Over 27,000 People Celebrate National Day, Bid Farewell to Pres. Halimah

Happy birthday, Singapore!

Amidst the heat, more than 27,000 people went to the Padang open field on Wednesday, Aug. 9, to commemorate Singapore’s 58th anniversary. Dressed in red and white, the attendees cheered and waved their flags to show their love for the Lion City.

The event marked President Halimah Yacob’s final National Day parade, where she received the presidential gun salute for the last time as the head-of-state. Newly appointed Speaker of Parliament, Seah Kian Peng, along with MPs and ministers, also participated in the grand parade.

For aerial display, Singapore’s air force dispatched transport planes, helicopters, and fighter jets. Students and local artists also performed a series of show-stopping numbers to pay tribute to the Lion City.

Ending the event on a high note, filmmaker Royston Tan premiered “Onward as One,” a film that depicts Singapore’s independence from Malaysia in 1965. Continuing the annual tradition, the citizens sang the national anthem as fireworks light up the sky.