Indonesian Writers Selected For UWRF 2017

UBUD, Bali, July 12 (Antara) - Some 15 emerging Indonesian writers across country have been selected to be featured for the international literary event, "Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) 2017," the National Program Manager I Wayan Juniarta stated here on Tuesday. "Before selecting the 15 writers, the committee earlier had reviewed around 913 literary works, including short stories, poetries, novels, essays, play scripts, and included them in the candidates' long list," Juniarta noted in Ubud, an upland town in the Bali province's Gianyar district. Juniarta further explained that the long list was then handed over to the curated team comprising of three prominent Indonesian literary figures, journalists, and poets, including Seno Gumira Ajidarma, Leila S. Chudori, and Warih Wisatsana. The event will be held from Oct 25 to 29 at the city, the manager stated. As the largest literary event in the Southeast Asia, the festival has regularly featured several emerging Indonesian writers to international readers. "Emerging was a term highlighted by the festival's committee to support the Indonesian writes who already had done excellent works but were yet unknown by international literary community," Juniarta added. Some 15 writers, including Abdul Azis Rasjid (Banyumas), Ade Ubaidil (Cilegon), A Nabil Wibisana (Kupang), Aksan Taqwin Embe (Tangerang), Bayu Pratama (Mataram), Erich Langobelen (Maumere), Ibe S Palogai (Makassar), Mohammad Isa Gautama (Padang), Morika Tetelapta (Ambon), M Subhan (Padang), Na'matur Rofiqoh (Ponorogo), Rahmat) Hidayat Mustamin (Makassar), Rizki Amir (Sidoarjo), Taufiqurrahman (YOgyakarta), and Seruni Unie (Surakarta), will attend the festival as the main speakers in some literary forums. The writers' works will later be translated into English in the festival's Anthology 2017 book, he remarked. At a different occasion, judge Ajidarma stated that most of this year's writers incorporated meta-literary issues, such as the language and literature, into their works. "The pattern was interesting, because now many young Indonesian writers had rich perceptions on literature," Ajidarma remarked. Similar to Ajidarma's statement, Wisatsana stated some works that spoke about people's daily lives. "Most people are always curious about the lives of communities in the country's remote areas," Wisatsana reiterated.