The inaugural Singapore Prize – awarded for efforts that foster greater connectivity and community spirit in Singapore’s bustling metropolis – went to a project which allows people to find and share public transport routes more easily in its bustling centre. At a ceremony hosted at Ritz-Carlton Millenia, all ten winners presented their work before an audience of 200 guests present.
The prize’s judges praised the winning projects for their creativity and ability to turn an unsolvable challenge into something beneficial for an entire city. They also applauded innovative approaches taken by runners-up.
This year’s event received over 550 applications, and shortlisted 57 entries. Of these initiatives, one was initiated by residents of a housing estate to convert an underused car park into a community garden; another was an online crowdfunding campaign conducted by a food startup to secure funds for its first commercial kitchen; finally the prize honored the efforts of someone who developed an aid tool specifically to aid homeless individuals.
Marylyn Tan made history in English poetry when she won the prize’s 28-year history with her debut collection Gaze Back (2022). The award jury described it as an irreverent “clarion call for gender and linguistic reclamation”, searing with its confidence, sass, universal appetite. Zhang Yueran’s Cocoon (2022), was also highly commended by judges due to its “total lack of seriousness or compromise”, “over-the-top audacity and absurdity”.
Khir Johari’s book that takes readers on a culinary tour through Singapore’s multiracial heritage was awarded first prize at the NUS Singapore History category prize, taking 14 years from conception to publication and weighing more than three kilograms, beating five other books for top spot and receiving $50,000 cash prize. Professor Kishore Mahbubani of NUS Asia Research Institute initiated this prize to make history more accessible for non-academic audiences while shed new light on Singapore’s distinct history.
Prof Miksic noted that Ms Hidayah’s book was successful in fulfilling the award’s aim of making Singaporean history more accessible to non-academic readers, particularly by drawing upon primary sources like interviews and photos. Furthermore, Prof Miksic remarked: “you don’t need to be a professional historian to write history!”
On September 30 at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia, business leaders, investors and global dignitaries came together for the 2023 Singapore Prize ceremony hosted by Emmy Award winning actress Hannah Waddingham (and co-hosted by Sterling K Brown) to attend. Live coverage could be found both on Facebook and YouTube of this event by following its organiser.