The winners of the 2022 Singapore Prize were announced at a ceremony in Singapore on Friday (August 25). Presented by the National Book Development Council of Singapore, the biennial awards recognise outstanding works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry published in the island’s four languages — Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. This year, 12 top prizes were awarded in each language, up from the previous seven categories.
The finalists were selected from 43 nominees, and the winning works were chosen by a panel of judges comprising writers, historians and academics. The winning books showcased the diverse range of themes that reflect the cultural landscape in Singapore, and are intended to inspire and engage readers.
This year, the prize focused on “sparkling stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things”, as well as “troubling, thought-provoking ideas that can challenge our assumptions about the world around us”. The six shortlisted works were chosen to stimulate engagement with Singapore’s history “broadly understood”, and make the nuances of the country’s past more accessible, according to a statement by the Department of History at NUS. In addition to historical tomes, the shortlist included fiction and non-fiction with a personal slant. For example, Leluhur: The Story of Kampong Gelam by Hidayah Amin sheds light on a neighbourhood many now know only as a tourist attraction.
Other winners included a memoir about the experience of an adolescent boy with autism, and an account of a woman’s struggle for family harmony after her husband died. The prize carries a cash award of up to $50,000 and is deemed one of the most prestigious accolades in the country.
Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen presented two individuals and four teams with the Defence Technology Prize at a ceremony at the DSO Auditorium today. The awards recognise contributions that have helped the Singapore Armed Forces maintain its sharp edge in defence capabilities.
The prize also aims to promote awareness of the importance of science and technology to society. The winners of this year’s Singapore Prize will receive a trophy, a monetary award and a special opportunity to visit the United States to be mentored by the founders of the Prize and its founding partners.
Hosted by three-time Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham and actor Sterling K. Brown, the ceremony was held in line with the Sustainability theme, with a green carpet and performances from artists and bands including Bastille, OneRepublic, and Bebe Rexha. Actors Cate Blanchett, Lana Condor and Nomzamo Mbatha, as well as singer-songwriter Robert Irwin, were present to celebrate the finalists’ achievements. Actor Donnie Yen was dressed in an old Alexander McQueen suit, in keeping with the prize’s commitment to sustainable fashion. The ceremony also featured a series of thought-provoking video clips highlighting the achievements of each finalist, and was filmed at Mediacorp’s Studio 88. The full video of the event is available here.
