The Singapore prize is an annual award that recognises books that champion mindsets and values important to the shaping of Singapore. The Dr Alan HJ Chan Spirit of Singapore Book Prize is organised by the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), with a contribution of $1 million from Confucian scholar Dr Alan Chan. This is the largest amount ever awarded to a single book in Singapore, and it’s also the richest pot for a local literary award.
The prize is presented to authors whose works showcase Singapore’s rich heritage and identity, and promote Singapore values and international understanding. It is open to works written in the four official languages of Singapore: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The winning author will receive $30,000 in cash, as well as a year of fellowships at SUSS and a publishing grant. The book must have a significant Singapore element in its narrative and be written in English by a Singapore author. It must be a new or recent work, not an edition of an existing publication. The book must be of high literary quality and have the potential to reach a wider audience. The book must be relevant and engaging to a global readership.
Those who have been shortlisted will be offered exclusive access to a four-week programme curated by Vogue Singapore, and a mentorship session with the award laureate speakers. The finalists will be able to explore opportunities to further refine their business models and implement innovative strategies with experts across various pillars, including digital innovation, creative direction, design, media, brand storytelling and marketing.
Vogue’s vision for the prize is to invest in the next generation of fashion entrepreneurs and empower them to drive change for good in ASEAN, and they hope that the partnership will inspire businesses and communities to think beyond monetary profits and make an impact for the greater good. They will have the opportunity to engage with leaders from business, government and communities across Southeast Asia.
In the same vein, a housing complex for elderly citizens has managed to out-compete flashier structures like Russia’s World Cup stadium and Qatar’s National Library to become the “World Building of the Year” at the prestigious World Architecture Festival. The winner, Kampung Admiralty in Singapore, combines public facilities and community space with over 100 apartments for the elderly.
The 2023 Earthshot prize ceremony will be held in Singapore this year. It is the first time that the event will be hosted outside of the United Kingdom. This year, the prize will be accompanied by a series of events during Earthshot Week, bringing together global leaders and innovators from a range of industries to explore opportunities to tackle climate change. The winners will also be able to participate in a roundtable discussion with Prince William on the challenges of achieving carbon neutrality. For more information, please visit the website here. The final date for entries is 31 October 2023.