Arshul Garg

What first sparked your interest in volunteering/serving the community? And how did you realise your passion for youth advocacy?

In Secondary School, a friend reached out to me about a group he was volunteering with that focused on helping isolated elderly and the lower income in Singapore. After interacting with some of them, experiencing their living conditions and understanding more about their lives, I was swept away by the realisation that a lot of young Singaporeans were living in their own bubbles, not realising how vastly different lived experiences range for other Singaporeans out there. Through my experience volunteering with this organisation, I saw how the simple act of striking up a conversation with the elderly, asking them how they are and having a meal with them really brightens up their day and helps them feel loved. It’s through these experiences that I felt the power of youth advocacy, how small actions can spark waves through the ripple effect, how through choosing to care, the youth can make so much impact on the lives of others.

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What are some of your most memorable moments volunteering with OnePeople.sg?

One of my most memorable moments was when I volunteered as a facilitator with OnePeople.sg in a facilitated dialogue session with youth. The dialogue was centred around our experiences with race and religion, the challenges we faced, the things we heard and felt from the actions of those around us. What stuck with me the most was that experience of feeling heard as everyone in that group had faced some form of discrimination in the past, regardless of their background. In a way that bonded us with a common mission to prevent others like us having to face discrimination, even from as early on as a child. It was the first time that I truly saw the power of bringing people together and having open and honest conversations. Following that dialogue, every participant made a pledge to make a difference in their own spheres of influence.

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What are some of your takeaways since you started advocating for topics like race and religious harmony?

I think the most important takeaway I have had is that no action is too small and no one is too young. I think often youth feel that we are not capable of making an impact. I felt the same way as well initially but through my experiences, I have seen that even the smallest actions can go a long way. For example, most people would feel that having dialogues is not going to solve racial and religious harmony. It discounts the fact that these dialogues serve as a platform to inspire others to change or take action. Often we do not realise that there may be some behaviours we engage in that may make others feel uncomfortable or discriminated against because of their race. It may not be intentional but we are blind to such things which is where these dialogues serve to open our eyes and hence allow us to start to identify prejudices that may have been engraved in us growing up.

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What are some things you think youths should be more aware of in regard to racial/religious sensitivity?

I think youth need to understand that it is okay to talk about race. Many still feel uncomfortable to do so but we need to learn how to create safe spaces for open and honest conversations for people to open up about their experiences. That will allow us to identify and start to undo prejudices that may have been ingrained in us. No child should have to grow up looking into the mirror everyday and wishing they were of a different race or had a different skin colour, some even feeling loathing for their identity. No one should be denied a job opportunity simply because the company’s clientele prefers representatives of a specific race.

While I feel that youth are more aware of these issues than in the past, I think it’s important we realise that it is really up to us to make a difference and take action.

 

What are some ways youths can increase their civic literacy?

Volunteering is a great way to start. There is a wide variety of volunteer work out there, all you need to start is to have the heart to serve. It’s one of the best ways to interact with other Singaporeans out there, to hear their woes and worries and to expose yourself to the reality of our world. The most important thing is to approach with an open mind and open heart and listen without judgement. Who knows, you might find a cause that you feel passionate about and if you do, grab a few others and start something, nothing is too small. You simply need the courage to choose to want to do something about a problem you see out there and to not wait for someone else to do it.

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We understand you have been the Sec-Gen of OPMUN for a while. How do you believe events such as OPMUN contribute to promoting racial harmony in SG?

OPMUN (OnePeople.sg Model United Nations) exposes youth to 2 different aspects of understanding race and religion in Singapore. By simulating Ministries and other segments of the government/law, it allows youth to better understand the role race and religion plays in policy making in Singapore. It is a fine line that is thread to ensure that policies are fair and just, giving youth who are going to be the future leaders of our country a taste of what it’s like to balance on this line. Secondly, in such events, we invite speakers from the different religious groups in Singapore and participants are able to engage candidly with them and one another in honest conversations about race and religion. This helps to break that stigma that it is not okay to talk about race. It also serves as a platform for everyone to understand the diverse lived experiences everyone has had growing up, despite the small country we live in. Through talking about these experiences, race and religion, youth start to see the commonality in our differences and that while we may come from different racial and religious backgrounds, our difference is the common thread that binds our social fabric as Singaporeans.