Joint art competition with Dyslexia Association of Singapore and National Arts Council will feature best depictions of the meaning of Singapore’s birthday on 200,000 pieces of ez-link cards, with EZ-Link donating part of sales proceeds to benefit children with dyslexia
SINGAPORE, 2 February 2015 – EZ-Link Pte Ltd, Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) and National Arts Council (NAC) announced today the launch of the ‘My Journey, My Home’ card design art competition. Supported by SG50, the initiative aims to commemorate the nation’s 50th birthday by giving the public an opportunity to illustrate what Singapore’s golden jubilee means to them, and having winning designs featured on an SG50 ez-link cards series.
The art competition is the first of a series of activities that EZ-Link is organising to celebrate SG50. To make the competition even more meaningful, EZ-Link seeks to drive greater support towards children with dyslexia through this project with EZ-Link donating part of the sales proceeds of the cards to DAS.
Opened to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, the competition comprises two main categories: an Open Category run by NAC for the public aged 12 or below and 13 to 25, and a DAS Category run by DAS for its existing and ex- students aged 12 or below and 13 to 25. Eligible participants can submit their entries from 2 February 2015 to 31 March 2015.
A judging panel consisting of a representative each from EZ-Link, DAS, NAC, SG50 Programme Office and an acclaimed individual from the art-related field will select a total of 20 best-in-show submissions, including four grand winners whose works will be printed on 200,000 ez-link cards and sold island-wide, starting from August 2015.
“We are proud that the ez-link card was featured as an SG50 icon. In addition to being a key enabler in Singapore’s journey towards a cashless society, it has also been a personal companion on our journeys around the island every day. To celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday, EZ-Link is giving the people of Singapore the ez-link card as a mini canvas to display their feelings about Singapore, and create a memorable set of ez-link cards that they can cherish,” said Mr. Nicholas Lee, Chief Executive Officer, EZ-Link Pte Ltd.
“We are excited to have the support of DAS and NAC for this nation-wide competition. As dyslexics are known to have vivid imaginations, we believe their unique talents will give us stunning masterpieces in celebration of Singapore’s 50th birthday. We are also confident that by collaborating with NAC, we can inspire the public to unleash their creativity to add colours to the public’s journey every day,” added Mr Lee.
“DAS is deeply appreciative to EZ-Link for collaborating with us to drive greater support towards dyslexia. Besides raising funds to support the learning needs of children with dyslexia, EZ-Link is also giving dyslexics an incredible opportunity to show their unique creative ability to the entire nation and become part of Singapore’s landmark 50th birthday celebration. We hope that this partnership will inspire more organisations and individuals to step forth as champions of dyslexia and work with DAS to enthuse the nation to embrace dyslexia,” said Mr. Lee Siang, Chief Executive Officer, DAS.
“NAC is proud to partner EZ-Link and DAS in this initiative to bring about more opportunities for children and young people to engage in the arts, especially for a social cause. We also want Singaporeans to see how much talent we have and to be inspired by the next generation’s aspirations for the nation. This is especially meaningful as we celebrate SG50. Hopefully, this project will also demonstrate how the arts can be truly everywhere, and an integral and integrated part of our everyday lives,” said Ms Kathy Lai, Chief Executive Officer, NAC.
EZ-Link will contribute $0.25 from every card sold to DAS, with an aim to raise a total of S$50,000 to provide financial assistance to students with dyslexia at the primary and secondary levels from non-MOE funded schools who do not receive MOE grants for DAS programmes. The raised funds will widen the coverage of learning support to students who may not be able to afford the programmes without financial support and help them access much-needed programmes such as literacy, mathematics, Chinese language and Speech and Drama Arts, to improve their skills in these areas.
“EZ-Link hopes that our donation will help children with dyslexia overcome the struggles they encounter in their learning journeys and achieve their fullest potential. We also hope to inspire people to embrace other’s strengths so that together as one people, we can contribute to the society and economy, and drive Singapore towards greater prosperity for many more years to come,” added Mr. Lee.
More information on the ‘My Journey, My Home’ card design art competition can be found on EZ-Link’s website (www.ezlink.com.sg/happenings/sg50), Facebook (www.facebook.com/myezlink), Instagram (www.instagram.com/ezlinksg) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ezlinksg); on DAS’ website (www.das.org.sg) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DyslexiaSG), as well as on NAC’s website (www.nac.gov.sg).
Please refer to Annex – ‘My Journey, My Home’ Card Design Art Competition Details.
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About EZ-Link Pte Ltd
EZ-Link Pte Ltd was formed on 8 January 2002. Its core business is the clearing and settlement of all ez-link card transactions generated in transit and non-transit (retail/merchant) environments, as well as the sale, distribution and overall management of ez-link cards. To date, more than 17 million new CEPAS-compliant ez-link cards have been issued. This is in tandem with the government’s plan to promote cashless payments in Singapore. In line with this vision, the new ez-link card is now also accepted as a mode of payment for Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) and at carparks fitted with the Electronic Payment System (EPS) when used in the dual-mode in-vehicle unit. In 2013, EZ-Link launched the “My EZ-Link Mobile” application, the world’s first Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile application for contactless card top-ups.
About Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS)
Our Mission: Helping Dyslexic People Achieve
Our Goal: To build a world class organisation dedicated to helping dyslexic people, those with specific learning differences and reaching out to the region.
Registered in 1991, the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) is today a vibrant voluntary welfare organisation with over 240 full-time staff who provide a wide array of services for dyslexics not only in Singapore but in the region. DAS Educational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists and Specialist Psychologists provide support for over 3,000 preschool, primary and secondary school students in 13 centres all over Singapore. Besides the main literacy programme, DAS also offers support in Mathematics, Chinese, English Exam Skills and Speech and Drama Arts. Increasingly, DAS will provide support for dyslexics who also suffer from other specific learning differences such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia, dyscalculia and non-verbal learning differences.
About National Arts Council (NAC)
NAC was set up to spearhead the development of the arts in Singapore while advancing the country’s aspiration to be a distinctive global city for the arts. NAC’s mission is to nurture the arts and make Singapore’s rich and diverse culture an integral part of people’s lives. Anchored on the twin strategies of excellence and engagement in the arts, NAC aims to build a vibrant arts sector by creating a conducive environment where the arts is accessible to all, and artistic talents have the necessary resources and capabilities to excel and achieve long-term sustainability. For more information on NAC’s programmes and initiatives, please visit www.nac.gov.sg.
About Singapore50
Singapore is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its independence in 2015. To commemorate and celebrate this major milestone in our nation’s history, Singaporeans will not only have a say in how the nation celebrates its Golden Jubilee, they will also be invited to plan and organise activities. To guide and coordinate the plans for the 50th anniversary celebrations, a Steering Committee chaired by Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat has been formed. Named the Singapore50 (SG50) Steering Committee, it comprises representatives from the public, private and people sectors. For more information on SG50, please visit www.Singapore50.sg.
Annex – ‘My Journey, My Home’ Card Design Art Competition Details
Submission period: 2 February 2015 – 31 March 2015
Sales of cards: August 2015
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