TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Singapore Writers Festival (SWF), Southeast Asia’s premier literary event, is scheduled for its 28th edition from Nov. 7 to 16.
Organized by the Arts House Group (AHG), the festival is themed “Shape of Things to Come,” inviting attendees to question and reimagine an inventive and inclusive future through literature. This milestone year coincides with SG60, Singapore’s 60th year of independence, blending national reflection with an optimistic outlook, according to the press release.
Festival Director Yong Shu Hoong framed the theme as an invitation. “As Singapore celebrates 60 years of independence, we ask ourselves: ‘What will our world look like in another 60 years?’ The Festival creates a space to reflect, wonder and move forward with courage and optimism on our shared journey of discovery.”
The 2025 lineup features more than 200 programs and 300 local and international presenters, with a significant emphasis on engaging Chinese literary talent and heritage, particularly within the newly created track, Sci-fi Spotlight.
This new track is anchored by pioneering Asian science fiction authors, notably the award-winning Ken Liu, author of “The Paper Menagerie,” and Hao Jingfang, acclaimed for “Folding Beijing.” Liu is scheduled to deliver the festival keynote talk, titled “The Future of Art in the Age of AI,” sparking a discussion on technology’s role in shaping human creativity.
The inclusion of these two literary heavyweights underscores the festival’s commitment to exploring futuristic themes through a distinctive Sinophone and Asian cultural lens.
In line with the SG60 celebrations, SWF is deepening its commitment to multilingual programming, enhancing its Chinese, Malay, and Tamil language offerings to foster cross-cultural dialogue.
Several key programs are dedicated to engaging with Chinese literary heritage and community, including the panel “The Power of Non-Fiction Writing in Our Contemporary World.” This session features writers Liu Zichao and Wong Koi Tet, who will discuss how non-fiction serves as a medium for truth and memory.
Other highlights include community-focused activities such as “A Feast of Words & Flavours,” which uses curated menus to uncover the traditions and stories of Chinese dialect groups through food. Additionally, the SG60 Homage track will pay tribute to Singapore’s publishing history by tracing the legacy of Chinese-language publishing from the 1960s to the present.
Beyond the Asian sci-fi focus, the festival features global literary figures such as No. 1 New York Times–bestselling author Rebecca Kuang, Costa Book Award–shortlisted writer Sathnam Sanghera, and award-winning poet Victoria Chang.
Attendees can also look forward to specialized tracks, including the salon, an intimate new series reimagining literary exchange over food and drinks and featuring celebrated Chinese-cuisine writer Fuchsia Dunlop.
SEA x Change continues its focus on Southeast Asian literature, with discussions on regional action comics and stories for young readers. The Festival Closing Debate will conclude the event with a playful discussion on the motion, “This House Believes That Robots Are Our Friends.”
With tracks for every age and interest — from the SWF Playground for young readers to the Youth Fringe for young adults — SWF 2025 promises a vibrant cultural experience that celebrates the written word in all its languages and forms.
