Total Defence Resources
The theme for 2023’s Total Defence campaign - “Together We Keep Singapore Strong” - focuses on the many ways we can put Total Defence into action in our everyday lives.
Total Defence remains relevant to deal with the ever-evolving threats and challenges to Singapore. These include misinformation, supply chain disruptions and food security that affect communities and Singaporeans’ way of life.
Every Singaporean has a part to play in our daily lives to ensure that Singapore is prepared for crises or disruptions, and that we remain resilient and united.
Below are some resources on Total Defence which you may find useful for your engagement.
Total Defence Sandbox
The Total Defence Sandbox seeks ground-up innovation from Singaporeans especially youths to start initiatives that put Total Defence into action. The Total Defence Sandbox invites everyone to share ideas on Total Defence and aims to nurture these ideas and eventually match ideas with partners who could support the implementation or amplification of their efforts.
More information regarding the Total Defence Sandbox can be found here.
Submit your ideas here!
Total Defence Murder Mystery Role-playing Game (MMRPG) Video Series
Total Defence Murder Mystery Role-playing Game (MMRPG) Video Series - Trailer
6 players, 1 murder. Who can it be? The Total Defence MMRPG video series is an immersive social deduction game developed into a three-part video series. This is a ground-up initiative, implemented under the Total Defence Sandbox. The developers of the MMRPG video series are two university students who are game design enthusiasts.
Featuring celebrities such as Tosh Zhang, along with Mister Young and Colin Tan from Power 98, Jimmy Koh from 88.3JIA and more, the video series aims to further engage youths on how they can play a part in the fight against terrorism and climate change.
Watch the video series here! (Episode 1 and 2 are out!)
Stay tuned. Episode 3 (finale) coming soon!
Total Defence Tower Defence Game
Total Defence Tower Defence Game (TDTDG) - Trailer
Are you game for something new? The Total Defence Tower Defence Game (TDTDG), an online strategy game, was conceptualised and devised by a dynamic group of youths from NUS High School of Mathematics and Science.
The game adds a Total Defence-themed twist to the classic tower defence game where players need to allocate resources to build towers to defend their territories against enemy attacks. In the TDTDG, players have to defend Singapore against various threats. The threats have been designed to showcase how the six pillars of Total Defence: Military, Civil, Economic, Social, Digital and Psychological Defence, come into play and highlight how everyone has a part to play in defending Singapore.
The TDTDG is the 4th ground-up initiative to be implemented under the Total Defence Sandbox (TD Sandbox).
Check out the game here!
Total Defence 2023 Campaign Poster
The theme of the Total Defence campaign and poster is “Together We Keep Singapore Strong” to remind us that everyone has a part to play!
This year’s poster features what Singaporeans can do to put Total Defence in action in their everyday lives, and how we can be more prepared during a crisis or disruption.
The poster can be downloaded here.
A black-and-white (b/w) version of the Total Defence poster is also available at the same link above, as a Total Defence activity sheet for printing and distribution as a colouring activity.
Total Defence Community Table-top Exercise (TTX)
The Total Defence Community TTX aims to bring individuals across different ages and walks of life together to discuss potential impacts of pertinent issues affecting Singapore, and develop community drawer plans that can be implemented during times of crises and disruptions to our essential supplies and services.
Total Defence Table-top Exercise Scenario Video 2023
Interested to carry out your own Total Defence Community TTX? You may download the Total Defence TTX Scenario Video as well as the facilitation materials here.
Note: There is also a second version of the facilitation materials. This version includes a role-playing element where participants may adopt different personas to think about how the different roles within our society can play a part to be ready and prepared for crises and disruptions.
Total Defence Interactive Video 2023
What are the consequences of your choices? In the Total Defence Interactive Video, you will get to make decisions that will determine the outcome of the character’s day.
Experience the video and understand what you can do to play your part for Total Defence!
Watch the Total Defence Interactive Video (2023) here.
Total Defence Engagement Packages
You may use this engagement package to discuss or better understand the relevance of Total Defence and how each of us can play a part in keeping Singapore strong, amidst the challenges and threats we face. The Total Defence Day 2023 NE Engagement Package can be downloaded here.
Meanwhile, you may check out past years’ packages below:
Total Defence Day Videos
Total Defence Day Video 2023
The Total Defence Day Video 2023 is also available on We Are Total Defence (WATD) Facebook page and Total Defence YouTube page.
You may also check out the previous years’ Total Defence Video Messages below:
Minister for Defence’s Total Defence Day 2022 Message. Download the transcript here.
Minister for Defence’s Total Defence Day 2021 Message. Download the transcript here.
Past Speeches and Press Releases
You may find past speeches and press releases on Total Defence here.
Total Defence Badge Programme
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The Total Defence Programme for Uniformed Groups (UGs) aims to promote awareness and involvement in Total Defence by UGs for the attainment of different levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold Badges) of the programme. The refreshed programme provides more opportunities for UG cadets to put Total Defence into action with a greater emphasis on practical emergency preparedness skills, self-directed learning and active citizenry through volunteering.
For more details and to download the Facilitation Guide, please click here. Schools may also write in directly to nexus@defence.gov.sg to request for the badges for the non-UG students.
More TD Resources and Activities
You may find more TD resources and Activities such as Total Defence Song, Total Defence Sandbox, Total Defence Puzzle, Guardians of the City II Card Game here.
Useful Videos
- ciNE65 Short Film Competition aims to capture our Singaporean identity through the lenses of local budding film-makers. Launched by Nexus in July 2011, it encourages aspiring film-makers to tell their Singapore story and what Singapore means to them. Through ciNE65, Nexus hopes to harness the potential of short films to touch the hearts and minds of Singaporeans. You may view the past ciNE65 films here. Do remember to subscribe to this channel!
- N.E.mation! is an annual national digital animation and storyboard competition for students and youths to express their thoughts about Total Defence. View all N.E.mation! videos from past seasons here. You may also use this guide to facilitate discussions based on the N.E.mation! clips. **
Useful Articles
Sports and National Defence - a commentary written by Mr Nicholas Fang
George Orwell famously wrote that sports is “war minus the shooting”. While the celebrated writer meant that sports at the highest levels was similar to war in that it was about winning, almost at all costs, it is worth exploring the value that sporting contests have in the context of national defence.
Read the full article here.
Useful Reports
RSIS Commentary - “Total Defence in Action - Singapore’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic”, National Security Studies Programme (NSSP) Research Report.
Singapore’s Total Defence Framework has helped to rally the country and facilitated a whole-of-country response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The wide-ranging and multi-sectoral effects brought about by the pandemic underscores Singapore’s need for a coordinated, cross-domain response to national security threats. Total Defence remains salient and critical to Singapore’s national defence posture. Download the full report here
Podcasts
You may find useful podcasts related to Total Defence below. Please note that you’ll need to download the Camokakis App from your App Store first for the links to work.
#1 - Lessons for Singapore from the Ukraine Crisis: Dr Ong Wei Chong from the S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies speaks about Singapore’s strong stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the lessons the conflict has for Singapore’s military and citizens. Listen here.
#2 - Keeping our Food Supply Secure: In the wake of Malaysia’s chicken export ban, Singapore Food Agency’s Gwyneth Tey shares about the country’s strategies in ensuring a safe supply of food and how everyone can play a role to strengthen our food security. Listen here.
#3 - Reflections on Resilience from the Ukraine War: Most of us would have heard of Total Defence before, but how and why does playing your part really matter? Hear from former actor Ix Shen who is currently living in war-torn Ukraine, and Singapore Red Cross Senior Director Sahari Ani, who has spent months helping displaced refugees from the conflict. Listen here.