Last year’s campaign video carried broader, more universal themes that spoke to anyone in the world who supported the Freedom to Love. This year, we wanted to bring it back home and depict some of the realities faced by Singapore’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

It is, admittedly, less of a celebration than last year’s video, specifically because it is meant to address some important and very real issues. As we celebrate the Freedom to Love every year at Pink Dot, it is important that we realise that many LGBT people continue to face prejudice and discrimination on a daily basis. There are elephants in the room (such as media censorship and Section 377A of the Penal Code) that we cannot ignore. We hope people will ponder these issues leading up to Pink Dot 2012.

As with all the other Pink Dot campaign videos in the past, this year’s video was driven by nothing else but love and goodwill. I would like to thank our amazing team of cast and crew volunteers – many of whom committed a lot of time and made sacrifices to be a part of the production.

The true inspiration of the Pink Dot campaign videos comes from the many LGBT Singaporeans and their loved-ones who, despite the challenges faced, continue to strive towards a more open-minded and inclusive Singapore.

I hope to see everyone at Pink Dot 2012, on June 30th at the Hong Lim Park. Let us all come together and support the Freedom to Love!