I am delighted to be invited to the Singapore Writers Festival 2025!

As an author and public speaker, I am always excited to talk about my writing, including my children’s non-fiction series, Our Amazing Pioneers, where my books bring Singapore’s pioneers to life for young readers.

On Saturday, 15 November 2025, from 3.30pm to 4.30pm, at The Arts House at The Old Parliament, Screening Room, I will be speaking as part of a panel on the topic: “Name Dropping: The Legacy of Singapore’s Street Names”, moderated by Wesley Leon Aroozoo.

This topic is close to my heart.

I am delighted to have distinguished professors Victor Savage and Brenda Yeoh as my fellow panellists.

In fact, back when I was researching and writing my first book, Seah Eu Chin: His Life and Times, I actually cited Savage and Yeoh’s books: Toponymics: A Study of Singapore Street Names and Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics.

Seah Street sign and the Mint Museum of Toys sign, in Singapore.
Seah Street in Singapore. For a blog post on the Mint Museum of Toys, please visit “History and Heritage: My Visit to the MINT Museum of Toys“. Photograph by author Shawn Seah.
Singapore's Liang Seah Street at night, photographed by author Shawn Seah in 2019.
Liang Seah Street at night and on weekends is typically full of life. Photograph by author Shawn Seah.

They are experts in toponymics (the study of place names). Their books provided a starting point for me to explore Singapore’s history through street names. This is one reason why I’m looking forward to the panel discussion.

Also, the Singapore Writers Festival is one of Asia’s premier literary festivals, bringing together both international and Singapore authors to celebrate the art of storytelling and spark meaningful engagement with literature and the arts.

(In fact, I was a small part of the Singapore Writers Festival back in 2023. At the National Library’s Imagination Room, I narrated stories from Our Amazing Pioneers, covering Teochew leader Seah Eu Chin; Hakka heritage jeweller Ngeow Cher Seong; and charitable Arab Syed Omar Aljunied. Looking back, while the crowd was small, we had fun together!)

Author and speaker Shawn Seah as part of the 2023 Singapore Writers Festival, standing with fans and supporters.
Author Shawn Seah was part of the Singapore Writers Festival 2023. Photograph by Shawn’s team.

This year’s festival theme, “Shape of Things to Come”, is bold and forward-looking, inviting us to reflect on the past and present, and envision the future with hope, courage, and imagination.

As Singapore marks 60 years of independence, the 2025 edition of the Singapore Writers Festival features a special SG60 Homage track.

After all, 2025 is a timely opportunity to explore how Singapore’s identity and heritage continue to evolve in a changing world shaped by new trends and technological advancements, like developments in generative Artificial Intelligence and Agentic AI.

During my panel, I will share from my own writing journey, including the children’s non-fiction series Our Amazing Heroes and Our Amazing Pioneers, and my explorations into the stories of pioneers remembered through our street names.

These include our amazing pioneers remembered through streets such as Eu Chin Street, Seng Poh Road, Seng Poh Lane, Liang Seah Street, and Seah Street.

Many other pioneers I wrote about, like Syed Omar Aljunied, Edwin Tessensohn, and Naraina Pillai, also had streets named after them.

It is a privilege to be part of this conversation at Singapore Writers Festival 2025, as we look ahead with optimism while honouring the stories and histories that have shaped us.

I believe that community support for local writers is vital, and festivals like this remind us of the importance of coming together to celebrate our shared stories.

I warmly invite you to join us at the Singapore Writers Festival 2025 to listen, reflect, and be part of this conversation.

Thank you for reading.

Cheers,
Shawn

About the Author

Shawn Seah is a published author and public speaker who makes Singapore’s history come alive through engaging storytelling. He is the author of the children’s non-fiction series Our Amazing Pioneers and Our Amazing Heroes, and speaks regularly about family history, Singapore Stories, and the art of storytelling at schools, literary festivals, and museums.