2013 Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

Dear Friends, The 2013 Ubud Writers & Readers Festival is drawing ever closer, with only 2 weeks until the festivities begin in Ubud on 11 October. The arrival this week of our printed programs brought home how soon this is - and also how many wonderful things to look forward to there are! With 92 pages of events, writers and performers, workshops, films, book launches and so much more, we suggest you have a look at the online magazine of the program if you can't get your hands on the real thing. We thank the team at Phoenix Communications for supporting the programs this year. With so many highlights to choose from, we have pulled together a few special picks for you below. We've also received our first batch of 10-year anniversary Festival t-shirts! These tees will be on sale during the Festival, but you can pre-order here for the discounted price of AU $15 each. Unfortunately, at this stage we are unable to post them, but they will be available to collect from our Box Office after 3 October. Also - a reminder that Women of Letters will be touring Jakarta and Yogyakarta next week. A line-up of truly remarkable women will be reading their letters - Olin Monteiro, Okky Madasari, Khairani Barokka, Laura Jean McKay, Emilie Zoey Baker, Debra Yatim and Lisa Febriyanti - so make sure you register for these free events and go along if you can. Women of Letters Jakarta - Thursday 3 October 7:00pm  - 9:00pm Komunitas Salihara, as part of the Salihara Literary Biennale Jl.Salihara No.16, Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan, Jakarta Register here! Yogyakarta - Saturday 5 October 4:00pm - 6:00pm Langgeng Art Foundation Jl. Suryodiningratan 37, Yogyakarta - Yogyakarta Register here! We hope to be seeing you in Ubud shortly! Bahasa Breakfast @ Rumah Baca This year, for the first time, we offer a fun and simple introduction to the Indonesian language. From 8:00- 8:45am, every morning of the Festival (12-15 Oct), kickstart your day with our Bahasa Breakfast. Over Balinese sweet treats & coffee, Festival partners Cinta Bahasa will teach you the basic greetings, do’s & dont’s, plus other fun and useful Indonesian phrases to help you get around Ubud and the Festival. The Bahasa Breakfasts can be booked here (AU $14 per session), or at our Box Office during the Festival.   Lydia cacho: Living dangerously mexican lunch Our popular lunch at Maya Ubud is back - with a Mexican theme and the fearless and wonderful investigative journalist, Lydia Cacho. Lydia is one of Mexico’s most famous investigative journalists & human rights advocates. She is the recipient of many prestigious international awards & has courageously reported on corruption, drug violence & sex trafficking in her home country for several decades. Meet Lydia Cacho in-conversation with Lily Yulianti Farid, as she describes her dangerous life over a chilled margarita & Mexican-inspired lunch from the cantina of Maya Ubud Resort & Spa. Sat 12 Oct 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Tickets AU $82 / Rp. 700,000. Book here! Finding the voice: A workshop with Robin de Crespigny In this half-day workshop, writer Robin de Crespigny reveals the complex issues surrounding writing biographies - using the knowledge she gained through writing and researching her acclaimed biography, The People Smuggler. Writing the life-story of an Arabic Muslim man in first person and in an authentic way had its challenges, and Robin will share her tips and advice on how you too can find ‘the voice’ of your subject. She'll also speak on the role and responsibility of a biographer, and the road to publication with a controversial subject. Tues 15 Oct 10:00 AM - 1.00 PM Int'l: AU $58 / Rp. 500,000 Kitas: AU $42 / Rp. 350,000 Indonesian: AU $18 / Rp. 150,000 Book here! National Women Build Week Volunteers needed We need your help! The UWRF and Women Build – Habitat for Humanity Indonesia are calling for volunteers to help build houses during National Women Build Week, 16-20 October 2013.  The campaign will support local Balinese women and families through the construction of 50 houses with proper sanitation and roofing in a poor region of Bali after the Festival. No prior knowledge of home building is required, just a reasonable level of fitness and lots of enthusiasm. To be involved in this great initiative, please contact: womenbuild@habitatindonesia.org. More information is available here or on the Habitat for Humanity website. An information booth will also be set up at Taman Baca during the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival.