The Art Of Preservation

Alvin Tan, Deputy Chief Executive (Policy & Community) of the National Heritage Board, tells Nafeesa Saini why everyone has a part to play in our country’s heritage.

- Nafeesa Saini

A nugget of wisdom from Alvin Tan stays with me long after our phone call. “It is by securing a future for our past that we are able to leave a legacy for our future,” he declares as we conclude our chat about recent initiatives by the National Heritage Board (NHB).

The Deputy Chief Executive (Policy & Community) at NHB has an affable and confident personality that is palpable over the phone and in person. He arrives at his photoshoot impeccably dressed and with a winning smile, looking the part of the man who is changing the face of Singapore’s heritage preservation.

Alvin hands a book as we part. Titled Early Hawkers in Singapore, it documents the street hawkers of the 1920s to 1930s through translations by Dr Lai Chee Kien and illustrations by Chang Yang. His gift is a harbinger of victory. Weeks later, NHB announced the successful inscription of local hawker culture on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, elevating the status of hawkers and showcasing Singapore’s commitment to safeguarding it for future generations. This is a big win for the nation, particularly while it is in the midst of the SingapoRediscovers domestic tourism campaign.

RIPE FOR REDISCOVERY

The $45 million initiative by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is a rallying cry for locals to explore the island and support local businesses. “As STB has planned, we are encouraging Singaporeans to embark on their Singapolidays at their leisure, explore the heritage that’s in their neighbourhood and go away with a renewed appreciation of what our city has to offer.”