The Dead Cockroach: Harmony In Diversity Gallery

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Do you know how many different faiths are being practiced here in Singapore? Well, apart from the usual Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Buddhism, that is.

Like the majority of you, I was clueless about it too but after visiting the Harmony In Diversity Gallery, I learned that there is also the Bahá'í Faith, Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Sikhism, Judaism and Jainism.

To be honest, I have not even heard about some of them before but these ten faiths made up the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) in Singapore which was founded way back in 1949 to promote peace and religious harmony. I am surprised such an organization exists and that it even have a history of 67 years!

The IRO regularly conducts inter-faith prayers and blessings at launching ceremonies of public and private institutions such as the Downtown Line 2 and F1 tracks among others.

People from my generation are fortunate to be born in peaceful times. We grew up living in close proximity with neighbors of other faiths and making friends of other ethnicity in school. Despite our differences and backgrounds, we are able to co-exist peacefully. This would not have been possible if not for the mutual understanding we had for one another.

As PM Lee pointed out, the religious harmony we enjoy today does not come by easy. A lack of interfaith understanding could sometimes lead to disastrous results.

One such early conflict, for example, is the Maria Hertogh riot that occurred in 1950. Maria was born to Dutch parents but during the second world war, she was given to a Malay woman to raise after the birth of her youngest brother. When the war ended, her biological parents wanted her back but her custody fight led to tension between the Malays and Eurasians.

This is why building a harmonious relationship between the races is so important.

Along South Bridge Road, there is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Sri Mariamman Temple and the Jamae Mosque all within a stone's throw away from each other.

If you have noticed in the photo above, there are Chinese lanterns hanging outside the Muslim Mosque and Hindu Temple because the Mid Autumn Festival - a festival celebrated by the Chinese - is approaching. Where else can you see such religious harmony between places of worship?

In fact, South Bridge Road is not the unique one. Telok Ayer Street, Waterloo Street, Upper Serangoon Road, Shrewsbury Road and Geylang Lorong 25 - 29 are other examples of how different faiths can co-exist together.

This is what makes me proud of being a Singaporean.

As a multi-cultural & multi-religious Singapore, we can never take our peaceful co-existence for granted. The Harmony In Diversity Gallery seeks to promote the importance of religious harmony to Singapore and the efforts needed to build interfaith peace in a religiously diverse society. It also serves as a key platform under the SGSecure movement’s ‘Community Cohesion’ pillar to engage Singaporeans on the importance of racial and religious harmony.

The gallery was officially opened by the President, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam on 2 September 2016.

Come visit the gallery from Mondays to Saturdays to learn how you can do your part.

Admission is free.