The Singapore prize was created in 2014 to encourage more people to write about Singapore’s history, and to make its complexities and nuances more accessible to non-academic audiences. It is administered by the Department of History at NUS and is awarded every three years. Its inaugural prize went to archaeologist John Miksic for his book Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300-1800. NUS professor Kishore Mahbubani, who helped to establish the prize, has said that it might be possible to expand the types of works that qualify for its consideration in future. He cited movies, comic books and other formats as possible examples, and noted that history can sometimes be told more effectively through fiction than through academic writing.
The prize’s shortlist this year includes novels with a personal slant. Jeremy Tiang’s Sembawang (2019, available here) follows an extended family living through Singapore’s leftist political movements and detentions in the 1950s. And Hidayah Amin’s Leluhur: The Story of Kampong Gelam (2019, available here) shines a light on a historic heritage royal building in the heart of the Kampong Glam neighborhood that many now know only as a tourist attraction.
Non-fiction works that are highly accessible and have a wider social impact are also being highlighted by this year’s shortlist. The winner of the Singapore Literary Prize 2024, which recognizes outstanding published works in English, has been announced: Myle Yan Tay’s debut novel Catskull, and cultural medallion recipient Suchen Christine Lim’s Dearest Intimate. The prize also has a Readers’ Favorite category in which the public votes online for their favorite among the shortlisted titles, with the winner winning book vouchers.
This month, the heir to the British throne is set to visit Singapore for the third annual Earthshot Prize awards and summit — his and his Royal Foundation charity’s initiative to promote innovations that can solve climate change. The trip will give William a chance to showcase the prize’s finalists, and their innovative projects to tackle the environmental challenges of our time.
At the airport, a crowd of Singaporeans gathered to greet Prince William with banners and cheers. He greeted them from a platform that offered a stunning view of the 40-meter high Rain Vortex, the world’s largest indoor waterfall. The visit will include a summit that will spotlight the winners, as well as events that will engage Singaporeans to address key global challenges.
