After taking part in the Rolex Perpetual Planet Symposium in Singapore and meeting Rolex Testimonees Sylvia Earle and David Doubilet, young achievers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand share their opinions
In August, Rolex extended an invitation to Tatler Asia to take part in its Perpetual Planet Symposium in Singapore. During the symposium, legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle and famed marine photographer David Doubilet, who are both Rolex Testimonees, shared their thoughts and experience at National Gallery Singapore, met with academics and undergraduates to discuss about research-related issues and joined a diving enthusiasts' forum to talk about the oceans.
Joining the various editors of Tatler Asia at the event were several Generation T honourees such as Malaysian social entrepreneur Rashvin Pal Singh, Thai social entrepreneur Peetachai Dejkraisak and Indonesian environmental activist Farwiza Farhan as well as Singapore’s primatologist Andie Ang and marine ecologist Neo Mei Lin. They also had the chance to meet and interact with the two luminaries at a specially arranged brunch session. We met up with Rashvin, Peetachai and Farwiza soon after the forum to find out how Earle and Doubilet, the symposium as well as the Rolex Perpetual Planet campaign have inspired them.
Rashvin Pal Singh, Co-Founder of Biji-biji Initiative
"The Perpetual Planet campaign is part of a larger circularity concept, which is the key ethos in environmental topics. It’s looking at the issue from a circular point of view and knowing that our linear relationship with materials and products is not sustainable. It leads to the depletion in resources and ends up in landfills. Circularity is more than recycling; it’s understanding the nature of life. The Perpetual Planet campaign really embodies that. It’s also two-pronged: pushing extremes with expeditions and explorations, and working with visionary scientists and entrepreneurs in making changes of their own.