The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) 2026 is just around the corner, and with a jam-packed programme of panel discussions, author talks, book launches and literary lunches, it can be overwhelming to find the best sessions. For our readers, we’ve sifted through many of the great events and handpicked sessions worth highlighting for you here.
Don’t forget, you can get 10% off your festival pass by using promo code NOWBALI at checkout.
Who Gets to Tell the Story of Paradise?
Main Programme, 22 October
The pen is mighty and travel writing bears a great responsibility. Bali and Cempedak, both popular tourist destinations, are more than just a place of beautiful photos and experiences. They are homes to people, history and ecological systems. It is important that as writers we do not separate the place from its heart and that we educate others on what creates such stunning places as well as what can endanger them. This session discusses how writers have the privilege to write with the community, not just about the community, and what this responsibility brings with it, featuring I Nyoman Darma Putra, Jean Couteau, and Pamela Ng, moderated by Ken Kwek.
https://www.ubudwritersfestival.com/programs/who-gets-to-tell-the-story-of-paradise
Literature: A Mirror to the World
Main Programme, 22 October 2026
Literature has long held up a mirror to society, reflecting its values and questioning the forces that decide our place in it. But what risks do writers take when they challenge prevailing narratives? What happens when fiction comes up against violent erasures and cultural taboos?
Acclaimed authors Adania Shibli, Kiran Desai, and Raisa Kamila write novels deeply concerned with how larger systems shape individual lives. Join them in conversation with Gill Westaway as they discuss literature as a form of social critique, the challenges of writing marginalised stories, and how fiction can foster empathy and inspire change.
https://www.ubudwritersfestival.com/programs/literature-a-mirror-to-the-world
My Neighbour the Dictator, Feat. Tari Lang
Main Programme, 23 October
At the age of fourteen, Tari Lang’s world was turned upside down. General Suharto had assumed control of Indonesia in a brutal military coup, and her parents were imprisoned without trial among a million other people.
Today, Tari Lang is a powerhouse of a woman, encompassing a life of radical and multicultural upbringing, and her experience as government adviser and CEO of two major firms. Join Tari Lang, in conversation with Mary Strang, for an intellectual conversation discussing themes of life, love, politics, and survival, as she talks about her latest book, My Neighbour, The Dictator, a political memoir delving into her personal experience as a young teenage girl witnessing the history of Indonesia’s 1965 coup.
https://www.ubudwritersfestival.com/programs/tari-lang-my-neighbour-the-dictator
The World Today: A Geopolitical Cacophony
Main Programme, 23 October 2026
War and genocide have shaken the world, while political polarisation, economic instability, and the rise of far-right movements deepen divisions and fuel a growing sense of uncertainty. Looking beyond the noise and headlines, how do we make sense of a world in crisis?
Join political commentators and authors Nasir Tamara, Terence Ward and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese on the occupied Palestinian territories as they explore the forces shaping our world today. Through the distinct lenses of human rights, nation-state, cultural history, and journalism, they offer insight into the uncertainty of our current moment and consider how we might chart a way out of the chaos.
Poetry of the World
Special Event, 24 October
Poetry is a shared language across the people of the world. One can listen to the sound of words and be moved by it, for feeling is the transport of one’s soul, and words are a medium. A communal invitation to know that our experiences, as unique as they are, are also shared, that we are not alone. Poetry is the tug of words that draw us together. Listen to poetry in English, Bahasa, Arabic, Bikol and much more. Featuring nine guest poets, from Indonesia and the world.
https://www.ubudwritersfestival.com/programs/poetry-of-the-world
Is Indonesia Eating Its Own?
Main Programme, 25 October
What does it take to speak truth to power in Indonesia today? Between sweeping regulations and shrinking civic spaces, the line between free speech and legal consequences feels thinner and more precarious than ever. How does one balance a commitment to truth-telling with personal risk? Join Indah G, Tari Lang, and Todung Mulya Lubis, moderated by Krishna Sen, for an urgent conversation about the role of writers and storytellers in bearing witness and challenging authority, and how they navigate increasing pressures and restrictions.
https://www.ubudwritersfestival.com/programs/is-indonesia-eating-its-own
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the insightful discussions and events taking place at Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2026. Explore the full programme and list of speakers on their website.
Don’t forget, you can get 10% off your festival pass by using promo code NOWBALI at checkout: ubudwritersfestival.com
