The Singapore prize is awarded to individuals or organisations that have made significant contributions towards the sustainable development of Singapore. It is named after Singapore’s first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, whose foresight and leadership led to the development of new technologies and policies that benefit humanity. This prestigious international award is a symbol of the Singapore spirit of innovation and creativity.
This year, the shortlisted writers came from across Asia, spanning four languages and a range of themes. Maeve Binchy’s novel The Girl Who Went to Sea and Come Back won the English fiction category. It was the author’s first time competing in the award and her second book. The story revolves around a teenager’s struggle with mental illness. Other winners include rma cureess in the Tamil fiction and Jeremy Tiang for his translation of Chinese author Zhang Yueran’s Cocoon. The latter was the inaugural winner of the English comic or graphic novel category, in which he wrote about two childhood friends who uncover dark secrets that link their families after the Cultural Revolution.
Cyril Wong’s poetry collection Beachlight won the English literature prize, and it was the third time he had been a winner in this category. The judges said that the poems were “skilful, assured, comedic at times and profoundly moving”. He has won a number of other awards in his career.
In the Asian film category, Vu Hoang Trieu’s Elephants By The Roadside won best director for a short feature. The Cambodian-Singaporean production screened in the festival’s Horizon section. Lou Ye’s An Unfinished Film took the audience choice award.
The top prize carries a cash sum of 3,000 Singapore dollars (US$2,158) and a commissioned trophy, with the other winners receiving a hand-crafted trophy and 12-month gift code to StoryTel. The judging panel was led by author and poet Cyril Wong. The award ceremony was held at the Victoria Theatre. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam was the guest-of-honour. Maeve Binchy was the host.
The prize also includes roundtrip airport transfers and an airport meet-and-greet service to help the winner get off to a smooth start in Singapore. Throughout the race weekend, the winner and a guest will enjoy fabulous on-circuit live entertainment to add to the electrifying atmosphere of Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix. A sightseeing tour pass will give them the chance to explore the dynamic beauty of the city, while a limited-edition artwork print of the 2025 race will serve as a memento from their trip. The sweepstakes is being offered by the SCCA Foundation, the not-for-profit arm of the Sports Car Club of America that supports everything from the SCCA Archives to SCCA Women on Track scholarships and Region Development Grants. The sweepstakes is open until June 24. The winner will be announced on July 1. The total value of the package is US$20,000. The full terms and conditions can be found on the prize page. Good luck!