Govt to engage IRCCs to review how it can better share best practices

Govt to engage IRCCs to review how it can better share best practices
By Dylan Loh |
Posted: 22 March 2013 2219 hrs

 

 

 

 

 

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Govt to review work of IRCCs

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The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) will engage Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCC) to review how it can better recognise their contributions and share best practices in promoting racial and religious harmony.

Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Lawrence Wong said the aim is to help IRCCs better map out their strategies for engagement and for the government to see how it can improve on the support it provides.

Mr Wong said MCCY recently launched the Harmony Fund. The S$5m grant will be run by MCCY over three years to support initiatives that promote racial and religious harmony.

He added that the conversation on race and religion in Singapore is an important one that must take place from the ground up, and the Harmony Fund is one way of supporting this.

He hoped that IRCCs would use this fund as an avenue to forge partnerships with other like-minded individuals and groups in the community on such projects.

Mr Wong also said IRCC representatives play an important role by helping connect people of different races and religions through their activities.

One concrete way in which the IRCC can contribute is through the “IRCC Cares” platform – this is a community project where IRCC stakeholders – members from religious and community organisations, work together in giving back to the community and contribute towards social causes for the common good.

Mr Wong on Friday evening handed out letters of appointment to 79 Chairpersons and co-Chairpersons from 87 IRCCs.

The appointments will last two years.

The government will also review how it can better recognise IRCC volunteers.

- CNA/xq/fa

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Govt to engage IRCCs to review how it can better share best practices