Writers at the Festival: Ubud, Bali

The Ubud Writers Festival is gearing up to one fantastic event with writers from the world over attending to conduct workshops and partake in other events.

Some of the writers featured at the festival will be from England, Malaysia, Australia and Vietnam. There will also be a tribute to the late Pramoedya Ananta Toer, undoubtedly the greatest writer Indonesia has ever produced.

Here is a promo of just some of the writers who will be appearing at the upcoming Ubud Writers Festival in Ubud during the month of October:

Turning the spotlight on Islam, Ziauddin Sardar will be sharing his views on modern Islam with Ramona Koval from Radio National's Books & Writing program in Australia. Born in Northern Pakistan the charismatic Sardar is known as one of the leading public intellectuals in Britain today and is considered a pioneering writer on Islam and contemporary cultural issues. His intellectual autobiography, Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim and his most recent film for the BBC, Battling for Islam, have received wide acclaim.

Continuing on the theme of Desa-Kala-Patra and delving into the Asian Diaspora, Vietnamese- born writer and noted journalist Andrew Lam will take us on a journey to the Vietnam of his youth and retell his personal tale of identity as a son, immigrant and survivor.

Meanwhile Malaysian-born Tash Aw, author of The Harmony Silk Factory which was published in 2005 to rave reviews will discuss what it is like being the most successful Malaysian writer in recent years. The Harmony Silk Factory was long listed for the 2005 Man Booker Prize and won the 2005 Whitbread First Novel award.

From Australian shores, the ethereal Gail Jones, award-winning author of Sixty Lights and Dreams of Speaking will intrigue us with her extraordinary style of visual language inspired by photographic processes. Sixty Lights was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize 2004 and short-listed for 2004 Miles Franklin award.

With the recent passing of Pramoedya Ananta Toer the Festival will be presenting a tribute to his life and work. Indonesian writers and others will have a chance to offer words of respect to this courageous man.