What a memorable day for CDE at NUS Rag and Flag!
Since 1958, Rag and Flag has been a cherished annual tradition where students and staff unite to give back to society. It begins with Flag Day, when NUS students, including our CDE students, raise funds for local charities such as SHINE Children and Youth Services.
Over 80 CDE students hit the streets of Paya Lebar, raising funds for local charities
“My biggest concern for this year’s Flag was whether the new students truly understood the meaning of Rag and Flag,” said Cheong Jia Yi Chloe (Year 2 Environmental and Sustainability Engineering), Project Director of CDE Flag. “It’s not just about a show or collecting money. Through volunteering and engaging with beneficiaries, we saw how Rag and Flag is about giving back and impacting lives.”
The event culminates in Rag (Receiving and Giving) Day, a grand finale featuring vibrant float performances thanking donors for their support. With this year’s theme “Connecting Beyond Horizons,” our students brought to life a beautifully designed float featuring an energy core made of 32 symbolic leaves representing the CDE performers. The float served as a backdrop, complementing the storyline and with the CDE performers equally split between “makers” and “fairies” to reflect the diversity of CDE.
The was the result of over six months of planning, design, and rehearsals by more than 80 students, with sustainability as one of Rag’s grading criteria. To meet this, the team used repurposed materials from warehouses and studios.
“Painting and designing the float came with space and weather challenges, but we pulled through together. We believed in giving it our all so we won’t have any regrets,” said Ho Jing En Cheryl (Year 2 Biomedical Engineering), Project Director of CDE Rag.
Head of Floaters Heng Jun Kai (Year 2 Landscape Architecture) shared how his design background played a part: “This year’s float featured more 3D elements using foam board, plywood, and cardboard. My experience helped in structuring the float and understanding how to use materials effectively, while my engineering teammates focused on mechanics, safety, and smooth scene transitions.”
For the performers’ costumes, creativity and precision were key. “We prototyped many times to make sure designs fit the theme, sizing, and performance needs,” said Honey Chia Han Ning (Year 3 Architecture), Head of Costumes. “My background in architecture made it easier to gauge measurements, and we also reused clothing materials to align with the sustainability focus.”
Among the team was Hau Hwee En (Year 4 Biomedical Engineering) student who has been part of Rag and Flag every year since her freshman days. “Balancing internships and commitments was tough, but the friendships and shared experience made it worth it,” she said. “Rag has been a big part of my university life.”
We were also heartened by the strong support from our community, including Assoc Prof Martin Buist (Deputy Dean) and Assoc Prof Darren Chian (Vice Dean of Student Life) along with faculty, staff, and alumni who turned up to cheer on the team.
Congratulations to all our students, committee members, performers, and supporters for showing what it means to truly connect beyond horizons.
