Featuring books in Mandarin, English and Tamil, the 2024 edition of the biennial singapore prize has introduced a new translation category, the first time it has done so since its launch. Organised by the Singapore Book Council, the program has previously included fiction and poetry in its categories. The announcement was made on Jan 11, with the prize’s organisers saying that the additions “help recognise and promote increasingly diverse published works in the country’s four official languages”.
This year’s ceremony was held on Tuesday, with Britain’s Prince William presiding over the event. He said the solutions presented by the five winners – including an Indian maker of solar-powered dryers, a soil carbon marketplace and groups that work to make electric car batteries cleaner and restore Andean forests – proved that “hope does remain” in the face of climate change’s devastating effects.
In the Readers’ Choice award, which is open to anyone who voted online, a mix of debut writers and veterans topped the list of finalists. These included Myle Yan Tay’s debut novel catskull and the Cultural Medallion recipient Suchen Christine Lim’s Dearest Intimate. Tay’s win was a surprise, with ST reviewer Olivia Ho saying that his book “relies on an unerring ear for the diction of the Singapore teenager”.
Winners from the other categories were also honoured at the ceremony. Among the non-fiction titles was Not Without Us: Perspectives On Disability And Inclusion, edited by Kuansong Victor Zhuang, Meng Ee Wong and Dan Goodley. This book explores the way we research, analyse and think about disability in our society. It won the best non-fiction title.
The prize’s other winners included the Maritime Accident Investigation Branch for its work to investigate and prevent maritime accidents and injuries. It was awarded the top prize of $10 million, while the winner for the Educators’ Choice award – which is given to educators that have a positive impact on students and the education community – received $250,000 and recognition.
Besides the monetary rewards, MAP also provides a platform for athletes to share their journeys and experiences with the general public. The medallists are required to donate a portion of their prize money – 20% for SEA and Asian Games, 30% for Olympic games – to their national sports associations to help support and empower future athletes.
This year’s competition marks the 30th anniversary of the MAP awards, which reward SEA, Commonwealth and Asian Games medallists for their achievements. The MAP awards are backed by the Tote Board, with athletes receiving cash payouts depending on their major Games events and medals won. The MAP program is also supported by the National Trades Union Congress and a group of private organisations and companies. This article was first published on May 10, 2024 and has been updated to include more recent information. Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Terms and conditions of use apply.