Page 43 - NYAA Annual Report 2024

Launch of the Singapore Terrestrial Conservation Plan
Mr Sankar Ananthanarayanan, PhD candidate and graduate tutor at the National University of Singapore
and 2018 recipient of the HSBC NYAA Youth Environmental Award, presented the Singapore Terrestrial
Conservation Plan to Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development. The plan outlines strategies to
protect Singapore’s terrestrial biodiversity and support long-term conservation goals.

City-In-Nature Workshop & Launch of City-In-Nature TikTok Video Competition 2024
The City-In-Nature Masterclass held on 29 June 2024 at HortPark was a resounding success, attracting over
100 students from secondary to tertiary institutions. The event featured renowned speakers, including Natalie
Ng, Manager of Digital Communications at NParks; Biogirl MJ, Co-Founder of Just Keep Thinking, a science and
environment channel; and Auston Cai, Creative Director at The Aubvious Company.

The speakers shared insights on crafting narratives, filming techniques, and the technical aspects of the
#CityInNature TikTok video challenge for 2024. The engaging masterclass ignited enthusiasm among
participants for the competition. The event concluded with a networking lunch, allowing students to interact
with speakers and officials.

Prize Presentation Ceremony of The City in Nature TikTok National Video Competition
& Fireside Chat
The City in Nature TikTok National Video Competition 2024 and Fireside Chat were held at HortPark and
attended by a full house of students and youth leaders. The event was graced by Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister
in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development.

The Minister participated in a Fireside Chat with Dr Eugene Seah, Chairman of the NYAA Council, moderated by
Mr Calvin Tan, Assistant Director (Strategy) at NTUC and NYAA Gold Award holder. The conversation was lively
and insightful, with students posing thoughtful and relevant questions. The event concluded on an uplifting
note, inspiring participants to harness the power of the TikTok platform to raise awareness of environmental
and sustainability issues.

Singapore International Chamber of Commerce Award 2025
The HSBC NYAA ITE Sustainability Initiative, Towards A Sustainable Future, was shortlisted by the Singapore
International Chamber of Commerce (SICC) for the SICC Award 2025 in the category of Most Scalable
Collaboration. Finalists presented their projects to a panel of judges appointed by SICC on 8 November 2024.

As the Executive Director was attending the APEC Leaders’ Week in Peru, he was unable to participate in the
presentation. Prof Jeff Obbard, NYAA Climate Change Advisor, spoke on behalf of NYAA, HSBC, and ITE. The
Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner will take place at Marina Bay Sands on 21 March 2025, where winners will
receive their awards from the Guest of Honour, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

Finland’s Latest Health Check Technology
On 15 February 2024, the ED and Deputy ED met with HE Juha Markkanen, the new Ambassador of Finland
to Singapore. During the meeting, Ambassador Markkanen briefed the ED on Finland’s preparations for its
growing elderly population and introduced a cutting-edge self-health checking portal developed by Finnish
scientists. This technology enables rapid health assessments, with results in just a few minutes. The ED
expressed interest in exploring the possibility of implementing such technology in Singapore’s public hospitals
to alleviate the strain caused by the shortage of nurses and reduce patient waiting times. The Ambassador has
agreed to source further details on the machine and the underlying technology.

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