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| Guest- of- Honour, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs, completing Singapore’s largest mosaic that is made of over 20, 000 phone wipes. PHOTO: Matthew Wong |
The trend of turning everyday items into a record-breaking masterpiece to promote anti-drug abuse is well alive.
Last year, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) launched their Anti-Drug Abuse Campaign by collaborating with students to build Singapore’s largest binder clip structure.
This year, they did it again. But instead of binder clips, they chose something that would resonate well among youths — phone wipes.
“We wanted to make a unique impression that we can come out with something different from others. So every time when youths wipe their phones, they will see the message: Life Does Not Rewind,” said Siti Khadijah Abdul Jalil, 18.
The second year diploma in integrated events and projects management student was among eight students from Singapore Polytechnic’s School of Architecture and Built Environment who organised the event.
They led student volunteers from eight schools in building Singapore’s largest mosaic made of over 20,000 commemorative phone wipes.
The campaign marked its 17th year in 2012 and was launched in commemoration of World Drug Day.
The last phone wipe to complete the mosaic was placed by the Guest-of-Honor Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Mr Masagos Zulkifli during the launch on Sunday, 24 June 2012 at The Cathay.
“Our youths are beginning to experiment with drugs or begin to have a belief or attitude that some types of drugs are okay,” he said.
He also added that with overseas travel becoming more accessible, people might be exposed to drug attitudes which do not correspond to Singapore’s zero tolerance approach.
As such, NCADA and CNB collaborated with students from Singapore Polytechnic's School of Architecture and Built Environment to conceptualize and organize activities for the campaign for the second year in a row.
“We have been working with SP to get ideas from youths,” said Mr Masagos, “We know that if we were to talk down to their face, the message will not sink in.”
Throughout the campaign launch, students from different schools came together and tried out the many exciting game stations and exhibitions in store.
One of the game stations took the form of an arcade basketball game where visitors had to throw as many basketballs into the hoop within a given timeframe.
In the game, the number of basketballs that managed to enter the hoop alluded to the number of drugs destroyed.
The event also saw the launch of CNB’s new anti-drug mobile exhibition bus known as the Drug Buster Academy.
The $560,000 bus is a successor of an older bus which retired in 2010 after five years on the Anti-Drug Abuse campaign trail.
To stay connected and remain relevant with youths, the bus contains high-tech elements such as interactive exhibits, games and touchscreens.
It would visit schools and other public places popular among the young.
Mr Victor Lye, Vice-Chairman of NCADA believes the Anti-Drug Campaign resonates well with youths:
“(The youths) also take home (the anti-drug abuse message) very clearly. And I know that because I have children and my children tell me about the anti-drug messages they get.”
- A large replica of the anti-drug ribbon acts as a key to launch the anti-drug mobile exhibition bus. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
- Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) unveils its’ new anti-drug mobile exhibition bus, Drug Buster Academy. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
- Guest- of- Honour, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs, completing Singapore’s largest mosaic that is made of over 20, 000 phone wipes. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
- A participant engrossed in a game of Jenga at the games booth. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
- Participants designing their own badges. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
- A badge-making machine making badges out of participants’ designs on site. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
- Members of dance group TUFRDFC, were all smiles, as they conquer the stage with their powerful dance moves. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
- Guest-of-Honour and VIP viewing the exhibition in the bus. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
- Students from Singapore Polytechnic sharing a Kodak moment with GOH Guest-of-Honour Mr Masagos Zulkifli. PHOTO: Matthew Wong
