The Launch of Lianhe Zaobao's Centennial Comics Exhibition - Ms Grace Fu

Speech by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, at the launch of Lianhe Zaobao'a Centennial Comics Exhibition on 21 May 2023

新报业媒体华文媒体集团社长李慧玲女士，

Ms Lee Huay Leng, Editor-In-Chief of the Chinese Media Group of SPH Media

《联合早报》总编辑吴新迪先生，

Mr Goh Sin Teck, Editor at Lianhe Zaobao

《联合早报》执行总编辑韩咏梅女士，

Ms Han Yong May, Executive Editor at Lianhe Zaobao

《联合早报》各位资深主编编辑、美术员、漫画作者、工作人员，

Lianhe Zaobao’s senior editors, artists, cartoonists and staff

各位先生女士们，

Ladies and gentlemen

1 大家下午好。我很荣兴今天能在这里和大家一起庆祝《联合早报》创刊100周年的庆祝活动。

Good afternoon, everyone. I am pleased to join all here today to celebrate Lianhe Zaobao’s Centennial Anniversary.

视觉传播的历史意义

The historical significance of visual communications

2 视觉传播可以追溯到古文明时代，当时洞穴壁画和象形文字是讲述故事和表达想法的有效途径。图像比单用文字更具影响力，它能抓住人们的注意力，让人们快速又轻松地理解复杂难懂的概念。

Visual communications dating back to cave paintings and pictographs have long been effective in telling stories and presenting ideas. Images are more powerful than words alone. It grabs attention and helps people understand complex concepts quickly and easily.

3 早年，在新加坡取得独立之前，图片和图像普遍用于大众传媒、广告和公共教育宣传资料上。我们许多不识字的移民先辈，借由这些图像，轻易地理解里头所要传达的信息。这在我国争取独立之前的不稳定、不确定时期尤其重要，因为无论人们的识字水平如何，共同的情感和身份都可以通过视觉作品来培养和塑造。

In the early years, even before Singapore gained its independence, pictures and images were commonly used in the mass communications, advertisements, and public education. Even many of our immigrant forefathers who were not literate could easily understand the messages that were being conveyed. This was especially important during the uncertainty of pre-independence, where common sentiment and identity could be forged through visual ideas, regardless of literacy levels.

漫画仍是当今有效的沟通交流工具

Comics as an effective communication tool today

4 今时今日，随着国人的教育水平越来越高，漫画的内容也变得更加成熟和复杂了，漫画作者使用言语影射和语带双关的手法，来进一步阐述和反思全球各种议题。 从表面上来看，这些漫画幽默有趣，但是当您进一步思考的时后，漫画其实真的带出了当天的新闻，并记录了日常生活点滴。除了轻松好玩，漫画也可以一针见血，以非常容易理解的方式，来说明严肃又复杂的时事、政治、经济，甚至环境的话题。不仅如此，漫画有时甚至还能为人们开拓新思路和新视角。

Today, in the age of an increasingly educated population, comics have become more sophisticated, using verbal innuendo and double entendres to further the narratives and reflect on issues around the world. On the surface, these comics appear to be fun and humorous. But when you reflect on it further, they mirror the local headlines of the day and document the intricacies of daily life. Besides lightening up the mood, comics explain serious and complex topics – such as current affairs, politics, economics, and even environmental sustainability – in a more straightforward and easy-to-understand manner. At the same time, they introduce people to new lines of thoughts and perspectives.

5 然而，创作漫画并不是一件容易的事。作者需要花费心思、善用技巧以及怀抱创作热忱，才能构思出一幅简单但具有影响力又有意义的漫画作品。漫画作者不仅仅是擅长绘画的插画师，他们更是目光敏锐，观察入微具有思考力，并有评论能力的社会评论家。他们能够对广泛的议题进行及时的评议，让读者对眼前的问题进行更深入的思考。一个漫画，其实在背后已经有很多很多的功力在里面了。

However, creating comics is not an easy task. It requires a lot of effort, skill, and passion to come up with a simple yet impactful and meaningful comic. Comic artists are not just illustrators who are good at drawing. They are also sharp social commentators. They provide timely critiques on wide ranging topics, getting readers to think deeper about the issues at hand.

