The Appreciation and Appointment Function for the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) will take place on 28 July 2018 at the Float at Marina Bay. ACCORD Co-Chairmen Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How, appointed in May 2018, and Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman will present letters of appreciation to thank 22 current ACCORD members who are stepping down on 24 August 2018, and letters of appointment to 18 new members of ACCORD and its three Councils for a new two-year term.

In the past two years, ACCORD has built on existing initiatives to deepen engagement with stakeholders. This includes the increased number of companies sharing NS-friendly practices with other companies, ground-up initiatives such as the "Dads for Life" Camp and "Celebrating NS50" picnic to commemorate 50 years of NS in 2017, and the increased number of Foreign System Schools who have conducted NS Information Sharing Sessions. These ACCORD initiatives have enhanced support and appreciation from businesses, families and schools for NS.