The prize is open to non-fiction or fiction works in English that have a significant historical theme. Books that cover any period of Singapore’s history before 1819 are eligible, as well as other works with a strong focus on the nation’s past. A distinguished panel of scholars will select and announce the winner towards the end of this year.
Khir Johari’s The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago won this year’s triennial NUS Singapore History Prize, a major book award that was established three years ago to spur engagement with the country’s rich history. The massive tome, which took 14 years to publish, won the top prize of S$50,000 and is the most lucrative prize offered in any Singapore literature award.
Other winners in the “kampong spirit” category included Greenpac, a small and medium-sized enterprise that offers sustainable packaging and logistic solutions while building corporate social responsibility elements into its business structure. It employs ex-convicts and individuals with physical disabilities, and provides them with jobs that give them independence and dignity.
Amid the rising tide of global climate change, a new competition has emerged that aims to find innovative solutions to some of the world’s most intractable environmental problems by 2030. The £100 million (S$170 million) Earthshot Prize, launched by Britain’s Prince William in 2020, was inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 moonshot speech, challenging Americans to reach the Moon by the end of that decade.
The prize was presented at a ceremony attended by some of the 15 finalists, including an Indian maker of solar-powered dryers, a soil carbon marketplace and groups that help make electric car batteries cleaner, restore Andean forests and deter illegal fishing. The winning projects were chosen by a jury that included scientists and engineers, including Nobel laureates. The winning innovations were selected from a pool of more than 200 entries submitted by universities and research organisations across the globe.
In a congratulatory note, a spokesperson for NUS said: “We are delighted that Khir’s remarkable work has been recognised with this prestigious award. The NUS Singapore History Prize aspires to broaden the horizons of Singaporeans when it comes to their understanding of our nation’s past, by encouraging a greater engagement with history and with Singapore’s place in the world.”
Earlier this month, the President’s Science and Technology Awards were held in Mediacorp Theatre, featuring performances from some of today’s most exciting musicians and performers, such as Cate Blanchett, Sterling K. Brown, OneRepublic and Lana Condor. The event also featured talks by luminary scientists and academics such as Prof Mahbubani. It was hosted by Hannah Waddingham and three-time Emmy winning actor Sterling K. Brown, with appearances by Cate Blanchett, Nomzamo Mbatha and Donnie Yen. The awards are a flagship programme of the President’s Scholarships and Grants Office. More than 2,000 students have received scholarships and grants to date. For more information, visit the website here.