Delegate: Saleem Hadi
Delegate Short Bio: Saleem Hadi is an award-winning hybrid visual-storyteller who uses theatre and film to shed light on national narratives and social issues. He is also a bilingual (Tamil & English) writer who writes scripts (tv/theatre/films), poems and short stories. Saleem Hadi is the first Singaporean to have won the REEL IDEA STUDIO’s CANNES 2008 DISTINGUISHED COMMUNITY DOCUMENTARY AWARD for his documentary. Saleem had been contributing heavily to Singapore’s arts and media industry since 1999. Saleem had written, directed and produced more than 20 plays (both in English and Tamil) and 28 short films, some of which had won and were featured in international festivals. Saleem won the 1st Prize for his English short story in NAC’s prestigious 2017 Golden Point Award Literary Competition. Saleem Hadi is festival director of indBOX FILM FESTIVAL (iBFF), the World’s First Film Festival Celebrating Singapore’s Indian Cinema that was launched by the President of Singapore, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
Scope of Activity: Campaign of multiple activities
Activity: Letters to ‘Z’ Monster is a community engagement initiative created in conjunction with World Sleep Day. The project invites members of the public to write a personal letter addressed to “Sleep,” reflecting on their relationship with rest, insomnia, dreams, anxiety, or the role sleep plays in their lives.
Participants are encouraged to deposit their handwritten letters into a dedicated submission box, together with their name and email. These letters form part of the research and creative development process for ‘Z’ Monster, a 90-minute multidisciplinary theatre production exploring the theme of sleep and its impact on modern life. The production is scheduled to be staged between 2027 and 2028.
The goals of this activity are:
To raise awareness about sleep and mental well-being by encouraging individuals to reflect on their personal relationship with sleep.
To foster community dialogue around sleep challenges, rest, and the pressures of contemporary lifestyles.
To transform community voices into art, where selected excerpts from the submitted letters may be incorporated into the script development of the future stage production.
To encourage creative expression through handwritten storytelling, allowing participants of all backgrounds to share their experiences in an accessible and reflective format.
The collected letters may also contribute to a future public installation or publication, further amplifying the community’s collective reflections on sleep.
This initiative is created and facilitated by Singapore-based hybrid storyteller Saleem Hadi, whose work frequently integrates community participation into theatre, film, and storytelling projects exploring identity, culture, and society.
The activity is open to youths, adults, and the general public, and aims to create a meaningful intersection between art, public health awareness, and community storytelling.
Location: Singapore
Date of Activity: March 13, 2026 till end of 2026
