This year marks Singapore's 50th year of independence. It is a momentous occasion for the country, a milestone that equally inspires a nostalgic look at its past as it does its aspirations for the future. In keeping with the celebratory spirit of the occasion, the annual Singapore Writers Festival, which took place earlier this month under the theme "Island of Dreams", celebrates in equal measure the country's 50th birthday -- and its hopes for the future -- as well as the vibrant literary scene in Southeast Asia.
"The theme Island of Dreams is an allusion to our country's 50th anniversary," said Yeow Kai Chai, director of this year's festival. "On the other hand, it's much more metaphorical and lyrical. No man is an island. Everyone has their hopes and dreams, but in a way, we are all connected. We'd like to use the festival as a meeting place to spring board to topics we want to discuss, whether it be aspirations, nightmares or current issues that haunt you. So the theme's meaning extends from the public to the private."
In a celebration of the written word and all the forms it has taken, the Singapore Writers Festival features a host of over 300 panel discussions, performances and events with numerous famous writers from all over the world, from poets and authors to songwriters and playwrights, with a focus on Singapore and Southeast Asia. Topics of discussion could range anywhere from songwriting workshops to profound topics like loss and mourning,
Among the invited writers are prominent names such as S.P. Somtow, the Thai novelist and composer whose 1984 book Vampire Junction is considered one of the "40 all-time greatest horror books" by the Horror Writers' Association, and Jean-Marc-Rochette, the illustrator responsible for the concept art of the film Snowpiercer.
The events, according to Chai, are meant to encourage more active engagement on the part of the people who consume literature.
"Enjoying writing doesn't have to mean just passively reading a book. To listen to a song or watch a play is also a form of consuming literature. After all, Shakespeare's plays were never meant to be read; they were meant to be performed and watched."
A published poet and short-story writer, as well as the editor of the Straits Time's Life! section, Chai is a firm believer in the power of writing.
Some of the activities at the Singapore Writers Festival.
"Writing is expression; its empowerment. You can voice all your displeasures and satisfactions without judgement, you can advocate for or even celebrate a belief. It's a beautiful and powerful thing that shouldn't be taken for granted," he said.
"Words can cut both ways. They can bring people together or tear them apart just as easily.
"As writers, we have a responsibility to use language as a tool for empowering our imaginations. The worse writers are those who try to use language to put others down, or to stuff them in a box of limited perspectives."
Despite being the 18th iteration of the festival, this year will be the first time in which Chai will take the position of director. Capitalising on the growth enjoyed by the festival in terms of interest and investment, Chai aims to make this year's festival a starting point for future development into a deeper, more engaged experience, where the members of the world's literary scene can cultivate a relationship.
"The objectives behind the festival are two-fold," said Chai.
"The first hope is to introduce Singapore's wealth of writers to the world, so they can hopefully learn more about our literature. The second hope is to bring writers from all over the world to Singapore, so the people can be introduced to international artists, as well."
According to Chai, one of the largest challenges currently facing the Southeast Asian literary scene is the lack of knowledge and interest the people of the region have in learning about their international neighbours' cultures, let alone their literature.
"Southeast Asia as a region is so fractured and diverse. Despite the Asean summit, the people in the region still know very little about other countries. The only things they know tend to be touristy stuff, but they have very little interest in learning about other cultures.
"Another problem is the fact that there is no unifying, central language in Southeast Asia. Many countries in the region are able to speak Malaysian, but even so, there are countries that don't speak the language at all."
