Rumi in Bali

By I Wayan Juniartha - The Jakarta Post - Jakarta, Indonesia
Thursday, September 20, 2007

The small and quiet town of Ubud, long known as Bali's cultural capital, will turn into a bustling metropolis next week as the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) 2007 commences its literary celebration.

Over 80 writers from 18 countries across the globe have confirmed their participation in the annual event, ensuring the gathering will be a rich tapestry of different voices, distinct styles and diverse views.

"I believe that the ability to share different thoughts, to interact with writers from various cultural and geographical origins, and to have an intimate communication amid the beautiful, refreshing atmosphere of Ubud is one of the festival's strongest charms," festival director Janet de Neefe said.

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The festival committee has also organized six community programs, aimed at increasing the awareness and participation of the local community in the literary gathering.

"The programs include the off-Ubud seminar and poetry readings, which will be held at the Udayana University campus and the Balai Bahasa auditorium in Denpasar. We have invited high school students, teachers and local writers to participate in those events," the festival's community development manager, Kadek Sri Purnami, said.

"Greater community involvement has always been our top priority. We believe that at the end of the day, it is the people of Ubud, as a community, who should shoulder the responsibility of being the true custodians of this event," Saraswati Foundation chairman Ketut Suardana said.
The foundation has been the sole organizer of the festival since its beginning.

"The fact that this year's festival will be held at 32 venues across Ubud and that a large majority of our 100 corporate and individual sponsors come from Ubud, is an obvious sign that the festival has moved along the right path to be a community-based event," he said.

The community programs will be capped off by two public events in Ubud. On the night of Sept. 29, a concert will be held at the Ubud soccer field. It will feature Nanoe Biroe, arguably the most popular and most influential Balinese pop singer.

The following day, a tribute to the 13th century Persian poet, Rumi, will be held at the ARMA museum. Organized to commemorate the 800th anniversary of Rumi's birth, the event will include poetry readings from Mustofa Bisri, Sujiwo Tejo, and Iman Mersal, along with performance of Whirling Dervish devotional dances and Sufi music.

"Hopefully, UWRF 2007 will be a festive event for the writers, the readers, and, most of all, the people of Ubud," he said.

For more information see www.ubudwritersfestival.com or call festival manager Finley Smith on 081337098915.