Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) is an annual literary event festival held at Ubud, Bali in Indonesia.
It is organized by the not-for-profit foundation Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati. The festival was first conceived of by Janet DeNeefe, Co-founder of the Foundation, as a healing project in response to the first 2002 Bali bombings.
It was first held in 2003 as part of an effort to help revive tourism, the island’s main economic lifeline, after terrorist bombings devastated the island’s Kuta district a year earlier. The festival is usually in October each year.
The literature festival is considered as one of the best five in the world. It is known as Southeast Asia’s biggest festival of words and ideas, which is participated by the world’s most celebrated writers, artists, thinkers and performers.
Ubud Writer Festival is beginning with 12th edition of UWRF was held in 2015 in 38 venues across Bali, which was participated by more than 200 writers fromm all over the world. A controversy was raised over the proposed discussion about Indonesia’s anti-communist purges that killed an estimated 500,000 people in 1965.
It continues with13th edition of UWRF was held in 2016, which was participated by 160 of the world’s leading authors, artists and performers. For 2017 UWRF was the 14th edition of the festival, which was held from October 25-29, participated by more than 150 authors, artists and activists from 31 countries. The last one was15th edition of UWRF was held from 24 October to 28 October, 2018 which was focused on gender equality and diversity.
If you are still confused on what to expect during Ubud Writer Festival, we will try to explaining more details to you. Attracting over 150 writers, artists and performers from all over the globe, the theme of this year’s edition is “Karma”, based on the Hindu philosophy where each action prompts an equally forceful consequence which is similar in form. Leading journalists, literary luminaries and emerging writers will engage in conversations to discuss the question of whether we’re fully aware of our actions and their consequences, and what is the best way to respond to the actions of others.
The festival’s organiser, Janet DeNeefe, links this year’s theme of Karma directly with the world’s most urgent issues of global warming and ecological meltdown. While global leaders in positions of power continue to drag their feet on taking meaningful action, the festival’s participants will discuss the meaning of Karma in today’s world, and consider its consequences when we don’t take up our responsibilities.
For the artist and writers, glimpsing at the first round of announced storytellers, this year once again promises to be a culturally and artistically diverse line-up with names including Chinese-American award-winning author Jenny Zhang; bestselling author Parag Khanna; Zimbabwean-American debut writer Novuyo Rosa Tshuma who addresses colonisation and decolonisation topics; one of Britain’s most popular food writers Yotam Ottolenghi, together with award-winning novelist Laksmi Pamuntjak from Indonesia who writes about food on the path to self-discovery; Human Rights Watch’s Andreas Harsono will put the archipelago’s minorities and marginalised communities in the spotlight while visual artist and writer Lala Bohang experiments with invisible, forbidden and imaginary matters of Indonesian society; Susan Orlean who is the author of the bestsellers The Library Book and The Orchid Thief; and many others.
Like many of the Festival’s previous themes, this year’s is drawn from a Hindu philosophy, but this time it’s one that is known universally. For many in the West, karma is a simplification of justice served. For Balinese Hindus, Karma Phala is the spiritual principle that each action has a consequence equal in force, and similar in form. “Karma Phala nak cicih” describes the belief; cicih means certain and swift. “As actions in their previous life affect their present, and deeds committed in the present affect their future, Balinese Hindus are aware their fate is not divine in origin, but in their own hands,” commented UWRF Founder & Director Janet DeNeefe.
This year’s Festival, named one of the five best literary events for 2019 by The Telegraph UK, will explore the impacts of our personal and collective actions on our social and physical environments. The compelling conversations between literary luminaries, emerging writers, and leading journalists will ask whether we truly understand the consequences of our actions, and how we can best respond to the actions of others.
The fiery discussions, powerful performances, literary lunches, and after dark events will delve into the heart of every gripping story: decision and consequence. Along with the 2019 theme, the UWRF also unveiled the artwork for its 16th year, created by community visual artist Samuel Indratma, one of the Founders of the prominent Yogyakarta public art collective, Apotik Komik.
On the process of responding to the theme Indratma commented, “As well as translating the spirit of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, I also tried to translate what Karma is like. Do people change their face? Do they change their form? This is why I chose the symbol of the mask. I imagined Karma as a human cycle that continues to spin, then returns again.”
“Last year’s theme, Jagadhita: The World We Create, was an important reminder that harmony with others should be one of life’s primary goals,” DeNeefe continued. “At a time when the consequences of climate change are impossible to ignore, and world leaders continue to evade responsibility, we’ll ask what Karma looks like in 2019, and consider the tensions that emerge when we don’t look it squarely in the face. “In our 16th year, we’ll celebrate the writers, artists, and activists from across Indonesia and the world who are deeply aware of the consequences of their actions. Through cross-cultural perspectives on the Hindu principle of Karma, we’ll explore how each of us make decisions today that shape our shared future.”
It’s always exciting to see people with the same passion as you from around the world right? Through this event, you can meet writers from around the world. This event is really being an important event for writers to come and enjoy the vibe of ubud meanwhile sharing their thoughts during Ubud Writer Festival. Take an example In its first year the festival featured readings, workshops, discussions, and other events with 67 writers across 27 venues. The past decade has brought major changes, and challenges, to not only the festival but also its home city, where seemingly untempered expansion has created a “point of no return” fear that is a main topic of conversation. In 2003, Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love had yet to make the western world fall in love with—and decide to visit—Ubud. As one Indonesian reporter put it this year, Ubud today is so “congested, crowded and choked with traffic [that] walking is faster than taking a taxi.” During the festival this was certainly true.
As the year goes by, there will be more opportunity the participants will get bigger than before. Especially now, the information is being spread widely about Ubud Writer Festival. You have to visit this event if you are having passion in writing. There will be a lot of opportunities waiting for you to explore your passion and not limited to develop your skill in writing. In Indonesia itself, Ubud Writer Festival is really famous. It proves by so many Indonesian biggest name in this area like Pramoedya Ananta Tour was reported attending this event and share her experience in writing journey.
For its 16th year as Southeast Asia’s leading literary event, Ubud Writers & Readers Festival has announced its full program and lineup of over 180 authors, journalists, artists and activists from 30 countries. From 23–27 October, they’ll appear in more than 170 events across 70+ venues in Ubud, which this year placed sixth on Travel + Leisure’s Top 15 Cities in the World. From Indonesia to Italy, Colombia to Cameroon, Thailand to Turkey, Portugal to Pakistan and dozens of countries in between, the five-day program of in-conversations, panel discussions, literary lunches, music and arts performances, writing workshops, art exhibitions, book launches and more will demonstrate why The Telegraph named UWRF one of the world’s five best literary festivals for 2019. It sounds really interesting right?
UNICARE CLINIC, one of the advanced clinic in Bali for this year also participating on sponsoring this event.
UNICARE CLINIC is ready to provide health care service during your trip for Ubud Writer Festival. We cover so many treatments including IV treatment, vaccinated treatment, or even you need something to keep you to look good, they will provide you with their aesthetic treatment.
You will get a complete package during Ubud Writer Festival this year, from fulfilling your desire for your passion meanwhile keeping your body in completely healthy condition. So, what are you waiting for? Booked your ticket and see you on Ubud Writer Festival this year.
Don’t forget to tell your friends about this event so we can share the experience together.
