Remarks by Rebecca Boon, Head, Volunteer Cooperation at the World Bank Digital Skills Innovation Awards
Good morning, I am Rebecca Boon from the Singapore International Foundation.
Thank you to the World Bank and distinguished judges for the Digital Skills Innovation Award in the Lifelong Learning category.
We are delighted to receive this prestigious award and humbled that the SIF Climate Hack 2021 is recognised for programme innovation in advancing digital proficiencies in Asia.
COVID-19 has accelerated digitalisation, but also widened the gap between those who access, use and benefit from technology and those who do not. We had introduced this programme to help bridge the divide and we plan to do more in 2022 starting with Climate Hack 2022 in January and a 100% online digital upskilling programme called DigiLABS.
DigiLABS aims to connect Singaporeans and overseas communities virtually to promote skills exchange in data science, digital marketing, AI and cybersecurity and accelerate the creation and adoption of digital solutions to address social and global issues.
For those of you less familiar with us, SIF is an international cooperation agency. At SIF, all our programmes are designed to do three things: Connect; Collaborate; Change. Our programmes seek to create networks of social impact.
Climate Hack brought together partners like Code for Asia, volunteers from Singapore and youths in Asia for digital upskilling. It created the space for youths to ideate and develop solutions for climate change. With the new skills from SIF’s Climate Hack, youths are inspired to be change agents and be a driving force for sustainable development.
We humbly accept this award and commit to promoting international cooperation to advance digital proficiencies in Southeast Asia.
