Writers Festival in the Island of the Gods
The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) is approaching. After two years of being held online and hybrid,, this year more than 200 speakers from 19 countries including writers, culturalists, activists, journalists, literary activists and other important figures will return in person to the largest annual literary and artistic event in Southeast Asia. Held from 27-30 October in Ubud, Bali, the theme this year Festival is Memayu Hayuning Bawana, an ancient Javanese philosophy. Translated into English as Uniting Humanity, this philosophy endeavor to maintain the safety, peace, happiness and well-being of the world and the hereafter.
"I am proud to announce that the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival returns with an exciting on-the-ground program. We will explore the power of storytelling and the role of the written word to uphold humanity’s values and freedoms. With the world becoming more fractured, our lives more disturbed, we will ask - how can we unite the many strands of different cultures and perspectives to create, deeper understanding, mutual respect, and equality,” said Founder and Director Janet DeNeefe at a press conference in Jakarta.
This year's festival is supported by the Directorate General of Culture, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology and Education Fund Management Institutions through the 2022 Cultural Endowment Fund Management Utilization Program. The four-day event will feature more than 60 discussion panels, 11 workshops, 30 book launches, 8 special events and 10 film screenings, as well as art, music and literature performances and up to 12 children and youth programs.
Restu Gunawan, Director of Cultural Development and Utilization at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research said, " This Cultural Endowment Fund is given to support activities that spread culture and become a melting pot for artists. UWRF is one of the activities the Ministry has long wanted to support”.
Felix K. Nesi, from East Nusa Tenggara, who recently completed an International Writing Program residency at the University of Iowa, will hold three sessions at the festival, including the Voices from the East program, which references regional disparities in access to literature throughout Indonesia. He said, "I had a childhood in the 1990s where it was hard to find books. I think it has become easier due to various programs and campaigns started by the UWRF in the 2000s, that invite writers from the east. Solving this inequality should be our united concern going forward."
Sharing the stage is the winner of Puteri Indonesia 2022 and our host, Laksmi DeNeefe Suardana, a fashion designer, author, UNICEF activist and G20 Ambassador, proving that literature, literacy and art can go hand in hand. "This year marks the 19th anniversary of the UWRF. I've been with the festival since the beginning, and it has had a huge impact on me. I want to provide equal opportunities for Indonesian children. I hope more young people find out about UWRF," Laksmi said.
In recognition of his lifelong writing journey and incredible contributions to literature, legendary Indonesian writer Putu Oka Sukanta was chosen for this year’s UWRF Lifetime Achievement Award. Putu has occupied a central position in the cultural life of Indonesia for over seven decades as a poet, short story writer and novelist. In a literary career that has delivered dozens of novels and poetry collections, Putu has been at the forefront of Indonesia's contemporary literary renaissance, most notably in the way he has courageously drawn on his life and personal experiences during the time of Indonesia's New Order and shared memories to illuminate neglected aspects of Indonesia's history that are frequently glossed over in official history books. The award was presented by Janet DeNeefe at a press conference in Jakarta.
"Thank you to UWRF for awarding me this honor. This award strengthens my determination to write and work for those that are left out and those that are marginalized by power," said Putu Oka Sukanta.
In addition, UWRF offers the opportunity to network and share literary experiences in other cities in Indonesia, such as the Satellite Program in Pagar Alam, Solo, Yogyakarta and Surabaya featuring American writers supported by the American Embassy. For the first time, UWRF will host the Rasasastra Art Festival (8 October-13 November) at Semesta’s Gallery in Jakarta and UWRF Perth, a collaboration with Writing WA, will transport the magic of Ubud to Perth (21-23 October).
