For its 21st year, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) has released its full main program, featuring a remarkable lineup of authors, journalists, artists, and activists to share stories and ideas under the banner of this year’s theme, ‘Satyam Vada Dharmam Chara’, translated as ‘Speak the Truth, Practice Kindness.’
From Indonesia to India, Malta to Malaysia, the Philippines to the Netherlands, the four-day program will include insightful conversations, intimate literary dinners, and powerful performances—all held in Ubud’s most magical venues—demonstrating the reason UWRF has evolved into Southeast Asia’s premier event of words and ideas.
This year, the Festival is honoured to welcome 2021 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient Maria Ressa for her efforts to champion freedom of speech in the press. Ressa will explore the impact of social media and AI on journalism, and the need for ethical and unbiased news in a fractured world.
The late Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Indonesia's renowned author and intellectual, who was a political prisoner under both Dutch colonial rule and Indonesia's post-independence government due to his progressive beliefs, will be the focus of a discussion led by his brother Soesilo Toer. This unique perspective offers a profound and captivating glimpse into Indonesia's history from a deeply personal angle.
“At a time when global events can make us feel fractured and dissonant, this year’s Festival compels us to pause and reflect on how words and ideas can shape public discourse, influence societal norms, and how writers can amplify the values of truth and kindness in a world that is increasingly going the other way,” says Janet DeNeefe, Festival Founder and Director.
Among the leading international literary luminaries are British writer Sathnam Sanghera, whose book, Empireworld: How British Imperialism Shaped the Globe, became a controversial bestseller; Irish writer Claire Kilroy, a nominee for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024; Australian writer and winner of the prestigious Glendower Award 2021 Siang Lu; and Australian author and nominee for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award Laura Elizabeth Woollett.
They will be joined by an array of Indonesia’s most celebrated modern writers, including leading figure in Indonesia’s contemporary fiction scene, Dee Lestari; acclaimed Indonesian author of fiction and non-fiction, Seno Gumira Adjidarma; one of Bali’s best-loved and most widely translated writers, Wayan Jengki Sunarta; renowned writer, editor, and translator, M. Aan Mansyur; widely read and admired Indonesian fiction writer, Ratih Kumala; and award-winning Toba Batak poet and writer, and nominee for the 2022 International Booker Prize, Norman Erikson Pasaribu.
The Festival will also feature prominent figures in literature, including best selling U.K author and historian, William Dalrymple, sustainability travel editor Juliet Kinsman; UK’s top BookTuber and most-followed person on Goodreads, Jack Edwards, and British award-winning food writer and cook specialising in Chinese cuisine, Fuchsia Dunlop, who will explore the world’s most beloved yet misunderstood culinary traditions.
From human rights issues exacerbated by global crises and conflicts to political upheavals in Indonesia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and other regions, leading journalists, activists, and political commentators will tackle these pressing concerns in a series of poignant panel discussions over the four-day festival weekend.
Recognized human rights lawyer Sara M. Saleh, known for her work on insurgencies and conflict, will explore the challenges women face in conflict zones; Myanmar-acclaimed dissident writer Ma Thida will discuss the struggles of her country and the complex relationship between borders, migration, and human rights; and Maltese award-winning journalist Paul Caruana Galizia, will share insights on the seismic impact of his mother’s murder and how her reporting may have saved Malta from becoming a mafia state.
Providing deeply personal insights and incisive analysis on the legacy of outgoing President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and what to expect from his successor, Prabowo Subianto, Indonesian and international experts include Indonesian literary icon and founder of Tempo magazine, Goenawan Mohamad, journalist and activist Ayu Utami, geopolitics expert Ben Bland and Indonesian-Malaysian media professor Janet Steele.
The Festival is also excited to bring together Balinese heavyweights including famous senator of Bali Niluh Djelantik, lecturers and researchers Agung Wardana and I Nyoman Gede Mahaputra to discuss Bali's growing tourism and how to build a more inclusive and empowered society while addressing challenges of sustainable tourism.
Indonesia’s burgeoning film industry will delight fans and capture the attention of film enthusiasts with a packed free screening program, featuring two of its most acclaimed recent films: The Exiles by Indonesian film director and co-writer Lola Amaria, and Basri & Salma in a Never-ending Comedy, directed by Khozy Rizal, which had its world premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival. Both directors will join the screenings.
Audiences can also experience the performances live, featuring a stellar array of performers, including Indonesian rising multidisciplinary talent Sal Priadi, distinguished by his alluring vocals and memorable songs; renowned Indonesian singer Petra Sihombing; and the Dutch world music duo BOI AKIH, with guitarist and composer Niels Brouwer and vocalist and lyricist Monica Akihary, the winner of 2023’s Boy Edgar Prize, the most important Dutch award for jazz and improvised music.
“With less than two months to go, we invite readers and thinkers to delve into our program and choose a literary laneway to wander down. There is magic in every turn,” concludes Janet DeNeefe, Festival Founder and Director.
NOTES TO EDITOR:
For inquiries or interview requests with Janet DeNeefe, the Festival Founder and Director, Hannah Curtis, Head of International Programming, or Gustra Adnyana, Indonesian Program Manager, please contact Dewi Setiawan, Media Relations Coordinator, at +62 822 1098 1998 (through WhatsApp) or email at dewi@yayasansaraswati.org.
The full program can be accessed at ubudwritersfestival.com/daily-schedule. Free programs, such as book launches and film screenings, can be filtered in the search. The complete speaker lineup is available at ubudwritersfestival.com/speaker.
Regular ticket sales for the 4-Day Festival Passes and the 1-Day Festival Pass are now available at ubudwritersfestival.com/ticket.
