Ubud 2008: God, Humanity & Nature

Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2008
Tri Hita Karana: God, Humanity & Nature
October 14-19, 2008

The established will meet the new.
The East will cross paths with the West.
It will be a literary celebration like no other.

Tri Hita Karana is the theme of the 5th International Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in Ubud, Bali. Tri Hita Karana is a Balinese Hindu concept that translates as the relationship between God, Humanity and Nature. Invited international guests include acclaimed Indian author Vikram Seth, U.S. novelist John Berendt, award-winning U.K. author Caryl Phillips, Mexican author Alberto Ruy-Sánchez, Hari Kunzru, Australian novelists Alexis Wright and Helen Garner, 2007 Man Booker Prize-shortlisted authors Lloyd Jones, Indra Sinha and Mohsin Hamid, and Preeta Samarasan.

“Collision of Cultures” will be one of the underlying themes of the 2008 Festival with established and emerging writers confronting the issues of Us and Them. World religions, languages and lifestyles will be examined and discussed together with the subject of migration and its impact on communities. Hot debates addressing crime and punishment in Asia, and more specifically drugs, civil rights and moral dilemmas, will also take centre-stage.

It will be a dialogue like no other at Ubud, which lies on the fertile crossroads of two rivers, two oceans and two continents―Asia and Australia. The exotic retreat of the rich and famous in the 1930s, Ubud has now re-invented itself as an international rendezvous for writers, poets and artists from all parts of the world. It has become the stage where voices from China, India, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and more are heard. In 2008 this partnership will be strengthened with writers from beyond the region, from the heart of Africa and Central America.

Satisfy your hedonistic passions with our acclaimed stars by luxuriating in the lush surroundings of Ubud’s elegant hotels and gracious homes at our literary lunches and dinners. Join our Long Table feast in the rice fields featuring acclaimed chefs and food writers as they showcase Bali’s vibrant food culture. Enjoy workshops that teach the craft of writing or cultural activities that offer a peek inti the mystical, magical world of Bali, in between book launches, performances, exhibitions, cocktail parties and celebrations into the early hours of the morning.

And if that is not enough, the 2008 Festival will take to the streets, literally, with international street performers matching their wits against Ubud’s youth in a carnival of skill and artistry.

www.ubudwritersfestival.com

Mohsin Hamid