2026
International Friendship Day 2026 came alive at Junyuan Primary School with engaging activities centred on Filipino and Timorese cultures, nurturing students as thoughtful and culturally aware global citizens.
Celebrating International Friendship Day 2026: Singapore: Forging Friendships in a Complex World
On 9-10 April 2026, our school commemorated International Friendship Day with an enriching celebration exploring the theme “Singapore: Forging Friendships in a Complex World” through interactive and cultural discovery activities.
Assembly Programme and Discovery Stations
The celebration began with an Assembly show titled “I Am…” which encouraged students to embrace different voices, recognize the value of diversity, and understand how meaningful friendships are built when connection is chosen over exclusion.
Following that, during recess time, students worked in diverse groups of 3 to 4 from different races, genders and classes at the three engaging discovery stations facilitated by the parent volunteers.
At JY Village’s ASEAN Discovery Booth, P5 and P6 CCE Ambassadors guided their peers through the card-matching games focusing on the Filipino culture. Students matched images of traditional Filipino food to their names, connected images of Filipino clothing to proper terms and paired Filipino phrases with English translations.
The Eco Hub’s “Hello Friend” booth introduced Timor-Leste, ASEAN’s newest member, through plasma TV infographics showcasing the country’s flag, map, official languages, popular food, traditional costume and beautiful handicrafts. Students worked collaboratively in groups while deepening their understanding of ASEAN’s newest member through the quiz conducted by the parent volunteers.
Our basketball court transformed into a gaming arena where students experienced Tumbang Preso, a traditional Filipino slipper-throwing game, immersing themselves in ASEAN’s rich gaming heritage whilst building friendships through play.
Cultural Displays
CCE board in the school canteen featured posters highlighting how Singapore forges friendships globally, interesting facts about the Philippines and Timor-Leste and how foreign friends contribute to Singapore’s growth across various industrial sectors whilst providing guidance on building meaningful cross-cultural friendships.
Building Tomorrow’s Global Citizens
Through these activities, students gained insights into ASEAN cultures, demonstrated respectful cross-cultural interactions and expressed appreciation for foreigners in Singapore. International Friendship Day 2026 reinforced that friendship remains our most powerful tool for building bridges across cultures, strengthening Singapore’s role in fostering regional and global connections through each new generation of young global citizens.
Exploring Timor-Leste cultures through collaborative activities.
CCE Ambassadors facilitating the Philippines card-matching game
Students are happy with their redeemed rewards upon completion of the three stations.
Helping my peers and parent volunteers set up for Tumbang Preso at the basketball court
Getting ready for the quiz on Timor-Leste at the 'Hello Friend' booth.
Playing the traditional Filipino games together.
Discovering the Philippines through the cultural card games.