A biennial award, the Singapore Prize is given in recognition of a person or organisation for their contribution to Singapore. The prize honours Lee Kwan Yew, who helped develop the country into a green and clean garden city. It is co-organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore and the Centre for Liveable Cities.
The Singapore Literature Prize recognises outstanding published works by Singaporean authors in any of the four official languages. It has 12 categories, including poetry and fiction. This year, a total of 43 writers submitted their entries. Of these, more than half were new to the competition. In addition, a total of nine works were shortlisted. Two of these were shortlisted for the Creative Nonfiction category. For the first time, a writer has been shortlisted for three separate categories.
Among the top prizes are a commissioned trophy, a cash prize of $300,000 and an award certificate. The winner will also receive a gold medallion. They will be honoured at a ceremony to be held later this year.
In the first year of the Singapore Literature Prize, the top prizes were $10,000. Each author received a handcrafted trophy. There were twelve categories of awards, each with a $10,000 prize.
Other awards include the Sportsman of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year. These were first presented at the Istana in 1968. The sportsmen were nominated by 16 associations. All athletes were required to have competed in a qualifying round or a timed final in Singapore.
Earlier this year, the prize was renamed the Infectious Diseases Prize. The International Society for Infectious Diseases donated $25,500 for a perpetual cash prize.
The top prize for Singapore student was awarded to a student from the National University of Singapore. To qualify for the award, the top student must have a CAP of at least 4.0. He or she should have a distinguished record in extra-curricular activities and public service in Singapore. Moreover, the candidate must have passed his or her final examination for the Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial & Systems Engineering).
Yong Pung How School of Law Prize is an annual award for the best law student at the Yong Pung How School of Law. Alternatively, the prize is offered by the National University of Singapore. One of the prizes is awarded to the top graduating law student in Shipping and Admiralty Law. Another prize is awarded to the top graduating student in Electrical Energy Systems.
The Young People’s Performing Arts Ensemble is a Singaporean Mandarin theatre performing arts company that aims to inspire youths to express themselves and create artistic performance. The winners of the prize are selected by a panel of judges, which includes representatives from the business and cultural sectors.
There is also a cash prize of $1,000 for the best final year medical student of infectious disease posting. The selection committee will be chaired by the Head of Division of Infectious Diseases at the National University of Singapore.