Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, said in a statement: “Over the past 50 years, we have built a Singapore where every citizen counts, without distinction of race, language or religion. This has been our fundamental approach to nation-building and will continue to guide us into the future. The signing of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) further strengthens our commitment in this direction, to show unequivocally that racial discrimination is present. discrimination has no place in Singapore. "Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayHow successful has Singapore been in promoting racial harmony over the past 50 years ?First, Singapore has its pledge that we recite in school every morning: “We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as a united people regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society. , based on justice and equality, in order to ensure the happiness, prosperity and progress of our nation "We can see the essence and importance of racial harmony from this commitment. The one and foremost reason why we are still strong as a nation is our ability to work harmoniously. Although Singapore has diverse races and cultures, we are encouraged to maintain our unique and distinctive character while living together. Second, the formation of organizations such as the Inter-Religious Organization (IRO) and Community Development Councils (CDCs) played an important role in ensuring that racial harmony was preserved in Singapore. The Religious Harmony Bill, which ensures that religious activities do not cause inter-ethnic tensions, provides oversight of the activities of the IRO and the CDC. The IRO comprises religious leaders from Singapore's nine major religions (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu, Sikh, Baha'i, Jewish and Zoroastrian) to promote interfaith understanding and harmony in Singapore. The IRO organizes activities, workshops and discussions on common beliefs with the aim of promoting racial and religious harmony. The CDCs were established in 1977 to strengthen community ties in different districts. They organize many interesting activities such as family outings, sports carnivals, job fairs and cultural performances for residents to promote social cohesion. One of the CDC's successful programs is Stay at Home and Visit Home. Children will spend the day with families of other races. They will eat as a family, learn and understand their cultural practices. Third, the government's initiative to promote racial harmony is "Singapore 21". The logo of "Singapore 21" shows four figures holding hands representing Singaporeans of all races in unity, sharing a common vision of Singapore and living and working together in Singapore. The key messages that help promote racial harmony are that each of us is unique and can contribute to Singapore's success, no matter who we are, and that every citizen has the opportunity to develop their full potential, regardless of its origin. Among the many government initiatives aimed at promoting racial harmony is the Housing and Development Board (HDB). More than 80% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats. There is legislation governing the percentage of certain breeds allowed to remain in certain blocks.