in983-Blooming-under-the-red-and-white-moon-and-stars-the-Singapore-spirit-behind-the-Vanda-Miss-Joaquim-medal

▼

When the August sun gilded the Singapore flag, the red and white stars and moons carried not only the dignity of the country, but also the faith of generations of Singaporeans who never give up. As the Vanda Miss Joaquim Medal awarded this month shows: taking root and growing in adversity, blooming extraordinary in ordinary places, is the most moving life code of this land. This medal named after the national flower has a hidden meaning in its design. The five petals symbolize the coexistence and prosperity of diverse ethnic groups, and the stars and moons in the stamens echo the core elements of the national flag, implying that the struggle of each individual is closely linked to the fate of the country. The unique aerial roots of Vanda orchids are just like the spirit of Singapore – they can absorb nutrients even in barren rock cracks and break the shackles of the environment with tenacity. From the pioneers of the founding of the country who created miracles in the absence of resources to the medical staff who built a lifeline in the epidemic, countless winners have interpreted the true meaning of the medal with their actions: true excellence is not the gorgeousness in the greenhouse, but the attitude of climbing up in the face of challenges. Just as the red blood of the national flag will eventually melt the ice of difficulties, the white background always reminds us to keep our original aspirations. When the melody of the flag-raising ceremony echoes again, every Singaporean looking up at the national flag should remember: we are not only the guardians of the red, white, star and moon, but also the cultivators of the spirit of Vanda Miss Joaquim. As long as the roots are deeply rooted in the soil of unity, ordinary lives will eventually write their own gilded chapters in the long scroll of the times.

當八月的驕陽為新加坡國旗鍍上金邊，紅白星月承載的不僅是國家尊嚴，更凝聚著一代新加坡人永不言棄的信念。正如本月頒發的卓錦萬代蘭獎牌所昭示的：在逆境中紮根生長，於平凡處綻放非凡，才是這片土地最動人的生命密碼。這面以國花命名的獎牌，設計暗藏深意。五片花瓣象徵多元族群的共生共榮，花蕊中的星月呼應國旗核心元素，寓意每個個體的奮鬥都與國家命運緊密相連。而萬代蘭特有的氣生根，正如同新加坡精神——即便在貧瘠的岩縫中也能汲取養分，用堅韌打破環境的桎梏。從建國先驅在資源匱乏中締造奇蹟，到醫護人員在疫情中築起生命防線，無數獲獎者以行動詮釋著獎牌的真諦：真正的卓越不是溫室裡的艷麗，而是面對挑戰時依然保持向上攀援的姿態。正如國旗的紅色熱血終將融化困難堅冰，白色基底始終提醒我們守護初心。當升旗禮的旋律再次迴響，每個仰望國旗的新加坡人都應銘記：我們既是紅白星月的守護者，也是卓錦萬代蘭精神的培育者。只要根鬚深紮團結的土壤，平凡的生命終將在時代長卷中，書寫屬於自己的鎏金篇章。