6 《联合早报》的漫画创作团队就巧妙地向大家展示了如何做到这一点。凭着对读者的深入理解，这些漫画作者生动地画出了充满本地色彩、能引起共鸣又贴近生活的漫画作品。我每次翻阅《联合早报》时，总是期待漫画出现。我最喜欢的漫画通常是那些以机智的方式来评论社会的漫画。这类漫画不仅诙谐有趣，也提醒我们停下脚步反思自己的行为。我想借此机会赞扬《联合早报》多位漫画作者蔡新友先生、张进培先生、陈聪明先生，还有每位许多的漫画家，我们非常的感谢他们的贡献，感谢大家多年来用心创作出这么多反映新加坡生活点滴的佳作。

The comic artists at Lianhe Zaobao have masterfully demonstrated how this can be done. With a firm understanding of their readers, these artists are able to make their comics hyperlocal, relatable and authentic. I always look forward to the comics section when I flip through Zaobao. My favourite comics are usually the ones that provide witty social commentary such as. Funny as they may be, they get us to stop and reflect on our own actions. I would like to take this moment to applaud the efforts of Zaobao’s comic artists, like Chua Sin Yew, Teo Chin Puay, Tan Chong Beng, as well as all the comics artists out there.

7 我很高兴看到主办单位《联合早报》挑选了几幅有关环保和永续发展的漫画，在这场百年报庆漫画展上展出，其中包括这幅关于极地冰盖融化和海平面上升的漫画作品。要实现2030年新加坡绿色发展蓝图中所立下的目标，提高人们对环境问题的认识是一大关键，而实现这些目标也需要全国上下一心，每个人各尽所能，共同努力。通过艺术和娱乐向人们灌输爱护环境的重要性，将有助鼓励更多人把绿色环保理念融入日常生活之中。

I am very happy that Zaobao has picked a few comics on environmental sustainability to be featured in your Centennial exhibition today, such as this one on the melting polar caps and rising sea levels. Raising awareness of environmental issues is key to achieving our targets under our Singapore Green Plan 2030. And achieving these targets requires a whole-of-nation effort from each and every one of us. Instilling the importance of caring for the environment through art and entertainment will go a long way in encouraging people to go green.

8 《联合早报》多年来一直大力提倡保护环境和永续发展理念，甚至在新闻版面中专门开辟了一个栏目，提供环保贴士和介绍各种绿色环保计划和项目。举个例子，今年年初，当大家在忙着为农历新年大扫除期间，早报就在网站上推出了一篇有关回收循环的互动数码作品，里头提供了非常实用的内容，向读者说明哪些物品可以或不可以回收，以及可以上哪里捐赠衣服和玩具等不可回收的物品。这篇作品的作者和编辑做了非常充分的资料收集，编排和呈现方式也易于理解而且十分吸引人，让我很容易与我的家人和朋友分享这些实用的内容。除此以外，《联合早报》也是一个很好的平台，通过记者采访和报道，让那些获得新加坡生态基金（SG Eco Fund）资助的个人和机构，介绍和推荐他们的持续发展项目。感谢您们帮助读者和公众更好地了解这些问题，向大家讲解其中的利弊得失，同时鼓励国人加速采用绿色环保生活习惯，为建设可持续发展的新加坡尽一份力。

Over the years, Zaobao has been a strong advocate for environmental sustainability, even dedicating a section of your news to provide green tips and feature green initiatives. For example, there was an interactive recycling article published early this year during the Chinese New Year spring cleaning period which provided handy tips on what can or cannot be recycled, and where to donate non-recyclable items such as clothes and toys. It was well researched and put together. It was easy for me to share this with my family and friends. Zaobao also provides a platform to showcase the good work of our SG Eco Fund grantees, whose sustainability projects have been featured in several Zaobao articles. Thank you in helping the public gain a better understanding of the issues, the trade-offs involved, and to speed up the adoption of green practices for a sustainable Singapore.

结语

Conclusion

9 让我来总结一下。正如今天展览中的一些漫画作品所要表述的，让我们大家各尽一份力来保护我们的环境，以您自己的方式来落实绿色环保理念。哪怕是日常生活中的小小举动，如在小贩中心用餐后自行清理您的餐具和托盘，或者在买菜时随身带一个可重复使用的环保袋，这些都有助为打造可持续新加坡带来很大的效率。

Let me conclude. As illustrated in some the comics on display at the exhibition today, let us all do our part to care for our environment and go green in your own way. Even small actions, like clearing your tray after meals at the hawker centre or bringing a reusable bag when grocery shopping, can make a big difference.

10 我还想请大家一起作出承诺，为我国的气候行动尽一份力量，请赶紧扫描屏幕上的二维码。我希望您可以做出承诺，把可持续生活概念融入生活。只要我们大家携手合作，我们必定可以找到更多创新有效的方法，把新加坡打造成更可持续又舒服宜居的家园。

I would also like to urge everyone to take the Green Nation Pledge if you have not done so, by scanning the QR code on the screen. I hope that you will make the commitment to living sustainably. Together, we can find creative ways to make Singapore more sustainable and liveable.

11 最后，我衷心祝贺《联合早报》达到创刊100周年的这个非凡里程碑！我期待与大家一起欣赏展览中的漫画佳作！谢谢大家。

My heartiest congratulations to Zaobao for reaching this incredible 100th year milestone! I look forward to enjoying the exhibition with all of you. Thank you.