The Singapore Prize is an award given to books in Singapore that champion mindsets and values important to the nation’s development. The inaugural prize was established by a $1 million donation from Confucian scholar Alan Chan and is presented by the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). The prize’s statement lists “equality, diversity, religious harmony, meritocracy, pragmatism, resilience, emphasis on education and innovation” as examples.
The prize also recognizes the work of authors who have published works in Singapore’s four official languages: Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil. The awards are held every two years, and this year’s shortlist consists of 49 titles in three genres and 12 categories. The pool of submissions was smaller this year than in 2020, which organizers say was a result of the pandemic.
In addition to the monetary prize, winners are expected to receive guidance from the Earthshot team and help them to scale their efforts. Previous winners have included a team that designed a reusable water bottle, a startup that developed a low-cost vaccine for dengue fever, and a group that used a drone to monitor the spread of cholera. The winner of the 2019 Singapore Prize will be announced on September 27 at the National Museum of Singapore.
Another winner was Kampung Admiralty, a senior living complex in the heart of the city by Singaporean architects WOHA. Designed to address the country’s growing aging population, the project is divided into three strata: upper, middle and lower. The upper section houses 104 apartments for elderly residents, while the lower section features public spaces such as gardens and terraces and a so-called hawker center, which are open-air cooked food centers.
A spokesman for the jury said that “The winning projects are transforming lives in Asia and beyond by making significant contributions towards sustainable development.” The winner of the Singapore Prize will be announced on September 27 at a ceremony at the National Museum of Singapore.
The competition is open to applicants from all countries, but the winners of the top prizes will be given the opportunity to further their studies at universities in Singapore. The winning students will receive a stipend and full funding for their PhD research in areas of interest to the Government of Singapore. In addition, they will be given the chance to establish networks with their peers and leaders in the global community. This is a unique opportunity to make an impact in the world and be part of a community that strives for excellence. The competition is supported by the Ministry of Education and the Agency for Science, Technology & Research.