Unveil the Hidden Stories of Singapore: My Community Festival 2024 Returns with Over 100 Unique Experiences

SINGAPORE, Oct. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- My Community Festival (MCF) returns for its fifth edition from 1 to 17 November 2024, showcasing over 100 events and tours that immerse participants in Singapore's rich cultural heritage. Organised by non-profit organisation My Community, this year's festival, themed "My Last Journey," offers a look into the world of end-of-life traditions and practices — a significant part of our lives that we rarely get the chance to have a closer look at. The public is encouraged to delve deeper into this aspect of our cultural heritage that is seldom explored or talked about, and discover a world full of heartfelt, intricate, and meaningful traditions.

By spotlighting the people and practices that shape our end-of-life traditions, MCF 2024 aims to celebrate life by honouring the diverse, vibrant and intimate approaches to embracing death. Through community tours, tastings, and interactions with the local community, the festival hopes to inspire people to reflect on their own life journeys and strengthen their connection to their communities.

"Last rites are some of the most important cultural and religious customs that we practise for our loved ones. This year's festival is an opportunity like no other to understand and appreciate these traditions that are part of our daily lives; and in doing so understand more about life," elaborated Kwek Li Yong, Executive Director of My Community.

New for MCF2024: "Navigating Piety: Customs and Practices for the Afterlife" Exhibition

This year's festival features an exhibition at the heart of Kreta Ayer Square, guiding festival-goers through the funeral and burial practices of five of the religious communities in Singapore, namely Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, and Taoist. The exhibition will feature artefacts contributed by Ang Chin Moh Foundation, Khailaash Funeral Services, and Singapore Muslim Casket. Festival-goers can get up close and admire the craftsmanship that goes into the essential artefacts and tools used in these practices, and also learn more about the rich significance behind each aspect – from variations based on age, marital status, and dialect group, to the underlying beliefs and emotions felt in sending a loved one off.

In addition to the exhibition, MCF 2024 will be presenting a wealth of exclusive, behind-the-scenes experiences that brings the public up close and personal to the theme for this year. Participants will gain first-hand access to normally restricted locations, such as the Jewish Cemetery and hospital units, where they can interact directly with caretakers, medical staff, hospice workers, and palliative care providers. Professionals in the field, including those in pet cremation services at Sanctuary Pet Cremation, and perinatal palliative care at Alexandra Hospital, will also be sharing their personal experiences with festival-goers; from managing emotional challenges to heart-warming outcomes.

Festival Highlights

MCF 2024 will feature seven immersive segments and a vibrant festival village, each exploring different facets of death-related cultural practices and traditions:

In addition, the Chinatown Festival Village will feature the following programme segments:

Tickets are available for purchase from 16 October 2024 at the My Community Festival website.

Please refer to Annex A for the full programme line-up, as well as the dates and times for the different programmes. More information can be found in our media kit. We look forward to welcoming all at MCF 2024!

About My Community

My Community is a non-profit organisation focused on preserving Singapore's heritage by capturing community stories and reconnecting people with places and social networks. It advocates for greater community involvement in cultural management and urban governance. Since 2010, My Community has championed a grassroots approach to heritage, chronicling and celebrating the everyday experiences of Singaporeans. Through its initiatives, the organisation fosters a deeper appreciation of the nation's diverse heritage and encourages active participation in cultural preservation.

My Community Website: https://mycommunity.org.sg  
My Community Festival Website: https://mycommunityfestival.sg  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myqueenstown/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mycommunitysg/?hl=en 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mycommunity_sg 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mycommunity7782

Socium is the public relations agency appointed by MCF 2024.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Unveil the Hidden Stories of Singapore: My Community Festival 2024 Returns with Over 100 Unique Experiences

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hesai Technology (Nasdaq: HSAI), the global leader in automotive lidar technology, today announced that the company has delivered more than 100,000 lidar units during the month of December, becoming the world's first lidar company to reach this milestone. Meanwhile, Hesai also announced a record number of lidar deliveries for the robotics market, surpassing 20,000 lidar units in December. In 2025, Hesai's planned annual capacity exceeds 2 million units , supported by the company's mass production capabilities and research and development innovation.

In the ADAS market, Hesai has earned more than 100 design wins across 21 automotive OEMs, including recent new design wins for more than 10 series production vehicle models from three of China's top five automakers*.

The three automakers include an industry giant with millions of annual deliveries, a leading automaker with top sales in both China and overseas markets, and a well-known automaker with multiple best-selling brands and a global footprint. All three design wins cover a wide range of vehicle brands and models. Many of these models, featuring Hesai's ATX, an ultra-compact high-performance lidar, are expected to launch in 2025.

In the robotics market, Hesai has established a wide customer base across more than 40 countries in areas such as delivery robots, autonomous lawn mowers, cleaning robots, AGVs and AMRs, and more. The company will launch its newest model, a mini high-performance 3D lidar, and announce new partnerships in the robotics market at CES Las Vegas 2025.

With an operational footprint in Europe, the US, and Asia, and more than 1,700 patents deployed, Hesai will continue to invest in its resources and technical developments, leveraging advanced technology to shape the future of mobility. These advancements will enable Hesai to provide more powerful perception support and solutions for ADAS and robotics customers and to continue working together to create a safer and more intelligent furture for everyone.

*Top 5 refers to Chinese brands, excluding joint ventures

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Hesai Achieves Milestone as the World's First Lidar Company to Deliver 100K Units Per Month