Soneva Unveils An Illustrious Lineup For JLF Soneva Fushi 2023
Saturday 4th of March 2023
Illuminating the stage at the 2023 edition of JLF Soneva Fushi is a scintillating lineup of famed authors, celebrated thinkers and cultural leaders as they come together for this unique celebration of arts, culture and performance in the Maldives. Facilitated under Soneva’s exclusive partnership with Teamwork Arts and the producer of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), the event will be hosted at the pristine shores of Baa atoll from May 12th to 21st 2023.
Every year, this vibrant programme highlights South Asia’s literacy legacy and the 2023 edition will be equally enthralling with over 20 world-renowned authors confirmed for the iconic event. A range of interesting and amusing topics will be covered during the days, touching down on headlines such as nation-building to the natural world, fiction and filmmaking to hard-hitting journalism, astronomy to geopolitics, mental health to poetry and scientific discovery to memoir among others.
Conducted over ten days and two weekends, the JLF Soneva Fushi 2023 invites guests to partake in dazzling panel discussions and workshops, book and poetry readings and many other offerings during the time. Over the weekends, they can also relish in keynote addresses, gala dinners on the sand and live music performances alongside special film screenings at Cinema Paradiso and curated menus by the resort’s award-winning culinary team. On weekdays, close-knit sessions and author discussions will be hosted together with several interactive workshops aimed to spark creativity and curiosity.
Guests can also take their inspirations to the next level by engaging in soulful yoga and meditation every morning or swaying with the rhythm in dance workshops too. They can even venture out on the turquoise waters and discover the flora and fauna through a guided snorkelling tour with resident Ocean Guardians or seek new and innovative experiences at the Soneva Art & Glass, Maldives’ first-ever hot glass studio will suit their calling.
Speaking on the upcoming event, Sonu Shivdasani OBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Soneva commented “A truly bespoke experience, JLF Soneva Fushi’s remarkable programme is an opportunity to reconnect with the pure joy of literature and the arts. The exceptional setting of our barefoot island in the Maldives, coupled with our contributors and guests staying with us for at least a weekend makes JLF Soneva Fushi, unlike any other literature festival. It’s this greater, intimate access to authors, deeper understanding, new friendships and stronger bonds that make this barefoot festival so unique. I cannot wait to welcome a line-up of outstanding international authors to our shores once again.”
Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, producer of the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival, said, “JLF Soneva Fushi is food for the mind, body and soul. An exceptional gathering of collective wisdom and expertise from across the world, set in the most idyllic setting of the Baa Atoll, with delectable fare, exhilarating conversations and spectacular vistas.”
Some of the confirmed attendees for the event include Booker Prize-winning Author, Howard Jacobson, Booker Prize Recipient, Novelist & Playwright, Damon Galgut, Professor of Astronomy and Physics at Yale University, Priyamvada Natarajan, Filmmaker and Actor, Shekhar Kapur, Chief Foreign Correspondent for The Sunday Times, Christina Lamb, Award-winning Historian & staff writer at The Atlantic, Anne Applebaum, Poet & Philanthropist, William Sieghart, Classicist, Mary Beard and Booker & Whitebread Prize Winner DBC Pierre.
Adding to the star-studded lineup is the CEO & Co-Founder of Soneva, Sonu Shivdasani OBE, Co-Founder & Co-Director of the Jaipur Literature Festival & Author of 21 books, Narnita Gokhale, the Polish member of the European Parliament, Radoslaw (Radek) Sikorski, Author-columnist & former Indian Ambassador to the United States, Navtej Sarna, British historian and best selling Author, Peter Frankopan, Poet & Filmmaker, Muzaffar Ali, Novelist & Travel Writer, Pico Iyer, Author & Skincare Expert, Sharad P. Paul, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, Sanjoy K. Roy, Historian and Festival Co-Director William Dalrymple; and member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Indian Prime Minister, Sanjeev Sanyal.