• The Mandarin term “五大共同价值观” is a paraphrase of the English term “five Shared Values”.
• In 1988, then First Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong proposed the creation of a set of shared national values, aiming to forge Singapore’s identity in a society where values were constantly evolving.
• In 1991, the Singapore Government published the “White Paper on Shared Values” to put forward five Shared Values that could be accepted by Singaporeans of all ethnicities, social classes, and religious beliefs.
• The five Shared Values are: Nation before community and society above self; Family as the basic unit of society; Community support and respect for the individual; Consensus, not conflict; and Racial and religious harmony.
• The Singapore Government believes that with the implementation of the five Shared Values, Singaporeans will be happy and able to build a compassionate and cohesive society together, which will enable the prosperity and development of the nation.
• The five Shared Values are mainly inculcated in primary and secondary schools, through Character and Citizenship Education and Social Studies classes.

In addition, the prominent display of the five Shared Values for social education in places of worship and public facilities, so as to promote and strengthen unity among Singaporeans, is an effective measure for dealing with the threat of terrorism. (Lianhe Zaobao, 4/10/2016)