The Singapore prize was a competition that awarded books in the four languages of the city-state. The winner of the top prize received an award certificate, a gold medallion and cash (S$30,000), and the other finalists were awarded bronze certificates and commissioned trophy.

The prizes also lauded the work of people whose books helped to inspire the public, and of those who had produced works that could make a difference to society. The prize was founded in 2024 by a group led by former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Britain’s Prince William was among the celebrities who joined Cate Blanchett, Lana Condor and Donnie Yen on the green carpet of this year’s Singapore Prize Awards Ceremony, which celebrated the achievements of 15 finalists. The awards honor solutions that address five key issues: nature protection, clean air, ocean revival, waste elimination and climate change.

This was the first time that the prize has been presented in Asia, and it is backed by celebrities like actor Sterling K. Brown, who also served as the show’s emcee. The evening was a celebration of the power of the prize to bring together a global community to drive meaningful change.

In the same vein, the awards night honored creativity that has impacted business and society, as well as recognizing the importance of innovation in Asia. For example, Publicis Singapore won multiple Golds for its campaigns with Singtel, which revolutionized the way consumers interact with their telecom services. In one campaign, the agency created a data-sharing platform that turned Singtel into an “extended family” of its customers.

The award for the most outstanding book, written in English or Malay, was given to an author whose work is published by a Singapore publisher. The book must have a high international standard and meet the judges’ criteria, which includes content, creative excellence, relevance/impact of the Singapore element in the narrative, writing style and clarity, editorial input, images, production, printing, and the overall look and feel of the book.

A panel of five judges will choose the winner. The judging process is independent of the sponsoring organizations, and the decision will be final. In the event of a tie, the Chief Judge will have the casting vote.

In addition to its main prize, the Singapore Prize awards an Honorary Distinguished Professorship and a Founders’ Award. The inaugural Honorary Distinguished Professorship was awarded to Professor Mahbubani, who was recognized for his contributions in the areas of political leadership, social reform and development, and scholarly work on Asia. The Founders’ Award was granted to Dr Chua Eng Chee, for his long-standing commitment and tireless efforts in championing the Singapore Prize and its mission of promoting Asia’s stories of transformation. The prizes will be presented at a ceremony in June. More information on the prizes can be found on the prize’s website here. More from Publishing Perspectives on the Singapore prize can be read here, and more about the book industry in Singapore here.