Among the 72 “Indonesian Writers in Focus” grantees selected by Jakarta’s National Talent Management for Arts and Culture, Gaudiamo stood out as one of 250 authors from 66 countries invited to the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF).
At the global literary gathering, she joined Nadine Kaadan from France and Ondjaki from Angola in a panel discussion titled “Turning Pages, Changing Young Readers’ Lives.” Over the weekend, Gaudiamo also engaged with hundreds of young students during interactive writing sessions at Al Diyafah High School and GEMS Wellington International School in Dubai.
The children are so wonderful,” she shared. “I asked them, ‘What if wings grew on your shoulders? What would you do with these wings?’ They began writing stories within two minutes.”
A writer, pianist, guitarist, and cellist who has published 12 books since 2012 including works inspired by Bahasa Indonesian poetry Gaudiamo emphasized the importance of nurturing self-expression among children. “Writing helps them understand the richness and value of life,” she said, encouraging educators and parents to value creativity over academic competitiveness.
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