Singapore Prize and Earthshot Prize Announced
Written by
The Singapore Prize was created to recognise and promote published works in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and translation by Singapore citizens or permanent residents who write in English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay or Tamil languages of any length. Furthermore, the prize recognizes any genre dealing with Singapore history administered by the Department of History at National University of Singapore.
This prize is funded by the Temasek Trust with support from Temasek Foundation and co-sponsored by National Research Council of Singapore and Singapore Academy of Social Sciences. The winner receives a cash award of US$100,000. All shortlisted authors are invited to a ceremony where their prizes are distributed.
A healthy civil society relies on individuals who are committed to their communities and willing to put others’ needs ahead of their own, at critical moments. The Harvard Prize Book award acknowledges and promotes such altruism; each year it recognizes authors of works with literary merit that has lasting significance published by reputable publishers and have the power to shape public debate.
Singapore Book Council announced on Jan 11 that in addition to the Singapore Literature Prize (SLP), three additional categories had been added for homegrown translators, comic-book authors and debut writers to compete for one of Singapore’s prestigious literary awards – poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction published across all four official languages of Singapore being included as existing categories.
An Indian manufacturer of solar dryers, a soil carbon marketplace and groups working to restore Andean forests and combat illegal fishing were among this year’s 15 winners of Britain’s Prince William and his foundation’s Earthshot Prize global awards program. Winners were announced during a ceremony held in Singapore and selected from over 150 nominations by an independent panel of judges. Winners were recognized for their innovative solutions to reduce climate change’s negative effects, sharing them at a week-long celebration held in Singapore. GenZero and Temasek presented prizes on behalf of GenZero and Temasek respectively. The Prize was established by Temasek, Singapore’s philanthropic arm of its government-owned conglomerate. It is supported by both Temasek Foundation and Conservation International; becoming one of the fastest-growing prizes that recognize innovation and impact worldwide. Finalists were joined at the event by its creator as well as founders from two other acclaimed environmental prizes programs – Yale-Wilton Planetary Society and Stockholm Environment Institute – and were filmed for an upcoming BBC documentary which will air on April 30.