[ACRES Singapore] First ever event in Singapore to break a tradition

[Guest guest]

PRESS RELEASE

2 October 2009

 

 

FIRST EVER EVENT IN SINGAPORE TO BREAK A TRADITION

 

 

SINGAPORE, 2 OCTOBER 2009 - ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and

Education Society) is delighted to announce the launch of its unique

event " Break The Tradition, Spare The Sharks " , to encourage everyone to

break the tradition of consuming shark fins.

 

Held at The Atrium @ Orchard, this first-of-its-kind 3-day event

coincides with World Animal Day and features members of the public

breaking shark fin soup bowls. The broken pieces will be used on the

spot to create a work of art- a gigantic 15m-long mosaic of a shark

along Orchard Road.

 

An estimated 100 million sharks are killed each year to meet demand for

shark fin soup, and Singapore is the world's third-largest shark fin

trading centre, according to UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.

 

" This tradition is not only cruel, it is wasteful and hugely

destructive, because when sharks die, the entire marine ecosystem also

collapses. It is time for us responsible global citizens to break this

tradition " said Mr. Louis Ng, Founder and Executive Director of ACRES.

 

This weekend, ACRES is encouraging people to symbolically break this

habit, by smashing a shark fin soup bowl, sending a message to the world

that sharks are more valuable than soup.

 

" Some things are created perfect but humans and their traditions are

fallible. Therefore sometimes we need to break the tradition " said Espn

Star Sports presenter Jamie Yeo, who was amongst the eleven celebrities

who graced the opening event and pledged to go off shark fin soup,

before smashing their soup bowls symbolically.

 

Samples of an equally costly, cruelty-free, vegan alternative to shark

fin soup will be distributed free of charge during the event, courtesy

of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts - the only hotel in Singapore who has made

a conscious choice to stop serving shark fin soup.

 

" We believe that we all have a link to our planet, the choices we make

and the food we eat should always sustain and benefit the only home we

have. The meaningful initiatives and goal of ACRES' event resonates with

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts' passion and dedication towards creating a

sustainable environment. We support this campaign and hope that it will

create much-needed awareness to prevent the further demise of the

planet's apex predator - the sharks " said Ian Wilson, General Manager of

Fairmont Singapore.

 

After this weekend, a group of artists will transform the broken pieces

into permanent works of art that will be displayed in exhibitions and

featured in ACRES' education programmes. Every single bowl will have a

second life, as something beautiful and educational instead of something

cruel.

 

" We don't deserve to have a limb cut off and left to bleed to death, so

why should they? Shark's fin soup is so passe. " said Melody Chen, TV

presenter and actress. Her husband, Randall Tan, agreed, " Traditions

aside, how could one stomach shark's fin soup when there is so much

cruelty afflicted in producing such a dish? You don't have to condone

such practice to gain status. "

 

Contact:

Ms. Leanora Lyn Gaffar (Director of Communications)

Email: leanora HP: 9844 6486

 

Notes to editors

* The event will be open to the public daily from 10am - 10pm until

Sunday (4 October).

* ACRES is a local animal protection charity and Institution of

Public Character aimed at fostering respect and compassion for all

animals. It currently has more than 18,000 individuals on its supporter

database.

 

 

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