“I don't think we could have ever imagined that the [Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF)] would become as big as it has. But also, no one ever thought Bali would be a victim of terrorism, but as we all know, it has,” said Janet DeNeefe, UWRF’s founder and director, referring to a terrorist attack in October 2002 that involved the detonation of three bombs and claimed more than 200 lives. 

“This single act of terrorism was the catalyst that gave birth to our festival. The vision for positive change, greater inclusion and, of course, the presentation of exceptional literary artists emerged.” 

Almost two decades later, the UWRF has grown into one of the biggest literary festivals in Southeast Asia – the Telegraph even ranked it among the top five literary festivals worldwide. Of course, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, the COVID-19 pandemic being one of the bigger obstacles along the way. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged thousands of arts organizations in unexpected ways,” Janet acknowledged. “At UWRF, we wanted to ensure we continued to enact our vision of connecting readers to ideas and books, even when in-person events needed to be postponed. So the pandemic really taught us the world of virtual festivals and how to master new technology and social media.”

This year, the UWRF’s lineup includes many renowned names, both Indonesian and international.

“I am really looking forward to the session about President Joko [‘Jokowi’] Widodo with Darmawan Prasodjo, Tim Hannigan and Ari Dwipayana in conversation with Michael Vatikiotis. He’s been such an impressive, stable leader. I am certainly curious to know more about him,” Janet said when asked about her personal highlights.

“I am also [excited about the] session about Munir Said Thalib, one of Indonesia's most famous human rights activists, who was murdered in 2014. His wife, Suciwati Munir, has published her account of life with Munir and of the events after his death and will share her story alongside Matt Easton, whose book We Have Tired of Violence delves into the struggle to bring the 'real' perpetrators of Munir's death to justice.” 

She also named journalist and writer Carla Power as well as Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a scholar of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, among the speakers to look out for. Power will discuss her book and talk about ways to overcome the rising tide of extremism, one human at a time. 

Meanwhile, Moore-Gilbert will share her extraordinary fight to survive imprisonment in Iran – a timely subject in the wake of current protests in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died in police custody.

Known for going beyond the literary scene, the UWRF traditionally also features performers and artists – among them this year Purbo Asmoro. 

“Purbo is a shadow puppet master known for combining classical forms and dramatic innovation of this traditional form of puppet theater and we are honored that he will be joining us, thanks to the support of Griya Seni Ekalaya,” Janet said.

The UWRF Lifetime Achievement Award will go to Putu Oka Sukanta, a central figure 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, Pak 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 memories to illuminate neglected aspects of Indonesia’s history frequently glossed over in the official history books,” Janet explains. 

“We are honored to recognize his contributions, and we are grateful for his passionate advocacy to connect readers with Indonesia's turbulent history.” 

After almost two decades of organizing the festival, Janet can look back on many memorable experiences and encounters, but some stand out in particular. 

“One of the fondest memories I have is the second year of the festival. The second Bali bombings occurred just six days before we were set to start, so we were all in a state of mild shock,” she recalled. 

“But on the flip side of this tragic act, there was such an immense feeling of camaraderie and support among the writers. It will remain one of the most special years for me.” 

It was also the year that Amitav Ghosh, Michael Ondaatje and Xanana Gusmao appeared.

“Such a star-studded line-up only two years in. Another fond memory was the keynote speech by Mpho Tutu, to a standing ovation, and the year Nick Cave joined us,” she added.

According to Singaporean-Indonesian writer Clarissa Goenawan, the UWRF “has done a great job introducing Indonesian culture and literature to the world.”

She is particularly fond of the festival’s Emerging Writers Program.  

“Many of the past participants, such as Norman Erikson Pasaribu, went on to do amazing things. Their short story collection Happy Stories, Mostly, translated by Tiffany Tsao, won the 2022 Republic of Consciousness Prize and was longlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize,” Clarissa said.

Clarissa herself has very fond memories of the 2018 edition of UWRF, since it was her first time attending a literary festival as an author. This year, she is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion and the book launch of her new novel Watersong.

“Watersong follows Shouji and his girlfriend, Youko, who provide confidential services to rich clients. Breaking company rules, he befriends an elegant customer and tries to help her by exposing her influential husband’s misdeeds, but the plan backfires,” Clarissa said. 

“Just like [my first two novels], Rainbirds and The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida, Watersong is a literary mystery with elements of magical realism set in Japan. The three novels are not in a series, but they are interrelated. You’ll see characters in one book make appearances in the others. It was pretty ambitious in scope.”

It took Clarissa eight years to finish Watersong, from first draft to publication: “With the first novel, I was still exploring and discovering. The learning curve was steep. With the second and third novels, there was a benchmark to exceed. I wanted to grow as a writer.”

After putting so much effort into her book, it will be yet another memorable UWRF for Clarissa. Besides her own involvement, she is also looking forward to participating in other programs, such as cultural and food-related workshops and activities.

This year’s theme of the UWRF is “Uniting Humanity”, or Memayu Hayuning Bawana, an ancient Javanese philosophy that organizers feel is relevant at this moment. 

“While it is very much about beauty, we felt that it is ultimately about humanity and achieving balance and harmony in our lives and in our world,” Janet explained. “It refers to humanity's capacity to beautify our world and strengthen our ties as a collective.”

In a time of conflicts and war, surging food needs and fears of a global recession, the UWRF continues to inspire and provide a meaningful platform for discussing important global issues, bringing together writers and thinkers from all over the world.

When asked who she would love to welcome at the festival one day, Janet doesn’t hesitate: “British novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, without a doubt. I admire his work tremendously and especially loved [his latest novel] Klara and the Sun. I would be over the moon if Barack Obama joined us too.”

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