Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2017 Announce Final Line-Up of Over 150 Speakers!
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2017 finally announce its full line-up of speakers yesterday. For the 14th installment of the annual event, UWRF 2017 offer its widest and most diverse program yet for the attendees. Previously, the first round of speakers, activist, and performers that were announced including crime author Ian Rankin, history author Madeleine Thien, autobiography author whose novel has been turned into a critically acclaimed movie Saroo Brierly, socio-political activist Marina Mahathir, environmentalist Tim Flannery, food author Fuchsia Dunlop, MTV World founder Nusrat Durrani, essayist Robert Dessaix, award winning memoirist Kate Holden, filmmaker Erik Est, journalist Leila S. Chudori, author Seno Gumira Ajidarma, puppet theater group from Yogyakarta, Papermoon, and choreographer Eko Supriyanto, Balinese author Oka Rusmini and author Ahmad Fuadi.
The new set of authors for Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2017’s speakers are Jung Chang who wrote a family biography titled “Wild Swans”. Her work was banned in her own country China, but it managed to be sold 10 million copies worldwide. Renown poet, Joko Pinurbo, also confirmed his attendance alongside British writer, journalist and broadcaster Simon Winchester who wrote a book called “Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded”. As for the activists, there will be Andreas Harsono who has covered Indonesia dor Human Rights Watch since 2008, Putu Oka Sukanta the recipient of Inaugural Herb Feith Foundation Human Rights Education Award, social commentator Lija Zhang, Bernice Chauly the founder of Georgetown Literature Festival, Michael Vatikiotis an esteemed writer and journalist, and Nisid Hajaria, Asia editor of Bloomberg News editorial page. In the environment department, there is an addition of Tom Owen Edmunds who is the Head of the Climate Change Unit at British Embassy Jakarta and Robert Crooker, a researcher in the field of design of sustainability.
While on the poetry and literature department several names gladly share their expertise on this field including Simon Armitage, Kadek Sonia Piscayanti, Ana Luisa Amaral, Leza Lowitz, Marc Nair, Miles Merril, Arielle Cottingham, Iranian poet Shookoofeh Azar and Sholeh Wolpé. From Latin America, Héctor Abad, Carmen Boullosa, Sergio Chejfec, Victoria Stigger, and Victor Heringer willl offer their insight of the literary world in the continent. Alternative authors like Han Yujoo from South Korea, Tenzin Dickie, and Jhoanna Lynn B. Cruz confirmed their attendance as well. Artists will also have the spotlight this year with graphic novel author Sonny Liew’s participation, comic artist Rachel Ang, Head of Indonesian Comic Society Riziqi R. Mosmarth, and Balinese painter Ary Wicahyana. All-female muslim metal band Voice of Baceprot that become the talk of the town will be there to share their perspective. Travel author like Paula Contant, Trinity, and Per Anderson are confirmed while Joana Savill and Brigid Delaney will give more insight regarding food and wellness industry. “Istirahatlah Kata-Kata (Solo, Solitude), a motion picture directed by Yosep Anggi Noen will be screened alongside “hUSh”, a film by controversial writer and filmmaker, Djenar Maesa Ayu. The line up of UWRF 2017 promise us a wide variety of segments that could enhance our minds and outlooks. You can enter the festival by purchasing the ticket here and see the complete program.
