In an era where global challenges are increasingly daunting, there are still individuals who are determined to make a difference. These philanthropists, scientists, and community leaders are working tirelessly to find solutions for the future that are both sustainable and impactful. Their work, which is exemplified by the winners of this year’s singapore prize, will not only benefit Singapore but also the rest of the world.
The winner of this year’s Harvard Prize Book Singapore Award, a student recognition programme that connects pre-tertiary students to the Harvard alumni network in Singapore, is a 23-year-old who devoted herself to helping others. Her kindness and caring, along with her ability to inspire those around her, has helped to transform lives, including that of a colleague who was hospitalised for a brain tumour following an accident at her workplace.
Founded by renowned historian Professor Emeritus Peter Ellinger, this prize was established in 2024 as an annual award to recognise published works on Singaporean and regional history. The winning work receives a cash prize of S$50,000, with the runners-up each receiving S$20,000. In addition to recognizing publications, the prize also serves as an educational tool for Singaporeans and people from around the world who are interested in learning more about the country’s rich culture, including its history.
This year’s prize ceremony was held at the Mediacorp Theatre in Singapore, and was co-hosted by Emmy Award winners Hannah Waddingham and Sterling K. Brown. Presenters included Cate Blanchett, Lana Condor, Robert Irwin, Donnie Yen, and Nomzamo Mbatha. In keeping with the sustainability theme, the prince wore an old dark green suit from Alexander McQueen and walked down a “green carpet.” Musical acts Bastille, OneRepublic, and Bebe Rexha performed on stage.
Aside from the main awards, the public also had a chance to vote for their favourite work of literature and nonfiction in the consumer choice category. More than 4,000 voters cast their ballots, roughly twice the number in 2020. The four readers’ favorite choices—Ali bin Salim, Daryl Qilin Yam, Pan Zheng Lei (Pan Cheng Lui), and rma cureess—were awarded S$1,000 in book-purchase vouchers each.
The citation for this year’s winner, Leluhur: Singapore Kampong Gelam (Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2021), described it as an innovative book that reshapes the cultural heritage of Singapore Malays by exploring their food traditions. The author, Ms Hidayah Mohd Hidayat, grew up in the historical Kampong Gelam district of Singapore. Prof Miksic said that Ms Hidayah had an “unfair advantage” over other writers as her book was based on primary sources from the area. The citation added that her work demonstrated that “you do not need to be a professional historian to write about history”.