Youth Challenge at Wishing Sphere 07

With credits to Esplanade.

SINGAPORE : The Marina Bay Singapore Countdown Party is back for the third time.

And this year, volunteers from over 100 community groups are taking part to make sure that it will be an even more meaningful event.

Dementia patient Pauline Heymer may not make it to Marina Bay for the countdown to the New Year, due to health reasons.

But volunteers make sure she's also taking part in the celebrations by letting her write her wishes for 2008 on a special beach ball.

And her hopes for the new year?

Pauline said: "Good health, nice weather so that we can all enjoy it. And making even more new friends. I think it's a very good idea. For everyone to see what everyone feels."

The 'wishing sphere' was started by the Esplanade in 2005, as a way to connect people, through their wishes, for the year ahead.

Some 5,500 of them will be set afloat on Marina Bay as an annual visual arts display that forms part of the countdown celebrations.

Benson Puah, The Esplanade, said: "It's a ritual of making wishes, which all of us do. And to make a wish on a sphere to float it on the bay, for it to be part of a collection of wishes I think that's special. More people have taken to the idea that its something quite personal for them, they celebrate New Year's Eve, ushering in the new year with a huge community of people."

This year, more than three-quarters of these balls will carry the wishes of the elderly and less privileged.

These were collected by volunteers from over 100 community groups and 30 schools from across the country.

Kephren Ayanari, Volunteer, Youth Challenge, said: "Some of the wishes were like "I wish to have a new girlfriend" and this came from a guy who was about 70 years old. And we have kids asking about wishing for good results for the PSLE, O Levels, and other exams."

And what is a countdown party without fireworks?

But organisers say things are slightly different this year.

Because of the construction of the integrated resorts, fireworks will not be launched from that side of the Bay.

The sparks will come straight from the water, through a ring of platforms specially built right on top of the water.

And viewers from over the world can catch all the action LIVE on Channel NewsAsia as Marina Bay counts down to the new year in Singapore.

You can also go online to be part of the experience at the Marina Bay Countdown website.

Last year's event attracted over 160,000 people. - CNA/ch

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• Youth
• Challenge
• Montfort
• SLC