The winner of Singapore’s inaugural SG50 Prize 2024, set up in 2014 to commemorate Kishore Mahbubani as former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani believes that creating an inclusive national history will be the true test. The expert panel that will select this inaugural prize winner will include former Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani himself who chairs an expert panel. He views building strong economies as secondary; rather, building shared narratives is central.

The Singapore Grand Prize competition invites non-fiction and fiction work from around the world that explores Singapore’s history and identity. Organisers hope that this competition will encourage writers and readers alike to write about Singapore, enabling readers to better appreciate its rich past as well as unique culture.

Winners will not only receive a cash prize but will have an opportunity to showcase their work at an exhibition, receive career coaching from top consultants and attend the TEDxSingapore conference along with networking with fellow winners as well as leading local and international media.

First time ever, this award will be presented in conjunction with UNESCO Sultan Qaboos Cultural Heritage Preservation Award and will include both cash prizes of $3,000 and trophy as well as a 12-month subscription to Storytel audio book service.

Finalists include an Indian maker of solar-powered dryers, a soil carbon marketplace and groups working to make electric car batteries cleaner and stop illegal fishing. Prince William of Britain launched these awards through his charity in 2020; according to him, these finalists show “hope does remain” despite climate change’s impacts.

At the end of October, a winner will be revealed at a ceremony hosted by the National Museum of Singapore. This prize honors Harvard professor and author May Sarton who championed history of science early on and helped found this discipline. The SGP Prize honors her legacy as part of their commitment to lifelong learning and shared experience. In 2008, the prize’s name was changed to reflect its criteria; these criteria now included recognition for overall organizational culture rather than simply using lean manufacturing tools. Utah State University’s Southeast Asia Program (SEAP) administers this award. The Lauriston Sharp Prize was instituted in 1973 to commemorate its founder and Goldwin Smith Professor of Anthropology at SEAP. SEAP recognizes an outstanding doctoral student whose dissertation research and community engagement demonstrate outstanding contributions to Southeast Asian Studies while embodying its 70-year spirit of community building. A committee composed of faculty experts selects their winner each year; funding comes from an anonymous donor.