For decades, Singapore has been lauded as an exception: a small country with a high quality of life and a well-functioning government that is seen as a model for other small states. The “Little Red Dot” is now poised to take on a new identity as a hub in Asia for the philanthropic sector. It has already become a regional leader in deploying good data to inform policy and practice (and its “Smart Nation” identity makes it well placed to cultivate donor efforts that build data capacity across Asia), and it is a top destination for philanthropic funding from the US.
Last year, the Singapore Government set up the President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards to recognise individuals who have made a difference to society. The ceremony was held at the Istana on 17 October 2023 and saw 12 winners across four categories.
The winning authors include a professor who has dedicated his time to the study of ancient Singapore; a writer who has been instrumental in empowering disadvantaged women through her work on their stories; and an author who has helped many people overcome mental illness by sharing her own struggles with the condition.
This year’s shortlist reflects the range of work on Singapore’s history, from works in Chinese to those written by English and Malay writers. It was announced on July 16 with 71 titles in the running, including a mix of new and veteran writers. The list is dominated by non-fiction, with one fiction title making the cut: Myle Yan Tay’s Catskull (2023). This year, the prize also added a Readers’ Favorite category to its shortlist, in which readers can vote for their favorite book among the seven books on the list in each language.
One of the most prestigious events in the Singapore calendar, the awards are presented at a ceremony in a state-owned theater. The evening was themed around sustainability and the environment, and guests were encouraged to dress in green, with a number of attendees sporting vintage blazers by Alexander McQueen or Marni. The band One Republic and singer Bebe Rexha performed at the event.
Shelly Bryant divides her time between Shanghai and Singapore as a poet, writer, and translator. She has translated from the Chinese for Penguin Books, Epigram Publishing, and the National Library Board in Singapore, and has edited anthologies of poetry for Alban Lake and Celestial Books. Her translation of Sheng Keyi’s Northern Girls was long-listed for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2012. She has taught writing at NYU and Stanford, and her poems have appeared in several journals. She is currently editorial director of Words Without Borders and co-edits the Ecco anthology series with Ilya Kaminsky. She is the author of two chapbooks, Magic Babe Ning and Intimate Distances.