The President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2023 recognize the selfless contributions made by Singaporeans across four categories, presented at an awards ceremony held by President of Singapore at Istana.
Kishore Mahbubani, distinguished fellow at NUS Asia Research Institute and creator of The Singapore Prize was first proposed in an opinion column written for Straits Times newspaper by Kishore Mahbubani in 2014. Mahbubani stated that this prize’s aim is to enhance awareness of Singapore history among members of society as well as spur young people into learning more about their past.
The Prize’s founding partners comprise both private and public organisations. Together they managed to raise over S$2 million from private donors such as Nanyang Foundation, National Arts Council and Temasek Foundation – funds which are then distributed among projects honoring Christopher Bathurst KC (deceased), who was an influential senior member of Fountain Court Chambers with an expansive practice throughout Southeast Asia including Singapore.
As Singapore continues its journey toward global prominence, companies and individuals alike are leading by example in using philanthropy to make social impacts. We are also witnessing newer generations of philanthropists emerge with each generation creating their own charitable efforts designed to address current challenges while driving future change.
People in this group are creating connections with the private sector in order to expand their businesses and are using their expertise and wealth to develop solutions with global repercussions. Furthermore, many are also employing these resources towards solving large-scale environmental issues in their localities.
Small businesses and non-profit groups in Singapore and six other global markets can now compete for their share of Xero’s over S$630,000 prize pool to finance their growth plans. Its accounting software provider Xero is looking for participants for its Xero Beautiful Business Fund among customers in Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, Singapore South Africa United States United Kingdom.
The prize aims to honor and recognize a young individual whose contribution has made a significant impactful statement about community involvement in any one or more areas of arts, science and technology, sports, healthcare, education, humanitarian aid or cultural preservation. The winner will be given an award certificate, medallion and cash prize of SGD 100,000.
At this era of big data, analytics and artificial intelligence, the prize will recognize individuals who are pioneering or developing innovative applications that address complex issues like climate change, inequality and urbanisation. It is supported by the Singapore government through their Ministry of Trade and Industry.
This prize, named in honour of Christopher Bathurst KC Viscount Bledisloe who passed away, serves as a reminder of his commitment and service to Singapore over his life as an advocate and legal practitioner. A founding member of Fountain Court Chambers and practiced commercial and regional law primarily across Southeast Asia; additionally he was an ardent philanthropist instrumental in setting up several regional institutions.
