SMU had the honour of hosting Senior Minister & Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who delivered the 11th edition of the HRH Leadership Lecture on 22 September 2022. The lecture was attended by over 700 guests which included members of the SMU Community, students and teachers from other educational institutions, as well as representatives from the business, government, and foreign diplomatic community.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim started by addressing the student population, and shared that the purpose and aim of education is the assimilation of knowledge for the dissemination of truth. He also regaled the audience with his journey as a politician in Malaysia, and how he overcame the many tribulations that were in his path.

His Excellency Frank-Walter Steinmeier opened his inspiring address with a gripping discussion on fear and uncertainty – particularly, of what the digital revolution and the recent political shifts may spell for the future. Compelling the audience to reimagine an ideal society where no one is left behind, H.E. Steinmeier shared his firm belief in an open and interconnected world that can be achieved through constant innovation, strong technological stewardship and a highly skilled workforce.

His Excellency Ban Ki-moon started his speech by thanking Singapore for playing an active role in supporting the agenda of United Nations. He went on to share about what UN has done and will continue to do to address climate change and gender inequality issues. He also encouraged the youths to step up and be agents of change.