T

he annual Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) returns for the 11th year, promising to be more fascinating with an array of prominent speakers from the literary world.

A gala opening Wednesday night at the Ubud Palace, presenting the magnificence of Balinese culture, marked the beginning of the festival that has become not only the largest international literary gathering in Indonesia, but also the longest lasting one.

In line with this year'€™s theme, Saraswati: Wisdom & Knowledge, the opening event commenced with a Saraswati procession, where a line of Balinese girls carried objects that symbolize science and arts, followed by the welcome dance, symbolized Satya Wira.

The theme was inspired by Hindu'€™s devotion to Saraswati, the goddess of art and science and the patron deity of poets and writers. In Balinese visual art, the goddess is depicted as a beautiful four-armed lady standing on a giant lotus with four symbols of science and arts in her hands.

'€œSaraswati embodies the spirit of Bali and paves the way for discussions on how we treat our people, how we learn and the wisdom to be gained by creative expression,'€ festival founder and director Janet DeNeefe said.

A total of 150 authors from more than 25 countries will participate in discussions, film screenings, workshops, cultural events and other performances.

'€œThere will be an extraordinary line-up of Indonesian authors, artists and activists who will tell their stories alongside international guests, in events held in more than 50 venues across Ubud,'€ said DeNeefe.

The festival, however, failed to secure the attendance of Nobel Laureate and British writer VS Naipaul. Stepping up to replace him is British novelist of Bangladeshi origin, Zia Haider Rahman, who has been described as heir to the greats, including the Nobel Laureate himself.

Other big names that will appear in the festival include Independent Foreign Fiction Prize recipient Hassan Blasim, Baileys Women'€™s Prize recipient Eimear McBride, 2014 DSC Prize recipient Cyrus Mistry, Japanese writer Minae Mizumura and Chinese author Can Xue.

Prominent Indonesian poet Goenawan Mohamad, moderate Muslim scholar Azyumardi Azra, art patron Agung Rai and social commentator Made Wijaya all confirmed their attendance.

This year'€™s festival will also pay tribute to one of Bali'€™s greatest artists, the late I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, through a screening of Lorne Blair and John Darling'€™s documentary Lempad of Bali which will reveal the artist'€™s last masterpiece, while scholars, friends, musicians and poets will weave stories about his lasting and profound legacy.

Elizabeth Pisani, the author of Indonesia Etc.: Exploring the Improbable Nation, who traveled 23,000 kilometers around the country that has fascinated her for 25 years, appreciated the festival for bringing together an interesting mix of people engaged in discussing a wide range of issues about Indonesia.

Indonesian issues to be discussed included those from perspectives that remained invisible for many Indonesians.

Azyumardi praised the festival for promoting local cultures as a way to foster mutual understanding among people from many different parts of the world.

'€œIt'€™s very important to know each other'€™s cultures to strengthen mutual understanding through which we can have a better world,'€ he said, expressing his appreciation to the organizing committee for having successfully and continuously held the annual festival.