16/08/2026
Rest is a right, not a reward.
On the 9 Aug 2026, to commemorate Singapore’s National Day, our community reflected on how migrants are part of Singapore’s national identity and success. As migrants that continue to labour for the country, we recognize that migrants too deserve rest, care and time to recover.
To celebrate migrants’ rest, our physiotherapist and dance volunteer, Wint Shwe Sin, led us through a session of reflection, rest and restoration. Through grounding yoga stretches, we relieved tension from muscles most of us didn’t use in years.
We introduced ourselves and practised articulation our emotions through body sculping and movement instead of words. As the room warmed up, we progressed from simple emotions like “happy” and “proud”, to “strong”, “surprised”, “calm” and even “lonely”. It was heartening to watch that even newer and more reserved members the group eventually participated.
We learnt dances from each other’s cultures and social lives, festival and parties. Dancing to our more ‘traditional’ songs like Maumere and “Bristi Pore Tapur Tupur” to our party dances, "Ronger Ei Melate" and "Ronger Ei Melate", our members loosened up and we learnt how to treat ourselves more kindly and less seriously.
To conclude our session, Wint treated us to her mesmerising contemporary dance performance set to Moe (“Rain”) by Myo Gyi, an old Burmese favourite.
Rest is not a bonus for working hard enough. It is not something a good employer grants. It is a right and it also belongs to the people who build, clean and care for this city too.
This National Day, we celebrate Singapore by also standing for the people who help build and care for it. Respect Migrant Workers Rest.
Happy birthday, Singapore.
We are Here With You.
Our sincerest gratitude to Wint Shwe Sin, for conducting and facilitate this session, Wiyah Wiwie for helping with the initial posters, Tifahsagittarius Tifahsagittarius for cooking Bee Hoon and Sausages, Asmara Kasih for coordinating from afar, we missed you. Sg Lalon and Azizul for helping to pack the goodie bags and , Rafiqul Alam Habibullah for helping to coordinate the logistics, Novia Sari Arluma, Seruni, Miraj for coming to support on the day. A big thanks to for taking amazing videos and photos!
With Ippmi Singapura
