RP Staff and Students Promote Biodiversity at Inaugural Event!
Singapore, 27 May 2012- About 40 Republic Polytechnic (RP) staff and students helped spread the importance of biodiversity at the inaugural Festival of Biodiversity organised by National Parks Board recently. Held at Singapore Botanic Gardens' Botany Centre on 26 to 27 May 2012, the event was held in conjunction with the International Day of Biological Diversity which fell on 22 May 2012.
President Tony Tan Keng Yam interacting with Republic Poly staff and students.
The event focused on biodiversity, a term which refers to the variety of life forms on earth, and how all living organisms depend on each other for survival. The Festival of Biodiversity would address this concern by educating the public about Singapore's natural heritage and to raise awareness of organisations that support this cause such as the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society and the Nature Society Singapore. Singapore’s President Tony Tan Keng Yam graced the event as the Guest of Honour. The opening address was delivered by Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Mr Tan Chuan-Jin.
Biodiversity Tic-Tac-Toe, one of the
games offered at the festival.
The festival comprised photography and roving exhibitions, a book launch, fringe activities like guided tours, story-telling sessions, nature film screening and a biodiversity conservation symposium. Also, the public could take part in activities such as quizzes and biodiversity-inspired tic-tac toe games.
At the festival, RP student volunteers talked to the public about the flora and fauna of Admiralty Park as well as shared course details for the Diploma in Environmental Science (DENV) (R29). In addition, RP student volunteers handed out Nokia handphone recycling envelopes which encouraged the public to donate their old mobile phones and mobile phone accessories to Nokia. Nokia would then plant a tree in Lombok, Indonesia in the donor's name.
RP staff and students busy at the exhibition booths.
RP's School of Applied Science's Technology Development Centre Manager (Environmental Technology) Dr Amy Choong shared how events such as this provide good opportunity for RP students to learn more about biodiversity and nurture their appreciation for biodiversity in Singapore, "We were able to showcase our modules, some of which are unique to RP, and at the same time helped convey important environmental messages that are also taught in the diploma modules."