Sixteen-year-old Ava Soh made many Singaporeans proud when a t-shirt that she designed was worn by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday (June 11).
The teen, a Secondary 4 student at St Joseph’s Institution International, had sent a black t-shirt with a girl spray-painting the blue and yellow colours of the Ukraine flag to the President only recently.
In an Instagram post, the young artist explained the meaning behind the shirt’s design: “I’ve illustrated an NFT called Spray Paint Ukraine. It’s a young Ukrainian girl defiantly painting a new future because self-belief is the best middle finger to oppression. Why a young girl? Because half the world are women, and the other half, sons.”
Many people have since lauded Ava for her efforts and creativity, including Workers’ Party chief and Leader of the Opposition, Pritam Singh.
Mr Singh wrote in a Sunday morning (June 12) Facebook post that he had met Ava in person, and had dinner with members of her family just last month.
He had learned of the Ukrainian President’s choice of clothing for the Shangri-La Dialogue through a phone call and photo from Mr James Crabtree, the Executive Director at The International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Mr Crabtree had been present at the dialogue, and posted photos on Facebook of Mr Zelensky addressing the audience, virtually wearing the t-shirt Ava designed.
Mr Singh wrote that Mr Crabtree messaged him to say, “Zelensky speaking live and wearing one of the shirts. Can you tell Calvin (Soh, Ava’s father)?”
Mr Singh added that he had first heard about Ava’s “fund-raising idea for Ukraine when she introduced her fashion work to us. And to have the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wear one of the shirts she designed. Probability of it happening? Unlikely.
But collaborative spaces, friendships and desire have an uncanny way of coming together and making ambitious dreams a reality.”
And while, in his perspective, “Singapore society and culture, at the median, remains a very tuition-based,” which will not change overnight, for this day and age, “Singapore needs our ideas to reach well beyond our shores… to continue to be special.”
He added that innovative thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset would be “crucial” to this.
“We need to encourage the Avas, children and young adults around us – be they in sports, business or any other field. Because making a difference is a tough and hard (and often, lonely) journey.”
He then went on to congratulate Ava, adding, “long live the Daughters of the Revolution! DOTR”
DOTR is Ava’s initiative that aims “to cultivate the next generation of 21st century heroines.” Her designs may be found on Facebook here and on Instagram here. /TISG