Send-Off Party - Press Conference,
Monday, 11th March 2002, Toa Payoh Safra
On the 11th of March 2002, the Singapore Xixabangma team held
a press conference at Toa Payoh Safra. The team invited various
representatives from the media, sponsors as well as the team's
patron, Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister of Environment, to the official
sending off of the main team to Tibet. They will be in Tibet
for the next 3 months to scale Xixabangma, 14th highest mountain
in the world.
The programme started with a speech by
the team leader, Dr Robert Goh, as he described the finer
details of climbing Xixabangma using the alpine style, the
epitome of mountaineering styles and how the whole team has
progressed from a year ago. This was followed by a short speech
by the student team leader, Thong Soon Ho as he related the
vast experiences learnt after being part of Singapore's First
Student-Himalayan project. He also shared details of the students'
mountaineering projects which will take place in Tibet and
Nepal in May.
The highlight of the programme came when
Mr Lim Swee Say took over the podium and recalled the events
that followed after the main team members approached him to
be their patron. He spoke intimately of each of the members,
and applauded them for not only being the pioneers to push
up the standards of Singapore mountaineering, but also for
contributing back to the society by passing down their knowledge
and expertise by introducing the "Make It Real!"
programme. He believed this is the spirit every Singaporean
needs and should follow. Following the speeches, the team
was presented the Singapore flag by Mr Lim to be brought up
to the summit of Xixabangma, as well as gifts from their main
sponsors, Singapore Pools and Singapore Power. The guests
were then treated to reception and a static exhibition of
the events that the main team and student teams have been
involved so far. Interviews with the media also took place.
, as well as to field questions and do interviews with the
team members.
