This roundup summarises the most important news stories around the world in the last month (April 2022).
Author: guanyinmiao
A man of knowledge lives by acting, not by thinking about acting. Carlos Castaneda.
Role-playing as a Singaporean civil servant in “What’s the Matter, Mr. Monster?” (with director Roshan Singh Sambhi)
Inspired by the short story “SIN” in Singaporean writer Ng Yi-Sheng’s collection “Lion City”, “What’s the Matter, Mr. Monster” is a dialogue-driven game where one role-plays as a civil servant settling complaints of otherworldly creatures settling into Singapore. With director Roshan Singh Sambhi, we dive into its genesis at Sing Lit Station’s Sing Lit Blk Party, features of the game, and its potential for community and civic engagement.
The future of… Water and water scarcity (with Wateroam’s Lim Chong Tee)
Social enterprise Wateroam has been working to build a world without prolonged thirst, and today with one of its co-founders Lim Chong Tee we want to push the conversation a little further, by challenging him to share his big ideas about the future of water and water scarcity. After that, we talk about Wateroam’s plans in the next five years, and then the next 50 years, before rounding up with his personal development and his thoughts on the socio-political situation in Myanmar in relation to the work of the growing social enterprise.
“Grief doesn’t have an expiry date”: Normalising conversations around the end of life, death, and dying with dignity (Both Sides, Now’s “Kata-Kata Kita”)
Since 2013, “Both Sides, Now” has sought to normalise end-of-life conversations, by creating artistic projects and engaging Singaporeans at public locations such as hospitals, town centres, senior homes and HDB void decks. Last year, in 2021, the project researched and engaged the Malay community, culminating in the “Kata-Kata Kita” variety show. And behind this endeavour was a multi-disciplinary team of creatives and researchers, three of whom are with us today. With artistic director Kok Heng Leun, lead artist Adib Kosnan, and research team member Siti Hazirah Bte Mohamad, we chat about the genesis of “Both Sides, Now”, the experience of staging the “Kata-Kata Kita” variety show, and the project’s upcoming public engagement programme in Bedok this year.
Sitting by the fire.place: Positioning an AI therapist chatbot in a broader constellation of mental health and wellness support
With Norvin Chan, founder of the AI therapist chatbot fire.place where folks can vent their feelings, we learn about how users can interact with the chatbot, tech development process, and how his growing-up experience has informed his work. We conclude with a discussion of positioning fire.place in a broader constellation of mental health and wellness support, from professional help to community initiatives.
socialservice.sg 