The  2010  Ubud  Writers  &  Readers  Festival  theme  is  Bhinneka  Tunggal  Ika  :  Harmony  in  Diversity,  which  is  a  quotation  from  an  Old  Javanese  poem,  Sutasoma,  that  promotes  respect  between  all  people,  regardless of  ethnic,  regional,  social  or  religious  differences.  This annual Festival will be held Wednesday October 6 – Sunday 10 October 2010 and its theme  will  lead  the  way  to  hot  debates  on  religious  dogmas,  political  ideologies  and  national  allegiances  that  bitterly  divide  the  world.

This  year  the  festival  welcomes  writers  from  Bosnia,  Malta,  Portugal,  the  Congo  and  Iran:  voices  of  those  seldom  heard.  Enter  the  new–wave  of  young  spoken  word  performers  performing  alongside  some  of  the  hottest  poets  in  the  region.  

Emerging  and  established  authors  from  Asia,  the  Middle  East,  Europe,  Africa  and  the  Americas  will  once  again  take  centre  stage  in  four  days  of  conversation,  readings,  panels,  workshops  and  performances  in  breathtaking  venues  across  Ubud.  

Confirmed authors include Anne Enright (Ireland), Kate Adie (United Kingdom), Thomas Kenneally (Australia),  Dewi  Lestari (Indonesia),  Ma  Jian (China), William Dalrymple (Scotland, now resident in India) and Rabih  Alameddine (Lebanon, now resident in France and the USA).  See attached page for brief biographies.
   
With  the  festival  now  in  its  seventh  year,  the  feasting  continues  in  Ubud’s  elegant  hotels  and  magnificent  homes  with  a  menu  of  literary  lunches,  dinners  and  cocktail  parties  in  a  celebration  of  words,  wine  and  song.    

Ubud attractions
Bali is renown for gourmet cuisine and there are many dining experiences ranging from local cuisine, Italian, American-style steak and hamburgers, to Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
A visit to the famous Monkey Forest is mandatory. Here over 500 banana-hungry long-tailed macaques monkeys live amongst the temples in this sacred forest. Close to the Monkey Forest is Ubud markets. Among the usual souvenir and wood carving stores, there are more up market fashion shops featuring the creations of Balinese fashion designers. One store sells the most brilliant fashion handbags that look like they came from a Sex in the City film set - at a fraction of the price you'd expect to pay in New York. Other stores sell quality fine woven items. But remember, you'll need to present anything made from wood or natural products at Customs on your return just in case the items need to be fumigated/sprayed. In Sydney, cost of spraying is around $30 per item, which includes postage/delivery costs as items need to be centrally fumigated. Make sure you build this into the cost when you buy an item made from natural products.
Attractions other than shopping include palace tours, temples, gardens, museums and many art and craft workshops.

Extend your stay
Bali offers something for everyone from soft adventure to adrenaline-pumping sports experiences. You can go horse riding on the beach, play golf, explore art and craft workshops, cycle mystical tracks, relax in water gardens and swim in the world's most beautiful pools. Or you can hire a taxi or a motorcycle and tour the island's many stunning locations.

For more information about:
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival: www.ubudwritersfestival.com or email info@ubudwritersfestival.com
Garuda's festival packages: www.balionanybudget.com.au