The importance of Racial Harmony in Singapore

Singapore is a bustling city . It is also one of the world’s most prosperous countries with strong international trading links. One of the most essential steps it has taken in ensuring social order is racial and religious harmony. Reasons as to why this is such a crucial step include Singapore’s multi-ethnic society, its turbulent past and the numerous ways in which harmony is promoted throughout the nation.

Singapore is a multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-religious melting pot. Different ethnic groups coexist in the land, and with these come a slew of different cultures and religions. This multi-racial population make-up dates back to nearly two centuries ago, when Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore in 1819.

Early immigrants of diverse backgrounds came from all over the world, mainly Malays, Arabs, Europeans, Indians and Chinese. They came in search of a better future, and most did not intend to settle down. However, many could not afford to go back to their homelands, instead settling down and becoming citizens of Singapore. As can be seen, the present-day composition of Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians has been here since British colonial times.