The prize was established to celebrate Singapore’s story of resilience and its unique place in the world. It is awarded to books published in English, Mandarin and Tamil that make a substantial contribution to Singapore’s history and culture. Its goal is to spur interest in Singapore’s past and encourage the general public, students and younger generations of Singaporeans, to engage with the complexities, nuances and richness of Singapore’s history.
The Singapore Prize is administered by the National University of Singapore’s Department of History and funded by the Government of Singapore. It was launched in 2014 in support of the national SG50 programme, marking 50 years of Singapore’s independence movement. The winner of the prize receives a cash award of S$50,000 and a commissioned trophy.
In a break with tradition, the Singapore Prize this year is open to non-fiction work written or translated into English that address themes and issues of relevance to Singapore, including its history. The work may be a narrative, historical tome or academic research paper. It must be published between January 2017 and May 30 of this year.
A total of 42 works have been shortlisted by our esteemed panel, helmed by NUS Asia Research Institute distinguished fellow Kishore Mahbubani. A total of five writers were shortlisted in two or more categories, the highest number in our program’s history.
This year, the prize was themed “Resonance”. It reflects how literature can resonate with readers and trigger emotions and memories. The prize aims to further explore and develop this resonance, as it is important for our shared future.
The winners were announced at a glitzy awards ceremony hosted by actresses Hannah Waddingham and Sterling K. Brown, with performers One Republic and Bastille, along with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The event was also held in line with a sustainability theme, with presenters wearing sustainable fashions, such as William’s 10-year-old dark green blazer by Alexander McQueen and South African actor Mbatha’s bespoke navy blue dress made from recycled plastic bottles.
91-year-old writer Suratman Markesan (Honing the Pen, Volume 2) and Wang Gungwu (Home Is Where We Are Going) both won in their respective categories to become the oldest ever Singapore Prize winners. Markesan and Gungwu won for their creative non-fiction works, making them the only two winners over a decade in the prize’s history.