By Victoria Barker

IN THE lead-up to the National Day Parade (NDP) on Sunday, the Internet has been abuzz with excitement over the nation's 44th birthday.

And it's thanks to the concerted efforts made online by this year's NDP executive committee led by Brigadier-General Tan Chuan-Jin.

Besides the official website, the committee has reached out to Singaporeans via various new-media platforms. These include social-networking sites Facebook and Twitter, and video-sharing site YouTube. (See sidebar.)

The strategy is working - the sites are engaging countrymen as well as foreigners here. Since its April launch, the official website has garnered over 6.1 million page views. In addition, the NDPeeps Facebook fan page has amassed over 15,400 members since April. It allows people to post text, photos and videos relating to their National Day experiences.

Another site which allows netizens to share their thoughts is NDPeeps.com, the one-stop portal for all the social platforms.

Among 22,000 posts on the Reflections page on this portal since May, one is by Lam Sze Yin, 14. She wrote that although she is not Singaporean, she has friends here who accept her for who she is and are by her side "through thick and thin". Netizens agreed that visiting the online channels is a great way to feel the NDP vibe.

Private student Michelle Tan, 22, a Singaporean, said: "I did not manage to get tickets (to the NDP), but with all these sites, I can practically feel the exciting atmosphere," she said.

OFFICIAL NDP WEBSITE

www.ndp.org.sg

THE official website contains news and articles about the programme, as well as a list of frequently asked questions for parade goers.

NDPEEPS PORTAL

www.ndpeeps.com

A ONE-STOP portal that connects to the other online platforms. It showcases engaging content from the respective platforms in the form of text, videos and photos of all National Day Parade (NDP)-related events.

NDPeeps Facebook fan page WITH over 15,400 ?fans?, this group allows users to post their views and reflections, as well as photos and videos. It also includes video interviews with some of the show?s participants.

www.youtube.com/ndpeeps

NDP's official YouTube channel hosts videos of parade rehearsals and NDP-related events. You can even post your videos of your hopes for Singapore.

www.twitter.com/ndpeeps

GET to-the-minute, bite-size updates on anything and everything to do with NDP.

www.flickr.com/ photos/ndpeeps

VIEW exclusive behind-the-scene photo galleries of NDP previews and rehearsals. Singaporeans can also contribute photos which embody the Singapore spirit and engage in discussions about these photos.

www.ndpeeps.blogspot.com

A COMPILATION of blogs providing an insight into the experiences of those involved in the NDP, ranging from the NDP committee chairman to celebrity bloggers.

ALSO VISIT...

www.razortv.com.sg

www.stomp.com.sg

CITIZEN-JOURNALISM website Stomp and interactive Web-TV service RazorTV are holding a joint contest to give away five NDP passes each to two lucky families.

RazorTV will then document each family?s NDP trip.

For contest details, visit their respective websites.

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