MAS50 and National Day Celebrations 2021

March to December 2021

MAS commemorated our Golden Jubilee with a year-long series of events and activities. The Jubilee celebrations kicked off on 10 March 2021 with the inaugural Transformation Townhall. At the launch, we screened the 50^th Anniversary video capturing key milestones since MAS’ formation in 1971, and unveiled our commemorative logo and tagline, which was selected from staff submissions. The winning logo and tagline – Serving our Nation, Securing our Future – were later used for all 50th anniversary collaterals.

MAS’ Golden Jubilee was also the theme as MAS celebrated Singapore’s 56^th birthday on 6 August 2021. The celebration started with a tribute video featuring four long-serving officers recounting their careers in MAS, and a ‘Blast from the Past’ quiz based on nostalgic photos of MAS. The highlight was a fireside chat with former MAS leaders: Mr Ng Kok Song, Ms Teo Swee Lian and Dr Teh Kok Peng, who had served in various management roles during MAS’ early years. They shared invaluable insights and anecdotes on pivotal moments in MAS’ history. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, MAS staff in Singapore and our overseas offices partook in this milestone event via webcast. 

A Partners Appreciation Evening was held on 7 October 2021 to commemorate MAS' 50 years of close partnership with the financial industry, government agencies and multilateral organisations. The evening’s Guest of Honour was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. A small group of guests gathered at the MAS Penthouse for the hybrid event, whilst more than 900 participated virtually. MAS also presented Appreciation Awards to 17 industry partners who had contributed to the development and resilience of Singapore’s financial sector. The first of two commemorative books, Resilience, Dynamism and Trust: 50 Landmark Statements by MAS Leaders, was launched that evening by former Managing Directors, Mr J. Y. Pillay and Mr Koh Yong Guan.

MAS held the Golden Jubilee Conference on 3 November 2021. The virtual conference, on the theme of central banking amid macro-financial challenges, featured a keynote lecture by Mr Martin Wolf, and panel discussions with MAS Chairman Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Lord Mervyn King, ASEAN Governors and renowned academics including Professor Barry Eichengreen, Professor Raghuram Rajan and Professor Kenneth Rogoff. The event was attended by more than 350 participants from central banks, multilateral organisations, academia and financial institutions. At the conference, MAS Managing Director Mr Ravi Menon launched the second commemorative book, A History of Money in Singapore, which was specially commissioned for the Golden Jubilee.

As a mark of MAS’ commitment towards environmental sustainability, we partnered NParks to plant 50 trees at Kallang Riverside Park in December 2021.

MAS also expanded the MAS Gallery into two storeys of contactless displays. Through interactive multimedia, games and immersive exhibits, visitors to the revamped MAS Gallery can trace the evolution of Singapore’s currency notes and learn how MAS conducts monetary policy and fosters a sound and progressive financial sector. The MAS Gallery, housed in MAS Building, re-opened to the public on 1 April 2022 following the easing of COVID-19 safe management measures.