The 4th Asean Literary Festival 2017 Will Start Tomorrow!
ASEAN Literary Festival (ALF) will be held for the fourth time starting tomorrow and last until 6 August 2017. Kota Tua or Old Batavia City Complex is chosen as the venue for a series of programs, like workshop, discussion, contest, and performances. With the theme of “Beyond Imagination”, The 4th ASEAN Literary Festival will gather writers, artists and literature academies to explore the freedom of expression. The opening night which is scheduled to be held tomorrow at Fatahillah Square will invite prominent figures in ASEAN’s literature world like Hilmar Farid and Malaysian author Faisal Tehrani. This year ALF is also celebrated in conjunction with ASEAN’s 50th anniversary and further strengthen the bond of the nations in the bloc. Another exciting program they hold is called “Jambore Nasional Sastra”. The organizer introduce new program specifically for students, children and teenagers, so that they can be part of literary world and know reading and writing can be fun.
Eleven young writers from across Southeast Asia have been chosen to join residency program in Jakarta. They are Clara Chow of Singapore, Glenn L Diaz of the Philippines, Hariz Faddylah of Brunei, Intan Andaru of Banyuwangi, Indonesia, Ira Lathief of Jakarta, Indonesia, Mai Nardone of Thailand, Moe Thet Han of Myanmar, Ni Komang Ariani of Bali, Indonesia, Shaz Johar of Malaysia, Tra Nguyen of Vietnam and Yusri Fajar of Malang, Indonesia. Together with a Japanese author, they will spend a week together in a program that is prepared by the committee, all the while will be joining the rest of ASEAN authors as the speakers of The 4th ASEAN Literary Festival in Kota Tua in North Jakarta. As explained on the program book that you can download for free here, “Beyond Imagination” as the theme will tackle various topics that our region is facing today. Topics like conflicts, identity, gender roles, and terrorism will present at various discussions in the festival.
Okky Madasari, the founder of the festival stated that those social, political, and security issues are not the only goals of the festival. “Aside from attempting to tackle such pressing issues, the festival’s main other goal is to raise literacy, love of reading and writing among ASEAN’s young gen- eration, who has been left behind by their peers in other parts of the world,” said Okky through her column on the program book. You could also participate in various series of workshops, discussion and performances. The complete schedule is available on their website and make sure you come home from this festival with food for thoughts and solutions.
Schedule ASEAN Literary Festival:
