Ubud Writers And Readers Festival

Sekala-Niskala | The Seen and The Unseen


The fourth international Ubud Writers & Readers Festival promises to charm you once again, with four days of inspiring discussions, performances, literary lunches and readings in one of the world’s most beautiful settings.

Discussions on world religions, mysticism and the power of the paranormal will grace the stage alongside other global issues as we explore our 2007 theme, Sekala-Niskala | The Seen or Unseen. Sekala-Niskala is a Balinese principal that holds that we all live equally in two worlds; the seen or conscious world Sekala and the unseen or psychic world Niskala.

Join us for four days and nights of intimate interviews with authors from all corners of the globe, as the unseen becomes the seen and more. Enter Egypt with writers from one of the world’s most ancient lands, as we hear their tales of life from the home of the Arabian Nights with Somaya Ramadan and Iman Mersal.UK writer, Patrick Gale, author of Notes from an Exhibition will lead you into the realms of troubled families and distorted relationships.

Our Indian neighbours will take us on a captivating journey through one of the most mystical countries on earth. 2006 Booker prize-winning author, Kiran Desai will share her inspiration for her award-winning novel, ‘The Loss of Inheritance’ while acclaimed author, journalist and former UN diplomat, Shashi Tharoor, will challenge us with his thoughts on literature, leaders and world peace. Richard Flanagan, one of the most exciting voices in contemporary Australian literature will discuss his best-selling novel “The Unknown Terrorist.”

Indonesian poets and writers will charm you in two languages, alongside Asian voices from Singapore and the Phillipines. Malaysian author, Tan Twan Eng, long-listed for the 2007 Booker-prize, will discuss Penang in the 30’s and compare notes with Canadian award-winning writer, Madeleine Thien with her novel Uncertainty.

From across the seas, Hagar Peteers from the Netherlands is guaranteed to whirr you with her words and on the home front, the enigmatic Cok Sawitri will leave you breathless with her haunting performance poetry.Join sessions and workshops on the craft of writing for passionate readers and writers. Celebrate the written word at the free nighttime events and enjoy literary shenanigans into the early hours of the morning at the Casa Luna Festival club.

The 2007 Festival explores new frontiers with writers from the South Korea, East Timor and Sweden. They will join award-winning writers, poets, playwrights, filmmakers and performers from Indonesia, Asia, Australia, England, Canada, France, United States, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and beyond in an unforgettable exchange of culture and ideas.

It all adds up to a tropical heat wave of inspiration and excitement!