Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2025: A Guide for Attendees
On October 29, Bali will once again come alive with voices that challenge, inspire, and illuminate in Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2025. From acclaimed memoirists and sharp political thinkers to radiant poets and rising new talents, this year’s festival gathers a constellation of minds under the theme Aham Brahmasmi – “I Am the Universe.” Across Taman Baca and venues throughout the city of Ubud, audiences will be invited to journey inward and outward through conversations, performances, readings, and workshops that celebrate the intricate link between individual consciousness and the vast cosmos.
About “Aham Brahmasmi”
Rooted in ancient Hindu philosophy, this year’s festival theme, Aham Brahmasmi, draws from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. It embodies the profound idea that the human self and the cosmos are one, and that each individual carries within them the same creative force that shapes the universe.
In today’s age, the theme resonates even deeper alongside the modern notion of homo deus – humans becoming “gods” through technological evolution. While innovation holds the power to uplift and heal, it also carries the risk of domination and destruction. Aham Brahmasmi serves as a grounding reminder that our expanding intelligence must remain rooted in awareness, empathy, and unity with all beings.
This philosophical vision is brought vividly to life by graphic designer Aldilla Laras, whose artwork merges tradition and modernity. Her collage centers on a Balinese mythological figure, surrounded by vertical layers of deep purple and inscribed palm leaf lontar etched with the festival’s Sanskrit theme. The text, sourced in collaboration with Balinese writer Carma Mira and the Ancient Javanese Studies Program at Udayana University’s Faculty of Cultural Sciences, adds a tangible link between timeless wisdom and contemporary creativity.
“I wanted viewers to engage with the artwork in a slow and reflective way — recognizing the lontar form, deciphering the Sanskrit writing, and gradually uncovering its deeper message,” said Laras. “I hope festival-goers will feel that the artwork reflects their time spent exploring the festival. I personally canʼt wait to soak up the atmosphere, and as a big reader myself, I have a strong feeling Iʼll be leaving with arms full of books, too.ˮ
Programs to Enjoy
Headlining the international program are winners of the 2025 International Booker Prize: Indian author and womenʼs rights activist Banu Mushtaq, whose debut short story collection Heart Lamp won alongside its translator Deepa Bhasthi, and German novelist Jenny Erpenbeck, who won the 2024 International Booker Prize for Kairos, a novel set against the collapse of East Germany. Together, they will take part in a panel inspired by Virginia Woolfʼs notion of women carving their own rooms to write, exploring what women today choose to write about and what it takes to craft a prize-winning book.
The festival is also welcoming outstanding society-shapers, including Egyptian Canadian novelist and reporter Omar El Akkad, who argues that the West has betrayed its core values of freedom and justice. Adding to the critical global voices is Japanese writer and journalist Shiori Itō, a survivor of sexual violence who has become the face of the #MeToo movement in Japan, as well as Lebanese Australian journalist Antoinette Lattouf, who advocates for the urgent need to embed real intersectionality in workplaces, beyond performative diversity.
In celebration of Indonesiaʼs 80th anniversary of independence, festival-goers can hear analysis from Belgian historian and author David Van Reybrouck on his widely acclaimed Revolusi, a superb history of the struggle for independence after three centuries of Dutch colonial rule. Joining him is Britainʼs historian and bestselling author William Dalrymple, who will dive into his latest work The Anarchy and its exploration of the rise of the East India Company, and the chaos and complexity behind Britainʼs colonial dominance in India.
UWRF on Celebrating Indonesia’s Writing Scene
As Indonesiaʼs premier platform for showcasing its writers to the world, the festivalonce again will welcome novelist and journalist Leila S. Chudori, one of the most celebrated Indonesian writers, as well as Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa 2025 winner Sasti Gotama, rising literary talents Ray Shabir and Hamzah Muhammad, and Balinese novelist Ni Made Purnama Sari. The five authors will explore the new wave of poets reshaping form, language, and media.
Across the main program sessions, the festival will explore how storytelling can, and has, created real change. In “Where the Land Knows My Name: Stories from Papua,” writers Topilus B. Tebai, Enda Kaban, and Rossy You will reflect on how Papuans perceive land not only as territory, but as memory, kin, and home. A one-on-one interview with writer and sociologist Okky Madasari is set to highlight stories that confront gender discrimination, authoritarianism, and social prejudice through sharp social critique.
Another noteworthy program is “The Making of an Anthology: Stories from the Islands,” featuring emerging writer Annisa Ivana, one of ten rising Indonesian literary talents selected from 647 submissions to be part of the festivalʼs mentorship program. She will be joined by acclaimed Indonesian writer and program co-curator Ratih Kumala, as well as Nora Nazerene Abu Bakar, Vice President of Penguin Random House SEA. Audiences are also invited to the launch of the bilingual anthology, one of 34 free book launches taking place across Ubud.
And, following the tremendous success of the writing retreat with Booker Prize 2024 shortlistee Charlotte Wood, the festival launched its second writing retreat this year at Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa, guided by acclaimed authors Kate Sawyer, Mirandi Riwoe, and Robin Hemley. Starting from Sunday, October 26, to coincide with the festival, the literary immersion not only offered participants writing workshops, dedicated time for personal writing, but also exclusive entry to the festival, including an invitation to its Grand Opening Gala.
“From humble beginnings, the festival has grown into Southeast Asiaʼs most meaningful literary event, bringing people together from near and far. So, if you wish to meet fellow literary-minded folk, love a good story or performance, or are simply eager to learn more about Indonesia, then come to Ubud to experience the magic for which we are famous. For me, our festival has been life-changing, and it can be for you,ˮ said Festival Founder and Director Janet DeNeefe.
The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival will be held from October 29 to November 2, 2025. For more information about Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, visit their website and Instagram. See you there!
Looking for gastronomy activities in Indonesia? Check out EnVi’s article on SuapSuapan here!
