Singapore Prize 2024 Winners Announced
The Singapore prize is a prestigious award given to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated outstanding achievements. It is a way to give recognition for their efforts and encourage others to excel as well. The Singapore Prize was established in 1989 and is awarded to recognize achievements in the areas of innovation, culture, sports, environment, community development and business. The award is administered by the National Arts Council. It is a public prize that is open to all citizens and companies based in the country.
This year, the competition received more than 1,000 nominations from all over the world. The winners will be honoured during a special awards ceremony in Singapore. This will be hosted by Prince William and will feature finalists from around the world. Guests will be able to see the innovative solutions that have been shaped by the finalists.
The 2024 prize was open to books that explore any time period, theme or field of Singapore history. The judges also considered works that examine the Singaporean experience from a global perspective, but must have clear historical themes. The book’s author or co-author must be a citizen of Singapore. The work must be a book-length literary work written in English.
Marylyn Tan became the first female winner in the 28-year history of the Singapore Literature Prize, winning the English category for her debut collection Gaze Back, which tackles taboo subjects like menstruation and sexuality with a “clear-sighted, ruthlessly principled eye.” The Jury Panel described the book as a lyrical, unapologetic and arcane work that examines women’s lives with “remorseless precision”.
In the short film category, Thailand’s Thaweechok Phasom’s Spirits of the Black Leaves won Best Southeast Asian Film. Vietnam’s Dam Quang Trung won the Best Director and inaugural ARRI Award for Best Cinematography with his film Elephants by the Roadside. Singaporean animation filmmaker Calleen Koh won the Best Singapore Short Film for her film My Wonderful Life.
At the glitzy event, which was held at the state-owned Media Corp theatre, William donned a 10-year-old dark green blazer by Alexander McQueen, and the other presenters walked a red carpet that was actually a green one. The emcees were actors Hannah Waddingham and Sterling K. Brown. The bands Bastille and One Republic and the South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha performed on stage. The ceremony was presented by the Earthshot Week board, with former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as a trustee.
In addition to the prizes, a total of six Singapore Pools’ employees were recognised for their contributions to the organisation. They will be rewarded with the Singapore Pools’ Chairman’s Special Award and a cash prize of $200,000 each. The company is a not for profit operator of lottery and sports betting games in the country. It has generated funds for charity and has helped to combat illegal gambling activities. Its flagship product is Toto, which has a massive following in South Asia. In the future, it is expected to expand into online sports betting.