Around 30 people attended a literary event titled "Islamic Diversity in Indonesia" at the Festival Center in the Dynasty Building, Brussels, Belgium, on Monday. Moderated by Manneke Budiman, who teaches literature and cultural studies at the University of Indonesia, the event featured three … [Read more...]

Biographical play brings together the country’s biggest stars on stage for two special days A silhouette stands tall on the stage behind a street lamp prop. He lights a cigarette and begins to soliloquy to the audience about women and his banter with his friend about them. The mysterious figure … [Read more...]

The theme for this year’s Ubud Writers & Readers Festival was ‘Sangkan Paraning Dumadi’, or ‘Origins’ – a term that “speaks to our eternal connection to where we have come from, and to where we will ultimately return.” This ties in well with the work of John McGlynn, who has devoted his … [Read more...]

There is a creeping silence in Indonesia. At the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Sam Flynn spoke to those who write from the margins, despite the real and violent repercussions they face for doing so. Last month, I went to the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival. When I tell people, they often … [Read more...]

Recently, there has been increased demand among the Indonesian public for quality literary works thanks to the influence of social media, literary references in popular culture and thriving literary festivals across the country as well as international recognition for some local authors. That is … [Read more...]