Just over two months to the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

With just over two months to the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, the countdown has truly begun. The Festival office is gathering momentum and the team seems to have grown overnight with additional staff and volunteers appearing each day. The weather is glorious, the nights are cool and there is optimism in the air as we approach our seventh festival, themed Bhinneka Tunggal Ika : Harmony in Diversity.

A list of more than 100 writers has emerged and represents yet another dynamic, diverse line-up of some of the world’s brightest minds. Events are taking shape and, like a giant jigsaw puzzle, four days of ideas are being shuffled around and will slowly create a breathtaking landscape of literature in all its forms. There will be many surprises as well as the return of our popular regular events, such as the literary lunches, poetry slam, workshops and cocktail parties that our dedicated viewers have grown to love and expect.

There will be a night of jazz with readings and hip-hop featuring some of the island’s coolest musicians and performance poetry that will knock your socks off. Play-readings under the stars will once again be featured and our street party in one of Ubud’s quaintest laneways will reappear more exciting than ever.

And what’s a festival without food! There will plenty of culinary brilliance and lavish lunches featuring guest chefs alongside our hottest authors. Discussions on food and sustainable eco-friendly practices will be interspersed with serious discussions on the craft of writing and global issues.

Enter the world of art with sessions that celebrate Ubud’s long-established profile as a bohemian artist’s colony and centre for visual arts in Bali. Start the day with morning meditation or meet a healer and then observe discussions on spirituality in relation to our theme.

There’s something for everyone. It all adds up to yet another inspirational event!

We have 29 countries represented this year! Australia, Bosnia, Burma, Canada, China, Croatia, Djibouti, East Timor, France, Germany, Holland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam