The prince of wales is on a royal visit to singapore. He has visited the country twice before, but this time is on a solo trip to highlight his Earthshot prize that his foundation and other charities are using to promote innovative technologies to combat global warming. His first stop was at the world’s largest indoor waterfall, the 40-meter high Rain Vortex. A tree was planted in his honor to mark his arrival.
The second stop was the National University of Singapore where he was awarded an honorary doctorate and a medal in recognition of his service to the society. The medal was minted in silver and bears the State Arms of Singapore, on its obverse, and the Prince’s name inscribed underneath the arms. The Prince also took part in a dragon boat race with athletes from the British Dragons club on the Kallang River, wearing a white sarong and black cap. The boaters paddled to a beat provided by a drummer standing in the bow of the boat.
In the afternoon, the Prince visited the Singapore Museum of Contemporary Art. He then hosted a panel discussion with leaders of the Singapore government, business community and non-governmental organisations on the theme of climate change. The discussions aimed to identify ways for the business sector, civil society and government to collaborate and work together to address the issue.
Other highlights of the four-day visit included an event at Changi Airport’s giant greenhouse and the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, which was lit up green to mark the occasion. He also held a meeting with winners of the 2023 Singapore Prestige Brand Awards, which were announced earlier on Wednesday (Oct 25). Construction company Craftwork and co-living firm Coliwoo won the Outstanding Brands category, while healthcare provider StarMed Specialist Centre and violinists Dmytro Udovychenko and Anna Agafia Egholm were awarded Promising Brands.
During his trip, the Prince also praised the 15 finalists of his Earthshot prize, an award offering £1m to green innovators. He applauded them for demonstrating that “hope still remains” despite the challenges of addressing climate change. He will meet with some of the finalists during his visit next month. He will also host a summit organised by his charity, the United for Wildlife group, to discuss how businesses can help stop illegal wildlife trade.
Meanwhile, local artist Sonny Liew is continuing to garner international praise for his graphic novel about former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and opposition leader Chan Hock Chye. The book won three Eisner awards, which are often described as the Oscars of the comics industry, on Friday. Previously, it won the best US-published book in the category of graphic novels at the Pingprisen Awards in Denmark in June. The NUS prize, which will be awarded again in 2024, aims to broaden the definition of history by welcoming writings on different time periods and themes, and other forms of creative work with clear historical themes.