What do a glowing light bulb and a peaceful handshake have in common? Today, the world celebrates both!

What do a glowing light bulb and a peaceful handshake have in common? Today, the world celebrates both!

Every year on 16 May, the United Nations invites people around the world to celebrate two powerful ideas: living together in peace and the wonder of light. These might sound like very different things, but they are connected in a beautiful way — because knowledge, like light, can help us understand each other better and build a more peaceful world.

The International Day of Living Together in Peace reminds us that our world is full of people with different backgrounds, languages, religions, and cultures. In Singapore, we know this better than most. With Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian, and many other communities living side by side, Singapore is a shining example of harmony in action. We celebrate Racial Harmony Day, speak multiple languages, and share each other's foods and festivals. Living peacefully does not mean everyone must be the same — it means we accept our differences, listen with kindness, and treat every person with respect. As our poster line says: 'Different hearts, one peaceful world.'

The International Day of Light, recognised by UNESCO, celebrates the incredible role that light plays in our lives. On this day in 1960, scientist Theodore Maiman fired the very first laser — a beam of concentrated light that changed science and technology forever. Today, lasers are used in medicine, communications, and even the barcode scanners at your local NTUC FairPrice. Light also means knowledge. Schools, libraries, and the internet help ideas travel like beams of light across the world. When we learn and share knowledge, we push away ignorance and fear, just as a lamp pushes away darkness. Our poster line says it perfectly: 'Let knowledge shine brighter than fear.'

So today, whether you smile at a classmate who is different from you, or you pick up a book and learn something new, you are joining millions of people around the world in celebrating peace and light. Small actions — a kind word, a curious question, an open mind — can spark big changes. Singapore's founding leaders believed that education and unity were the twin lights that could guide a young nation forward. Let us carry those lights with us every single day.