06/12/2013

Purple solidarity

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The Purple Parade


Singapore has a thing for colours. We have Pink for LGBT rights, Yellow for ex-convicts, Silver for senior citizens, Red for national day and now Purple for the special needs. If you want to champion some rights, be sure to pick your colour fast or you may need to pick some random complicated colours like turquoise pink. Good luck asking your participants finding shirt of that colour.


In conjunction with the annual International Day for Persons With Disabilities, the Purple Parade was held for the first time in Singapore yesterday to raise awareness for people with special needs, and because my boss asked me to I am working in the special needs sector


It was raining cats and dogs that day, the weather wasn't being very nice to us because it couldn't decide between raining or letting it stop, but that didn't stop the people from coming in droves to support the event. According to the New Straits Time, more than 4000 people attended the event, which is a huge success considering the downpour itself.

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The colour purple

Purple Parade

First, there was a pink dot, and now there’s a purple parade in Hong Lim Park. Looks like people are into colours. There is Yellow Ribbon as well for ex-convicts. Remember how the supposed Guy Fawkes of Singapore asked people to turn their profiles black? And of course, there is white… and we’re not talking about brides.

Ms Denise Phua, one of the originators of the parade, said the colour denoted royalty although how that fits in with the intent to acknowledge that the disabled are part of the community is unclear. Then there is the purple square frame which she said denotes equality for all sides.

The park was a riot of purple on Saturday, an advance celebration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities which is on Dec 3. It was a landmark event with 40 organisations, including those which do not cater to the disabled, involved in a carnival with music and dance and, yes, a parade. Yes, it rained on their parade but nobody was blue.



Over 4,000 brave the rain to celebrate abilities of people with special needs

The parade commemorates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

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