The NUS Singapore History Prize is an biennial book award established in 2014. This prize recognizes non-fiction works that enhance our understanding and appreciation of Singapore’s past through English-language texts or translations from any nationality creators, and was funded through an endowed gift from an anonymous donor in 2014. NUS’ Department of History in its Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences administers it.
Professor John Miksic’s groundbreaking work earned him the Singapore prize this year, which was announced Thursday (Jan 11). His 491-page tome entitled Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300-1800 shed light on an ancient community which existed here more than 700 years before Sir Stamford Raffles arrived here in 1819. According to its publication and subsequent reinterpretation by prize jury members, its discovery came as quite a shock; but bits of evidence suggested by literary records, including mentions of Singapore in Chinese trader Wang Dayuan accounts etc.
But Prof Miksic’s “fundamental reinterpretation of how we understand our origins and place in the world” truly caught the jury’s eye, they reported. Furthermore, it caused them to reconsider how identity is formed within Singapore as well as how that impacts on its future, they stated.
This year’s shortlist for this prize features historical tomes that challenge traditional views of history as a record of notable people, along with novels and non-fiction works with a personal slant – such as Hidayah Amin’s Leluhur: Life in Kampong Gelam (2019; available here), which focuses on her family home at Gedung Kuning in Kampong Glam’s heritage royal building complex.
Healthcare provider StarMed Specialist Centre and construction company Craftwork were also recognized in the Promising Brands category. Co-living provider The Collective took home an award in the Emerging Brands category – designed for businesses that have only been open for three to eight years.
Prince William will travel to Singapore next month for the third annual Earthshot Prize awards and summit, hosted by United for Wildlife. During his stay he will meet finalists presenting projects designed to combat climate change.
This year’s awards will take place from May 23 to 26 and feature over 300 entries across categories that span natural lighting to sustainability. There will also be increased opportunities for public engagement as the awards have expanded with new events and programs such as Inside World Festival of Interiors presented by VELUX which serves to highlight top designs addressing global issues in an engaging format.