The two-day 11th FESTERA Literary Festival for 2024 was launched yesterday at the Pro-Chancellor Arts Centre, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), aiming to elevate literary art in the Sultanate.
Themed ‘Digital Literature: Inspiration at Your Fingertips’, the event highlights the critical role of digital technology in advancing and inspiring literature.
The opening ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and a Doa, followed by welcoming remarks from Festival Chair Muhammad Firdaus bin Haji Sani.
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dr Kathrina binti Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Daud officiated the event, with a video presentation marking the opening.
The event saw performances by Rampun Kesenian Insan Sastera (RAKIS) with the skit ‘Jangan Sentuh’ and ‘Hikayat Awang Kamaruddin’ as well as an exhibition of competition entries and the presentation of awards.
The afternoon session continued with the performance ‘Hikayat Empat Pemalas’ and a panel discussion featuring Syazni Bakar and Sosojan A Khan, concluding with the presentation of tokens of appreciation.
The festival continues today with a workshop led by Dr Ena Wasli on ‘The Use of Suno AI and CHATGPT in Malay Literature’.
Participants from diverse backgrounds explored AI’s role in modern literature.
The event wraps up with a visit to the exhibitions, offering attendees a deeper look into the evolving literary landscape.
The festival aims to foster appreciation for digital literature and to provide a platform for engagement between artistes, students and academics through panel discussions and stage performances. It emphasised the role of technology in broadening access to literature, while offering students’ opportunities to connect with both government and non-governmental organisations in literary management. – Fadley Faisal
