The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival was held on 27-30 October 2022. This year, UWRF22 takes the theme “Memayu Hayuning Bawana” from an ancient Javanese philosophy of “the basic principles that we maintain, protect and beautify the universe.” Then, this philosophy is translated into “Uniting Humanity” by creating various programs to honor the capacity of humanity that will strengthen the bond between the individual and the world.
At this festival, the best literary talents from local and international gather in the program. The festival aims to be a pillar for various discussions and dynamic cultural exchanges. UWRF22 became the largest literary festival in Southeast Asia, with renowned panelists joining, including Carla Power, Tim Baker, Audrey Magee, Sequoia Nagematsu, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, and Osman Yousefzada. In addition, there are also Indonesian writers and artists, namely Putu Oka Sukanta and Rara Sekar.
This year, UWRF22 takes the topic of The War in Ukraine, which discusses the effects of seismic ripples caused by the war on the world after the covid pandemic and also Uniting Humanity: Poetry of Peace, a night filled with saying words, fairytales, and wisdom in prayer for peace.
