A VISIONARY CITY AND TOP WATER MICROBIOLOGIST HONOURED AT LEE KUAN YEW PRIZE AWARD CEREMONY

(From left to right) [Loh Chin Hua, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Keppel Corporation; Dr Lee Boon Yang, Chairman of Keppel Corporation; Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul, South Korea (Seoul is the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2018 Laureate); Mdm Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore, Professor Rita R. Colwell, Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2018 Laureate, Professor Leo Tan, Chairman, Temasek Foundation Innovates; Koh Lin-Net, Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation Innovates]

Singapore, 9 July 2018 – The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2018 and the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2018 were presented respectively to the city of Seoul, South Korea and American microbiologist Professor Rita R. Colwell this evening by the President of Singapore, Madam Halimah Yacob. The 2018 Laureates were honoured in an audience of global water industry leaders, mayors and city leaders, and city experts at the Lee Kuan Yew Prize Award Ceremony and Banquet held at The Ritz Carlton Millenia Hotel in Singapore.

The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2018 Laureate Seoul, is recognised as the role model for megacities with a will to change. Its successive leaders and city government devised innovative solutions, which turned it around from a bureaucratic top-down city with rising tensions between the government and its people, into an inclusive, socially stable and dynamic city. Seoul has implemented successful and impactful projects to repurpose urban infrastructure, and proven itself as an excellent example of how visionary leadership, commitment to citizen engagement, decisive data-driven moves and creativity, can transform the environment, boost vibrancy and improve the quality of life for its people. Mayor of Seoul, Mr Park Won-soon received the Prize on behalf of the city.

The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2018 Laureate, Professor Rita R. Colwell is recognised for her pioneering insights into microbial water quality surveillance, and her pivotal contributions in translating these insights into concrete practices and policies to better manage waterborne diseases and protect public health. A world-renowned scientist, Professor Colwell’s discoveries and innovations have changed the way the world thinks of water microbiology. Her seminal work has significantly contributed to the understanding and prevention of waterborne diseases, helping to improve water safety, and protect the health and lives of millions of people worldwide.

The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize and the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize are some of the key highlights of the World Cities Summit and Singapore International Water Week, which are co-located with CleanEnviro Summit Singapore. All three events are being held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore until 12 July 2018.

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About World Cities Summit

The World Cities Summit is the exclusive and premier platform for government leaders and industry experts to address liveable and sustainable city challenges, share integrated urban solutions and forge high-level partnerships. Themed "Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Embracing the Future through Innovation and Collaboration", the sixth edition of the WCS seeks to explore how cities can embrace the future through innovation and collaboration. Through shared vision and social innovations, the public, private and people sectors can co-create innovative and integrated urban solutions for the future. Jointly organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities and Urban Redevelopment Authority, key highlights of the Summit include the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize and the Mayors Forum. For more information, visit www.worldcitiessummit.com.sg.

About Singapore International Water Week

The Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is the global platform to share and co-create innovative water solutions. Comprising the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, Water Leaders Summit, Water Convention, Business Forums, Industrial Water Solutions Forum, Water Expo, TechXchange, Young Water Leaders Summit and HydroPreneur Programme, SIWW delivers a range of flagship programmes and platforms that bring together the global value chain of water to share the latest in business and technological innovations, as well as policy developments in water. The 8th Singapore International Water Week will be held from 8th – 12th July 2018, co-located with the World Cities Summit (WCS) and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESS). For more information, please visit www.siww.com.sg/.

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