Singapore Prize
The Singapore Prize is a biennial award given to a writer of fiction, creative non-fiction, or poetry. The prize is presented by the National Book Development Council of Singapore and is supported by the National Library Board and National Arts Council. It aims to recognise outstanding works of literature written in English, Chinese, Malay or Tamil. This year, 43 writers submitted their work for consideration. Some of the writers were first-time nominees.
Each winner will receive a commissioned trophy, a S$200 cash prize, and a 12-month gift code to StoryTel. In addition, each winner will also have the chance to win a S$50 book voucher.
The Prize Secretariat is located within the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. A panel of eight judges was appointed, including representatives from government, business and media. They chose the winners of the Singapore Prize based on the criteria of originality, quality, and relevance.
The Prize is a tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore. He was instrumental in developing Singapore into a clean and green garden city. At the time of its independence, the newly formed state focused on academics and athletics.
In 1967, the Singapore Olympic and Sports Council (SNOC) launched awards. There were initially eight sports to nominate athletes for: swimming, weightlifting, fencing, athletics, table tennis, boxing and cycling. SNOC then expanded the award program, introducing the Meritorious Awards. For example, Cheong Wai Hing (athletics) received the Meritorious Award in 1968. However, SNOC later changed its name to the Singapore Sports Council, citing its goal of raising the standard of sport.
Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a former member of the University Scholars Programme, was dedicated to intercultural communication and believed that sports was a way to promote social awareness and understanding. He contributed S$15,000 towards the establishment of the cash prize, which now stands at $25,000. Several companies, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Singapore, donated a capital sum of $10,000. These funds were used to establish the cash prize, as well as the gold medals and a S$100 book prize in 2009.
Several other Singapore awards are given annually, including the State Decorations, the Sportsman of the Year Award, the Sportswoman of the Year Award and the International Enterprise Singapore Prize. As well as being named the Singapore Prize Laureate, each of these three winners will receive a gold medal and an award certificate. SNOC disburses cash rewards through the Major Games Award Programme.
The list of Singapore prizes is dynamic and constantly evolving. It may never reach a certain standard of completeness. Nevertheless, the list includes trophies, badges, bowls and cups, as well as state decorations and scholarships.
Other Singapore prizes include the SAL Prize, the Singapore Academic Award, the Yong Pung How School of Law Prize, the Singapore Trade Development Board Prize in Logistics and the Enterprise 50 Awards. Although the list of prizes is not comprehensive, the awards offered by Singapore are a testament to the best of Singapore and to the accomplishments of its citizens.