Art, Politics, and Human Spirit in “I Am The Universe”: Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2025
The highly anticipated Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) returns from October 29 to November 2, promising five days of conversations that bridge art, politics, and the human spirit under the theme Aham Brahmasmi, which translates to “I am the universe.” Now on its 22nd edition, the festival continues to cement its reputation as one of Southeast Asia’s most important literary gatherings. With over 200 programs on the agenda, this year’s UWRF aims to spark dialogue that transcends borders, addressing freedom, gender, justice, and the fragile relationship between humanity and nature.
The Starting Point
“UWRF was born out of a major problem — the Bali bombing — and more than 20 years later, we continue to respond to the challenges of our times,” said writer and screenwriter Ratih Kumala, speaking at a press conference held at Wisma Habibie & Ainun. “Today, the issue is the exploitation of nature. The festival has become a bridge, a flexible space to confront such realities.”
Kumala, whose latest novel Koloni uses the allegory of 200 ants to explore human power struggles, also serves on the Curatorial Board for the Emerging Writers Program 2025. Her selected works will be published in two languages by Penguin Random House.
Headliners of UWRF 2025
Among this year’s headliners are 2025 International Booker Prize winners Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi, whose collaborative work Heart Lamp garnered global praise, and 2024 Booker winner Jenny Erpenbeck, author of Kairos. They will appear together in a panel inspired by Virginia Woolf’s reflections on women creating “rooms of their own,” examining what today’s female authors choose to write, and why.
The festival’s lineup also includes Omar El Akkad, Shiori Itō, Antoinette Lattouf, and historians David Van Reybrouck and William Dalrymple, who will delve into issues ranging from decolonization and intersectionality to Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day.
On Aham Brahmasmi and Events of UWRF
Festival Founder and Director Janet DeNeefe said the theme Aham Brahmasmi was chosen to reflect humanity’s shared place in an ever-changing universe. “In the midst of technological advancements, especially AI, we face an important question: how do we preserve our unique creativity?” she said. “This festival is designed to foster those conversations and bring them to life.”
For Indonesian writers, UWRF remains a vital platform to reach international readers. This year, it will spotlight Leila S. Chudori, Sasti Gotama, Ray Shabir, Hamzah Muhammad, and Balinese novelist Ni Made Purnama Sari, each representing the vibrancy of Indonesia’s literary scene.
Sasti Gotama, winner of the 2025 Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa, will take part in a discussion titled Rewriting Women’s History, echoing the themes of her novel Korpus Uterus. “UWRF gives us the space to tell women’s stories as whole narratives — not fragments defined by struggle alone,” she said.
Meanwhile, Angelina Enny, second-place winner of the Rasa Literary Award, will join the Chinese Indonesian Women and the Forgotten History panel, which explores long-silenced stories of discrimination and identity. “UWRF is an important space to meet global writers, exchange ideas, and bring forward social and political perspectives that enrich us all,” she said.
Launched in 2008, the Festival’s Emerging Writers Program has grown into a key platform nurturing Indonesia’s next generation of storytellers. Each year, selected writers receive mentorship and have their work published in the festival’s bilingual anthology – often marking their first international exposure. For the 2025 edition, the program invited submissions exploring the complexities of modern Indonesia. Two of this year’s program participants, Wawan Kurniawan from Makassar and Udiarti from Sragen, attended the press conference and emphasized the festival’s role in elevating regional voices. Wawan, author of Museum Kehilangan (2021) and Seratus Tahun Kebisuan (2025), described it as “a rare moment when local literature stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the global stage.”
Not stopping there, more finalists of the Emerging Writers Program received their spotlight as well in this year’s URWF. This year, the ten finalists of the 2025 Emerging Writers Program are supported by Manajemen Talenta Nasional (MTN) for Arts & Culture, a national priority program of the Ministry of Culture that develops and promotes cultural talents in a structured and sustainable way while opening access to markets at both national and global levels. MTN’s support is realised through the MTN Presentation in the Emerging Writers segment, as well as the MTN Market, featuring two Booker Prize winners, Banu Mushtaq and Jenny Erpenbeck. This session will be moderated by leading Indonesian author and journalist, Leila S. Chudori.
The festival is also set to present the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award to Taufiq Ismail, poet and writer, for his extraordinary contribution to Indonesian literature. Beginning his career in the mid-1950s, Taufiq became one of Indonesia’s most influential literary figures, whose poetry not only captures the beauty of nature with unique sensitivity but also addresses urgent social and political issues. Many of his works have been set to music and sung across the nation, standing as both witness to his era and a testament to his enduring social commitment.
“We are proud of the role we can play again, not only here in Bali but also across Indonesia,” said DeNeefe. “We shine the spotlight on this enormous yet little-known nation’s writers, artists, thinkers, and performers, in the hope that the world will one day appreciate their talent just as we do.”
For more information about Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, visit their website and Instagram. See you there!
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