- Building a campus movement – Suraendher Kumarr, CAPE
- Creating a community of writers – Diana Rahim, Beyond the Hijab
- How to engage mainstream media – Xing Jian, Pink Dot
- Research-based advocacy on laws, policies and The Singapore Budget – AWARE
Community Organising: From Potluck to A People’s Movement
Venue: Classroom 16 (in blue on the map)
There is power in marginalised communities organising themselves, where change is participatory and ground-up. What are some of the goals and challenges that community organisers have? How do people on the margins – with limited resources, facing multiple barriers – start conversations and create safe, stimulating spaces for reflection, community building and eventually, action? What are the power dynamics at play as they work alongside other actors in civil society, such as researchers or journalists? What are the costs of speaking truth to power?
This session will draw on the rich experience of local community organisers, learning from their journeys as well as providing ideas and inspiration for community building.
Speakers
- Jolovan Wham, Community Action Network (CAN)
- Nurul Fadiah Johari, Penawar
- Willie Yeo, Independent Community Organiser
- Zakir Hossain Khokon, Migrant Writers of Singapore
- Zubee Ali, Community Activist
“You don’t need much space to have sex do advocacy”: Creative resistance in a shrinking space
Venue: Classroom 15 (in yellow on the map)
Civil society groups in Singapore often have to walk a tightrope, navigating repressive laws and regulations, strong-arm tactics and a climate of fear around dissent. How are these difficulties shared and negotiated by others? Many feel that the space for civil society is shrinking in Singapore, with greater censorship, reprisals and erosion of civil liberties. How can we work together to expand this space? This workshop will explore how we can build solidarity, work at intersectionalities and collaborate on cross-cutting issues.
Speakers
- Jolene Tan, Writer & Human Rights Activist
- June Chua, The T Project
- Stephanie Chok, Researcher
Community care: Sustaining ourselves and each other
Venue: Blackbox (in red on the map)
Civil society work can be challenging, and activists regularly face compassion fatigue, burnout, trauma, or stress. Some drop out as a result of these stresses, while others might run roughshod over their own health to continue their work. Join us for this workshop where we explore the various dimensions of our wellbeing, and together practice tools for better self-care. As we learn more about each other, we will also collectively reflect on how we can care for each other as a community.
Lead Facilitator: Vanessa Ho, Project X
- All food is halal, with vegetarian options. Vegan options are only available at the Yale-NUS Dining Halls; please kindly approach the CAPE ushers for assistance.
- All venues are wheelchair accessible. The Art Studios for Session 2.1 is located one level above the Performance Hall foyer. Please use the elevators.
- Nursing rooms are available in the Black Box backstage area. Please approach a CAPE usher for assistance.
- Please approach any CAPE ushers for first-aid or emergency needs.
Apa Itu Activist? Conference Anti-Harassment Policy
We aim to provide a safe, respectful, and harassment-free conference environment for everyone involved regardless of age, sex, gender identity and expresion, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, marital status, and family responsibilities.
We want every participant to feel welcome, included, and safe at the Apa Itu Activist? Conference (“Conference”). Moreover, we will do our best to accommodate specific needs such as accessibility, caregiving responsibilities, affordability, and dietary requirements. Please let us know via email or phone (below) should you have any requests.
The conference is organised by a group of civil society organisations and activists, who make up its executive committee (“Committee”).
Harassing behaviour
We do not tolerate harassment of Conference attendees. Harassment means any unwelcome, unwarranted and uninvited conduct or behaviour by an individual that:
- discomfits, demeans, humiliates, insults, threatens, intimidates, alarms, distresses, offends, bullies, coerces, exploits or otherwise violates the dignity of another individual; or
- creates an intimidating, abusive, hostile, degrading, humiliating, offensive or unfavourable environment for the attendees
Some examples of harassment, include:
- Verbal abuse, lewd remarks, or bullying
- Deliberate intimidation, or stalking, both in person and online
- Non-consensual photography or recording, which causes others to feel uncomfortable or offended
- Distribution or display of offensive or inappropriate messages, images, or other material whether private or public
- Inappropriate physical contact
- Unwelcome sexual attention
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviour
Scope of policy
This anti-harassment policy applies to all attendees of the Conference, including organisers, guests, panelists, and volunteers. All participants are expected to comply with this policy at all conference venues, and conference-related social events. For the policy to apply, the harassment must have been carried out:
- During the Conference or in the context of organising of the Conference
- Outside the context of the Conference, but has or will have continuing adverse effects on the affected parties (subject of the harassment or witnesses)
Reporting harassing behaviour
Anyone witnessing or subject to harassing behaviour can notify the Committee at apaituactivist.forum@gmail.com, or 85112017.
In cases where a report is made by a witness, the Committee will only proceed to take action: a) if the attendee subjected to the harassment consents to this; b) the Committee takes the view that there is imminent harm or risk to that attendee or other attendees
You can make an anonymous report here. We can’t follow up on an anonymous report with you directly, but all reports will be treated seriously, kept as confidential as possible and investigated fully. The committee will also take necessary action to prevent a recurrence.
Confidentiality
Organisers shall treat complaints with the highest level of confidentiality. While discretion will be maintained:
- Information may be shared with other persons on a need-to-know basis in order to assist in the review and resolution of the matter. Even where sharing is required, the names and details of the parties involved should be kept confidential as far as possible.
- Organisers may share information with other parties, as necessary, in an emergency situation where it has sufficient reason to believe that the complainant or other parties are at imminent risk and such disclosure of information is necessary to address the situation.
Consequences of harassing behaviour
Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference at the discretion of the Committee, which retains the right to take any actions to ensure or restore the safety of the conference environment for all its participants.
In addition, the Committee also reserves the right to refer harassing behaviour to the appropriate authorities, including but not restricted to, campus security and law enforcement.
The Committee will take reasonable action to ensure the safety of all attendees, but it does not have a duty to investigate and discipline anyone.
Registration opens at 9am at the Yale-NUS College Performance Hall Foyer
