Singapore Prize 2024
In line with its sustainability theme, the Singapore prize ceremony on September 25 incorporated a green carpet and showcased eco-friendly fashion. Presenter Prince William wore a 10-year-old dark green suit from Alexander McQueen and his wife, Kate Middleton, opted for a long sleeve black gown by Stella McCartney. Actors Hannah Waddingham and Sterling K. Brown co-hosted the event. Bands One Republic and Bastille and singer Bebe Rexha performed. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a trustee of the Earthshot initiative that launched at the event, spoke about the importance of amplifying solutions to fight climate change.
The winner of the 2024 Singapore Literature Prize will be announced on October 2. Book-length publications in Chinese, English, and Malay are eligible. A six-book shortlist has been selected for the prize this year, and readers can vote for their favourites by filling out ballots available at all Singapore Pools outlets.
A panel of five judges will choose the winning publication from a list of six books, which were culled from 26 submissions by local and international authors. The winners will receive S$50,000, while the runners-up will be awarded S$20,000 each. Those interested in reading the books can purchase copies from all major bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia.
Founder of the Singapore Prize, Viscount Bledisloe, said that the 2024 winners are “truly game changers, both in the way they see and think about their work, and how they have changed and will continue to change the world for the better.” The prize’s 2024 partners—Conservation International, The Asia Foundation, CI Global, the UNESCO-Academy of Sciences, and the Yves Saint Laurent Foundation—will use their combined expertise and networks to help select the winner of this biennial award. The finalists will be able to tap into the Catalytic S$1 million prize fund that the prize will offer, aimed at scaling their innovative environmental solutions.
In the Leaders of Good (Adult) category, Dr Sushilan Vasoo is a pioneer who laid strong foundations for social change in Singapore’s family service landscape over the decades. He was involved in piloting many of the social service projects that have become mainstream services like Family Service Centres today, and continues to volunteer at various community organisations.
The winners of the Singapore Youth Leadership and Young Changemakers categories also exhibited exceptional care for their communities. Harrison Cheong, a finalist in the Youth Leadership category, is the founder of Jalan Journey, a social enterprise that offers virtual experiential learning for youths. He has also been actively involved in volunteering at a local community centre, and helped set up a pay-it-forward scheme for Town Council cleaners during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Similarly, Clarence Ching, a finalist in the Young Changemakers category, founded Access Singapore while still at university with a desire to improve social mobility by providing opportunities and support for disadvantaged students. The initiative has already worked with 1,300 students since its launch in 2019.