A Selection of the Top Prizes and Awards in Singapore

A selection of the top prizes and awards in Singapore, including national orders of merit, distinguished service medals and other recognition for public service. The awards are listed in order of precedence, with military and police awards shown separately.

SINGAPORE — Britain’s Prince William traveled to Singapore this week for the first Earthshot Prize ceremony in Asia, where five winners were honored for solutions ranging from solar-powered dryers and soil carbon marketplaces to groups that work to restore Andean forests and deter illegal fishing. The heir to the British throne, whose Royal Foundation charity launched the award program in 2020, said the finalists’ efforts proved “hope does remain” even as climate change takes its toll on the world.

At the ceremony at state-owned Mediacorp Theatre, the finalists were joined by celebrity presenters including actresses Cate Blanchett and Hannah Waddingham, actor Sterling K. Brown, actors Donnie Yen and Lana Condor and Australian wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin. William wore a dark green Alexander McQueen blazer for the occasion, in line with the event’s sustainability theme.

On the literary front, Cultural Medallion recipient Suchen Christine Lim and debut novelist Myle Yan Tay made the shortlist for the 2024 Singapore Literature Prize. The 71 works on the list were nominated by a panel of judges.

The winner will receive a cash prize of S$30,000, along with a bespoke trophy. The shortlisted nominees will also be invited to participate in a mentorship programme, and be provided with guidance from industry experts in marketing and branding.

The shortlist for this year’s Singapore Book Prize includes works from new and veteran authors. It includes the debut novels of Myle Yan Tay for catskull and Suchen Christine Lim for Dearest Intimate. Also in the running are the historical tome Seven Hundred Years: A History of Singapore by Kwa Chong Guan and Tan Tai Yong and the non-fiction Leluhur: The Story of Kampong Gelam by Hidayah Amin.

The award, formerly known as the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship, was established in 2007 by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore Management University. It is a bond-free scholarship for international students with excellent academic undergraduate and master’s results. The scholarship is based on a need to promote research in the areas of sustainable development and environmental protection. The winner will be announced on October 1. The bond-free scholarship is worth US$38,000 a year for three to four years. The runner-up will receive a cash prize of S$25,000 and the other finalists will receive S$10,000 each. The winner will be awarded the prize at a ceremony in October. The other finalists will receive a trophy each. The winners will be ranked based on the points they earn in each of the six categories. The highest-scoring winner will be awarded the Gold Prize. The second-place finishers will be honoured with the Silver Prize. The third-place finishers will be awarded the Bronze Prize.