Ubud Writers Festival

Thursday, 30 October

Writers Behind Bars (Peter Greste)

Across literary history, truth-tellers have been punished and silenced. Today, writers, commentators, and journalists face unprecedented levels of persecution and imprisonment, according to PEN International's 2025 Case List—a trend that urgently underscores the growing threat to free speech inflicted by authoritarianism. What happens to social knowledge when individual thoughts are quashed by regimes? Is the repression of information the most effective weapon of power? Join our speakers as they reflect on these questions and on our capacity to protect global literary freedoms.

11:15am

Valley Stage

Tickets available here.

Friday, 31 October

Rewriting Women's History (Mirandi Riwoe)

History is written by the victor, and often the victor doesn’t tell the whole story. Women’s histories have gone underappreciated in writing, thrown to the sidelines in literature dominated by men’s conquests, but women are more than supporting characters in men’s stories. Join our speakers as they discuss how women’s history is being brought to the forefront and explore the portrayals of women throughout history. With Mirandi Riwoe, Ratih Kumala, Sasti Gotama and moderator Sally Breen.

9:00am

Alang-Alang Stage

Tickets available here.

Saturday, 1 November

Peter Greste: The Correspondent

Australian-born Peter Greste’s journey from foreign correspondent to political prisoner is captured in The Correspondent (2024), a biopic directed by Kriv Stenders. Based on his memoir The First Casualty, the film traces his honourable campaign for press freedom, culminating in his arrest in Egypt. A recipient of the 2015 Australian Human Rights Medal and the 2016 ANZAC Peace Prize, Greste’s work has reshaped modern journalism. Join us to reflect on Greste’s esteemed reporting, resilience, and the making of a film that tells the price we pay for speaking truth to power.

2:00pm

Indus Restaurant

Tickets available here.

Sunday, 2 November

The Landscapes of Childhood (Mirandi Riwoe)

Youth is often the topic of fiction, but how else can our childhood influence the canvas of our novels? Our formative years are shaped by countless factors: birth, geography, and upbringing, so how do they shape our imaginations? How do our younger years transform our creativity? Join our speakers as they explore the wonders and terrors of youth. With Mirandi Riwoe, Gail Jones, Rizal Iwan, and moderator Erin Woodward.

11:30am

Valley Stage

Tickets available here.

Sunday, 2 November

The Politics of Research (Peter Greste)

Writing about political and governmental institutions leaves writers open to a wide range of moral hazards. In all areas of politics, a vast network of agents and connections underlies the decision-making that most of us only encounter once it’s finalised. What are the risks associated with political research, and how much of the truth can be revealed? How can journalists balance reporting the truth in a world where reality often goes deeper than we realise? In this panel, journalists report on the dangers and implications of following the truths within powerful institutions.

12:45pm

Alang-Alang Stage

Tickets available here.