The NUS Singapore Prize for Excellence in Literature
More than S$2.3 million in cash awards were presented to 121 Asian and SEA Games medallists at a ceremony at Timbre+ One-North on Wednesday (Nov 29). Sprint queen Shanti Pereira took home the biggest haul, winning S$315,000 for her Asian Games and two SEA golds. The award ceremony was hosted by actor Hannah Waddingham and co-hosted by Sterling K. Brown and American musician Bebe Rexha.
In line with the sustainability theme, William wore a 10-year-old dark green blazer from Alexander McQueen, which coordinated with the corresponding suit worn by Yen, and walked along the “green carpet.” The actress Mbatha also opted for an old suit while the other presenters, including actor Darren Clarke and U.S. musician Bebe Rexha, all walked on the same carpet, which was made of recycled plastic bottles. They were joined by Singapore ministers and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a trustee of the Earthshot board.
The prize, which is open to both fiction and non-fiction work, has a strong focus on resonance in literature. “We want to see books that connect with people, sparking conversations and stirring memories,” says prize director Kishore Mahbubani of the National University of Singapore’s Asia Research Institute. “As the social scientist Benedict Anderson said, nations are ‘imagined communities’ and a shared sense of history is a critical glue holding societies together.”
Aside from writing on Singapore’s history, some of the shortlisted writers have personal ties to the city-state. The oldest book on the list, Leluhur: The Story of Kampong Gelam by Hidayah Amin, is based on her childhood growing up in Gedung Kuning, a heritage royal building in the Kampong Glam neighbourhood.
The NUS Singapore History Prize is awarded every three years and is the first-ever award devoted to the island’s history. It was launched in 2014 in support of the SG50 programme to mark Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence.
This year, the prize’s panel of judges included historians from NUS and other local universities as well as experts from the private sector. They were impressed by the depth and breadth of the work, which spans several historical eras and topics. “The winning entries have a strong resonance in the current context of our rapidly changing world,” the prize jury said.
The winners of the 2021 Singapore Prize will be announced on May 30 at a ceremony at Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. There is a one-in-eleven chance of winning in the Singapore Pools draw. The prizes, which include money and a trip to the Maldives, are available at all Singapore Pools outlets, including those located at casinos. The runner-up will receive a gold trophy. For more information, click here. The 2022 prize will be opened to both non-fiction and fiction works, as long as they have clear historical themes. Applicants can submit their works in English and up to three other languages by July 2022. For more details, click here. The winners of the 2022 Prize will be crowned in August next year.