The winner of this year’s singapore prize will be rewarded with S$50,000 in cash and the runners-up get S$20,000 each. The prize was established in 2014, as part of Singapore’s 50th anniversary program (SG50), to honour published works on Singaporean history that have contributed to a better understanding of the nation. It is administered by the Department of History at NUS and open to both local and foreign authors.
This year’s shortlisted books include an examination of the life of an iconic Indian poet, a look at the history of Malay migrant workers in Singapore, and a book on family history that eschews the notion that history is merely a record of big movers and shakers. One work, by Kamaladevi Aravindan, traces the lives of residents of an estate over five decades.
Another of the six shortlisted titles, by Daryl Qilin Yam, explores the impact of a Singaporean warlord and his legacy on the lives of ordinary citizens. The judges have also highlighted the witty and over-the-top absurdity of Kenfoo’s self-published Cockman (2022), in which a chicken from another dimension finds itself stranded on earth as a human.
The quality of this year’s submissions led the Jury Panel to issue, for the first time, two special commendations without attendant cash awards. Reviving Qixi: Singapore’s Forgotten Seven Sisters Festival by Lynn Wong Yuqing and Lee Kok Leong was commended for its insights into Chinatown history, while Theatres of Memory: Industrial Heritage of 20th Century Singapore by Loh Kah Seng, Alex Tan Tiong Hee, Koh Keng We, Tan Teng Phee and Juria Toramae was lauded for its research into understudied labour and industrial histories.
The other winner, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is a global leader in the fight against illegal wildlife trade and will use its prize money to support local initiatives that empower communities to address wildlife crime. During his visit to Singapore, William will meet with local organisations to see how they are developing innovative solutions to combat the growing problem of wildlife trafficking, which threatens the survival of many species and has significant impacts on the world economy.
The winners were announced in a glitzy ceremony at the Theatre at MediaCorp. In keeping with the sustainability theme, William wore a dark green blazer and dickie bow, while host Hannah Waddingham wore a black sparkling ball gown. The ceremony also featured a performance by British singer and actor Sterling K Brown, who sang the song, ‘I’ll Never Love Again’, from his new album, Man on a Mission. William, who is a keen sportsman and environmentalist, will take part in a range of activities, including dragon boating and meeting with people from across Asia who are working to protect the planet. He will also attend a United for Wildlife summit, which brings together law enforcement agencies and businesses from around the world to tackle the multi-billion dollar wildlife trade.