Stories about average Singaporeans have taken centre stage on this year’s National University of Singapore History Prize shortlist, in contrast to past years when academic tomes and historical fiction dominated its lists. Instead, novels and non-fiction with personal appeal such as Kamaladevi Aravindan’s Sembawang (2020; available here) and Seven Hundred Years: A History Of Singapore (2019; available here) comprise this year’s list – among six works which present both fiction and history with contemporary relevance.
As for this prize, first presented in 2014, among its runners up included historian and NUS East Asian Institute Prof Wang Gungwu’s book on where Singapore started and ended – including bits of historical information such as Chinese trader Wang Dayuan’s references to Temasek and Longyamen that many believed may refer to the island.
The NUS History Prize is presented every three years to an exceptional publication that has made a substantial contribution towards Singaporeans understanding our nation’s past. It is administered by NUS’ Department of History, with generous funding provided by Temasek Foundation.
Accion Andina, GRST, WildAid Marine Program and S4S Technologies were recognized at this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony held on Tuesday (Nov 6). Prince William first launched this award in 2020 to highlight innovators working to combat climate change; at its awards ceremony he said that solutions presented by 2023 finalists showed “there is still hope”.
NUS will host events to recognize and commemorate the 2023 winners and their impact, from November 6-10. These activities form part of Earthshot Week – an initiative organised jointly with Singapore’s National Heritage Board that seeks to bring together global leaders, businesses and investors with winners and finalists of Earthshot 2023 for collaboration in order to accelerate innovation and impact.
The inaugural NUS Singapore History Prize was established in 2014. As Singapore’s inaugural prize dedicated solely to national history, it is administered by NUS’ Department of History and made available as part of their 50th Anniversary programs to mark independence anniversaries; Temasek Foundation provides support in form of grants that enable this initiative and carries a cash prize of S$50,000; in addition, NUS provides grants for further research of Singapore history publications by awardees.