SINGAPORE — Some offered suggestions on the physical form of the memorial, and others felt the definition of founders should not be limited to political leaders, or Singapore’s post-independence years.

And values that emerged as being ones Singaporeans want to honour include a can-do attitude, an enterprising spirit, and inclusivity.

Speaking to the media at a dialogue session organised by the Founders’ Memorial Steering Committee today (Nov 18), Mr Lee Tzu Yang, the committee’s chairman, said that a plethora of views have emerged over the past few dialogues, since they started last month.

So far, about 350 participants have taken part in this dialogue sessions, and another 200-plus individuals have written into the committee online to share their views.

Many stories have also been shared, ranging from the pioneer generation’s tales of early Singapore and the struggle for independence, to the younger folks’ thoughts on National Service and growing up in public housing estates.

“We’ve tried to get people to talk about what we’re trying to achieve, in terms of the values and ideals... also the people who exemplify (these),” said Mr Lee. “Some feel that it should not just be political leaders, but also those who have contributed to the building of Singapore in other sectors.”

Time period was also a consideration in these sessions. “Many do feel it’s 1965 and later, but some talk about World War II, and the determination of the people... during the tough times after the war,” he said.

Today’s three-hour discussion — attended by 40 people — was the sixth in a series of eight dialogues between October and December.

The first phase of the committee’s work includes engaging the public widely to gather ideas. In the next phase, which Mr Lee said will start middle of next year, the committee will resume public consultations for possible concepts.

And while the form of the memorial has “inevitably” cropped up during discussions, Mr Lee did not elaborate on them.

Previous dialogues were conducted in various languages such as Mandarin and Malay. Mr Lee noted the participants of the Mandarin session raised the topic of Nantah and its importance to the Chinese community. Nantah, the abbreviated name for Nanyang University, was set up in 1955, and offered courses taught mainly in Mandarin.

“The question is: are we ready to remember all the things that are important to all communities, and whether they would mean the same thing to all communities? That is one consideration,” said Mr Lee.

During today’s dialogue, participant Jayson Goh said that a founders’ memorial should go beyond being a monument, and serve a greater function.

Citing the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston as an example, the 42-year-old said that he attended a graduation ceremony on its grounds in 2009, and was enamored by the fact that the memorial could be both a place of knowledge and an event venue.

“It piqued my interest to find out more about what the president did,” said Mr Goh, who works in the aviation industry. The memorial could also be a “living” one, with more key leaders added over time, he added.

Freelance journalist Kirsten Han, 27, felt that the individuals honoured through memorial should be more diverse. “We always talk about the Samsui women, the rickshaw pullers and (the People’s Action Party’s) Old Guard. Even though they did do a lot, there’s been a lot more people who have been left out. So we brought up the leftists who were instrumental in the anti-colonialism struggle,” she said.

Summing up his committee’s work, Mr Lee said: “Somebody said that if Singaporeans walk into a memorial - not just today, (but) 30 years down the road - and they don’t see something they can identify with, then we would have failed. So we must think very carefully, and make sure that we are ready to go forward with something that we are confident will appeal to Singaporeans and touch their hearts.”