Singapore-based Water Prize Draws 39 Nominations
The inaugural Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, a prestigious international water prize named after Singapore’s founding father, received 39 nominations from more than 15 countries when nominations closed in December.
The prize is the highlight of the Singapore International Water Week, which will be held for the first time in Singapore in June. It honors outstanding contributions toward solving the world's water woes by applying innovative technologies or implementing policies and programs that benefit humanity.
Nominations were only accepted from experts in the water industry.
“We are extremely pleased with the quality and geographical spread of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize nominations. There are a few very outstanding works amongst them, and the highest number of nominations has been received from the Asia Pacific region,” said Tan Gee Paw, chairman of the nominating committee.
The nominations will go through two rounds of rigorous selection and the eventual laureate will be decided by a council of high international standing from the academia, international organizations and multi-national companies. The first Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Laureate will be announced in March 2008.
The prize recipient will receive S$300,000, an award certificate and a gold medallion at this year's Singapore International Water Week, held from June 23-27.
The Singapore Millennium Foundation, a philanthropic body supported by Temasek Holdings, is the sole sponsor of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, pledging S$1.5 million over five years.