In a move to give a new level of prestige to the biennial award, the 2022 Singapore Prize will have 12 winners in each of the country’s four main languages: Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. Previously, fiction competed with poetry for one top prize each year.
Prof Miksic’s book earned the gong after a four-member jury panel commended its “fundamental reinterpretation of Singapore’s past, particularly in terms of its place in Asia.” He said that his work was driven by the question of where Singapore began and what evidence there might be to prove it existed before 1819.
He pointed to fragments of historical information from literary records, including references to places called Temasek and Longyamen, which were thought to refer to Singapore. The winner of the history prize also credited a “fantastically supportive community of volunteers” for helping him with excavations.
This year’s shortlist features several firsts in the program’s three-decade history. For example, Clara Chow is the first writer in the competition’s record to be shortlisted in three categories and two languages: English fiction, English creative nonfiction and Chinese poetry. She is joined in the shortlist by fellow Singapore poets Edwin Thumboo and Mok Zining. Those shortlisted in the Malay category, meanwhile, include the first pair of nonagenarian writers to be so honored: Wang Gungwu and Suratman Markasan.
The awards ceremony was held at Mediacorp’s Theatre, a venue that hosted a performance by Bastille and music performances by Cate Blanchett, Lana Condor, Robert Irwin and Donnie Yen. In addition to recognizing the winners, the event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation.
After arriving in Singapore on Friday, Prince William took a stroll around the city and met with local environmentalists to learn more about how people are working together to protect the planet. The heir to the British throne is visiting Singapore this week as part of his work with his Earthshot Prize, which he and his Royal Foundation charity launched in 2020 to promote innovative solutions and technologies to fight global warming.
During his stay in the country, the prince is expected to visit the world’s largest indoor waterfall and glass greenhouse. He will also participate in the United for Wildlife summit, which brings together representatives from law enforcement agencies and conservation organizations to discuss strategies to combat the trade in illegal wildlife products, which is estimated at $20 billion a year. The prince is expected to deliver a keynote address at the conference. He and his wife, Princess Catherine, last visited the nation in 2012. The couple will meet with local residents to see how the country is leading the global fight against climate change. William’s visit is part of his tour of Southeast Asia, which includes stops in Cambodia and Thailand. He will return to the UK on 26 June.