Singapore Prize Launches New Book Award For Local Authors
The Singapore Prize is a book award presented annually by the National University of Singapore (NUS) to recognise works that contribute to the richness and depth of Singapore literature. The prize carries an award of $50,000 for the winning title. It is considered to be one of the top literary awards in the country. The award is given to both non-fiction and fiction titles, with each genre having its own categories. The work must also be published in any of the four official languages of Singapore, and its hard copies must be legally deposited with the National Library Board. The winner will receive a certificate, a trophy and a copy of the book.
In a move to encourage literary writers in the country, the Government of Singapore has announced the launch of an annual book award for works by local authors. The new book award, known as the Singapore Prize, will recognize and reward writers for their contribution towards enriching the nation’s cultural landscape. The award will come with a cash prize and a trophy, with the winner to be selected by a panel of judges from each of the categories.
The winner of the prize will be chosen from books that have been shortlisted for the Singapore Prize, which will be adjudicated by a four-member panel comprising renowned academics and experts. The winner of the first edition of the Singapore Prize is archaeologist John Miksic, whose book on Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300-1800, argues that it is a mistake to assume that Singapore’s history started with Sir Stamford Raffles’ landing.
He was honoured for the work that “provides the basis for a fundamental reinterpretation of our place in Asian history”. This year, the competition received 29 submissions and Prof Wang said the panel had difficulty deciding on the winner among the five shortlisted works. The other four were on topics such as the sarong kebaya, the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Bukit Ho Swee fire and Singapore history from 1965 to 2015.
During his visit here, the heir to the British throne is scheduled to meet with Singaporeans who are using their own ideas to protect the environment. He is expected to fly commercially, rather than privately, and will visit a number of venues that have been designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
He will attend the third ceremony of the Earthshot Prize, where winners ranging from solar-powered dryers to ocean revival will be awarded for their solutions to nature protection, clean air and waste elimination. The ceremony was previously held in London in 2021 and Boston last year. Actors Cate Blanchett, Donnie Yen and Lana Condor, as well as Australian wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, will present the prizes. The prince will also host a fellowship retreat for the 15 finalists to help them accelerate their solutions. This will include the chance to pitch their ideas to him directly, according to organisers. The event is supported by the government and Temasek Foundation, along with GenZero and Conservation International.