SINGAPORE, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Singapore kicked off a multimedia event on Saturday in its Bicentennial celebration, a two-part showcase that will take visitors to trace the key moments and figures in its 700-year history.
From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience comprises an indoor multisensory experience called Time Traveller, and an outdoor exploratory trail featuring eight interactive pavilions and installations called Pathfinder.
The 60-minute-long Time Traveller is presented over five acts within the Fort Canning Centre. In its preface is a raindrop-falling installation which reminds people how weather can play an important role in the development of civilizations.
The five acts which involve performers and multimedia projections give a vivid description of what had happened on this piece of land over 700 years, when Singapore has transformed from a geographically strategic location into an international trade and maritime hub.
One of the highlights was the story of Stamford Raffles, a British statesman who came to Singapore in 1819 and turned Singapore into a key trading port, as the Bicentennial celebration dates back. Another act was devoted to reflecting the dark days when Singapore was under the Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945, with civilian survivors of the Japanese massacre recounting their escape and stories of the local war heroes.
In the final act, audiences are shown the journey of Singapore's independence and growth into a beautiful and prosperous city-state.
The Pathfinder is a series of eight pavilions and installations where visitors get to uncover fascinating aspects about early Singapore and experience Singapore's 700-year old history through space. It takes visitors through Singapore's place in the world across the centuries by using artefacts, maps, flora and the written word.
The two-part showcase will run until Sept. 15.
