Small States can have Big Ideas Too: Singapore Shares its Development Journey through a Donation of Books to the UNOG Library

     10 July 2017, GENEVA – Singapore has donated a selection of 37 books to the permanent collection of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) Library.

     These books chronicle various aspects of Singapore’s development journey from the Third World to the First in one generation as well as some of its public policy innovations in public administration, economic development, social protection, sustainable urban planning, education, public health, preserving social harmony and water management. 

     The collection features seminal works including the memoirs of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew From Third World to First: The Singapore Story, which has been translated to many languages and widely read by political leaders, practitioners, academics and members of the public around the world.

     Singapore decided to make this book donation because of significant interest in Singapore’s development journey from fellow UN member states, development actors and researchers studying the role of small states in the international system.

     Singapore’s Permanent Representative to UNOG Ambassador Foo Kok Jwee presented the books to Mr Michael Moller, Director-General of UNOG, on Thursday 22 June 2017.

     Mr Moller thanked Singapore for its donation, which would help the knowledge hub of International Geneva better serve the international community. 

     “We all stand to benefit from learning about the Singaporean experience as we work collectively to bring to fruition the vision of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development…..Through initiatives like the Smart Nation programme and the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint 2015, the Singaporean government aims to draw on frontier technologies like “big data” and autonomous vehicles to build a smart city and a green economy…..interest in the Singaporean story will continue to grow”, he said.

     Ambassador Foo said that Singapore believed that there are many pathways to success, and that small states can have big ideas too. 

     Singapore’s experience is also a powerful example in showing that it is possible for a small country to survive and even thrive as long as it has good leadership, political stability, rule of law, well-run and forward-looking institutions, sustained investments in its people to build a fair and just society, as well as a willingness to learn from others and to pragmatically adapt good practices to local conditions.

     “We hope our book donation will add a different perspective in the history of nations and mankind”, he said.

     The books will be available for loan at the United Nations Library at Geneva.  Please consult the library catalogue (http://pmt-eu.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=41UNOG_V1) for their availability.

Ambassador Foo Kok Jwee in a symbolic handover of Singapore’s book donation to Director-General of UNOG Mr Michael Moller

Ambassador Foo Kok Jwee, Director-General of UNOG Mr Michael Moller, Chief of UNOG Library Mr Francesco Pisano and Chief of Library Services Section Ms Ruth Hahn-Weinert viewing a selection of the books donated by Singapore