Cohesion does not happen by chance, it requires intentionality: Edwin Tong at ICCS

Cohesion does not happen by chance, it requires "intentionality," said Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong at this year's International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS) on June 26.

This year marks the third edition of the ICCS, an international platform for multicultural dialogue, bringing together leaders and delegates from around the world in Singapore over three days, from Jun. 24 to 26.

Tong delivered the closing keynote address to mark the end of the conference.

Reflecting on the dialogues held over the past three days, Tong noted that the various sessions and networks established demonstrate a “collective determination” to build genuine bonds across differences, even amid current global tensions.

“And it shows indeed that we are committed to nurturing cohesive societies as a foundation of resilient futures,” Tong said.

Cohesion must be deliberate

A recurring theme throughout the conference was that “cohesion does not happen by chance,” Tong reiterated.

He emphasised that cohesion demands deliberate effort and conscious intention.

“It must be front of mind. It must be something we are conscious of, that we must organise ourselves around it. And it requires what I call intentional multiculturalism, something that is not left to chance, cannot be built by chance.”

Elaborating further, Tong explained that social cohesion is what “knits a diverse society into a shared community.”

He stressed that this is not a natural state of existence.

“If we get it right, we can build shared bonds with common hopes and aspirations, and be in a position to create an environment where people don't just tolerate one another, but we embrace one another.”

He acknowledged that this is “painstaking work,” but said there is no substitute for it.

Cohesion cannot be product of single silver bullet

At the same time, Tong warned that true cohesion and societal harmony cannot be achieved through a “single silver bullet.”

This, he explained, is due to the complexity of dealing with individuals who have different emotions, beliefs, sentiments, heritage, and cultural norms.

He noted that speakers over the past few days reminded attendees that managing diversity and stitching it into a cohesive unit is “very complicated.”

As such, Tong said, we cannot ignore the sentiments and individuality behind the macro goals we pursue.

Instead, we must learn to view issues from the perspectives of others, and more importantly, in a diverse society, through the lens of the minority community.

"It is easy to see it through the lens of the majority community. But can we ask ourselves every once in a while to look at a perspective, look at an issue, from the lens of someone who fits within the minority profile of any particular community."

SG60 a time to reflect

This year’s ICCS takes place during a milestone year for Singapore — its 60th year of independence.

Tong said this anniversary offers Singaporeans a moment to reflect on what is needed to reach SG100 and beyond, and what collective steps must be taken as a society.

He reaffirmed that multiculturalism lies at the heart of the Singapore story.

Sixty years ago, as a newly united nation with a highly diverse population, Singaporeans were acutely aware of their differences but chose to embrace them, Tong noted.

“And so we became an independent nation of people with very different ethnicities, religion, cultural practices.”

Tong posed the question of how we can continue this effort in the face of new challenges today.

He reiterated that multiculturalism is “not a natural state” and is therefore a “constant work in progress.”

“We must always glance behind us, behind our backs and wonder whether it could be taken away from us. We must always have that slight nervousness about it, and then we will seek to really jealously guard it” he said.

People and leadership

Tong stressed that leadership and public support must go hand in hand.

“Policies are useful, and they put in place a framework, but it has to be the people who breathe life into these ideals, who practice them if you need,” he said.

He added that there must also be a sense of responsibility and accountability in public discourse, both offline and online.

“Sometimes the most divided of conflicts starts with mere words,” he said.

Tong urged people to be more mindful of their speech, "in particular about hateful speech".

He noted that this may sometimes require giving up the desire to "say what we want, about anything we want, wherever we want," in favour of being more sensitive and caring about the impact this can have on the "person next to us".

Youth's role

Finally, Tong emphasised that the responsibility to shape and nurture a cohesive society will increasingly fall on the shoulders of young leaders and advocates.

He noted that over 200 young leaders attended this year’s ICCS, nearly double the number from the previous edition.

Tong concluded by affirming that young leaders play a vital role in shaping and building intergenerational bonding in the years to come.

Top photos from Mothership and International Conference on Cohesive Societies/YouTube