Drug Victims Remembrance Day

Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam announced that Singapore will designate every third Friday of May as Drug Victims Remembrance Day a day for our communities to rally together to remind ourselves of the harm hurt and trauma which the families and loved ones of drug abusers have suffered.

This year the inaugural observance is set for Friday 17 May 2024 at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. The event will raise awareness and be a poignant reminder that drug abuse is not victimless. 

In addition from 17 May to 19 May the Drug Victims Remembrance Day exhibition will be held at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. Through public education and community engagement the Drug Victims Remembrance Day aims to foster empathy understanding and support for friends and families with loved ones grappling with addiction.

The goal is to ignite a powerful wave of positive transformation within the community paving the way for healing hope and lasting change in the face of drug abusers’ destructive reach.

This unique exhibition will feature immersive and sensorial exhibits that provide visitors with an immersive first-hand experience of the repercussions of drugs on the abuser and the profound impact of drug abuse on their loved ones.

The exhibition will include:

• Home Exhibition: Begin the journey from the lift lobby to the staircase and enter the sanctuary of a home to see how this familiar environment can be corrupted by the presence of drugs. Explore the life-sized apartment be surrounded by visual and auditory cues and experience how drug abuse can permeate and poison the very spaces that should provide safety and comfort.

• Victim Stories: Hear first-hand accounts from the victims of drug abuse – those who have watched helplessly as their loved ones spiralled into the grip of addiction. Learn about their struggles and the heavy toll it has taken on their lives and relationships. These raw personal testimonies – extracted from Singapore Prison Service’s book compilation of victim stories titled ‘Waiting For You’ – will provide a reminder of the human cost of drug abuse beyond the individual user.

• True Drug Cases: Where Violence Meets Death: Read the tragic stories of loved ones who lost their lives due to the actions of drug abusers. This exhibit shifts the focus from the drug abuser to the devastating consequences for families and communities when someone close to them decided to use drugs.

• Candles for Victims: The World Health Organisation reported a staggering 600000 deaths worldwide attributed to drug abuse in 2019. This number is expected to rise annually. Each candle here represents a thousand of those lives lost. While raising awareness about the direct harm caused by drugs is crucial it is equally important to acknowledge the profound impact on families and loved ones who often suffer in silence. This display also recognises these indirect victims and reminds those who are grieving that they are not alone in their sorrow. Let’s come together and support them in their journey towards healing.

• Physiological Wall: Our physical form is our first and most vital shelter. But what good is this natural defence if we undermine it through drug abuse? Step in front of our motion-tracking sensors and see how different parts of the body are impacted by drug use. This immersive display is a sobering reminder that when we damage our bodies through drug abuse we compromise the very vessel that shelters and sustains us.

• Sensorial Drug Panel: Malicious actors are making drugs harder to detect. To combat this we must be vigilant and informed. Step up to our sensorial panel for a closer look at various drugs. See their physical forms smell real cannabis exhibits and learn to identify them to better protect yourself and your loved ones.

• Panel Session: Experience an intimate journey as former drug abuser Bruce Mathieu and Tommy Wong friend of a former drug abuser open their hearts to candidly share how drugs have caused harm and hurt to their loved ones. Moderated by Annette Lee and Glenn Yong.

• Wall of Promises: Memorialise your commitment to keep yourself families and communities safe from drug abuse on our pledge wall. Fill out a personalised promise card submit your pledge on the spot and join others in taking a stand to stay drug free.

Join us at the exhibition next weekend for an enriching and meaningful experience. Immerse yourself in the impactful displays engage with the insightful panel interview and take a stand against drug abuse. If you are unable to attend in person, you can still make your promise online.

The exhibition will subsequently make its way across the heartlands of Singapore extending its reach throughout the community from 24 May to 21 July 2024. More information will be released soon.

Your commitment matters - together we can spread awareness and rally support to protect our community from the detrimental harms of drugs that extend beyond the abuser. We look forward to welcoming you to the exhibition and your contribution to this important cause.  

Host or Publisher Drug Victims Remembrance Day