Nuits de la Lecture Held Across Eight Cities

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The cultural network of the French Embassy, the Institut français d’Indonésie (IFI) and the Alliance française (AF) are organizing Nuits de la lecture or "Reading Nights" from January 21 to 25, 2026. It is held in eight cities across Indonesia: Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, Medan, and Semarang.

Based on information received by RRI Voice of Indonesia (VOI) on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, the theme chosen for the 2026 Reading Nite edition is "City and Village," which explores the relationship between region, identity, and imagination thru literature.

This event has transformed into a platform that brings together writers, artists, and creators, and fosters new cultural dialog. Launched in France in 2017 by the French Ministry of Culture, Reading Nite is a global initiative that promotes a love of reading thru inclusive and creative events.

In Indonesia, the French cultural network offers a diverse program, combining public readings, discussions with authors, workshops, performances, and film screenings for all tastes and ages. Through this national initiative, Reading Nite 2026 reaffirms its ambition to strengthen intercultural dialog and promote reading as a shared, dynamic, and accessible pleasure for everyone.

Beyond this flagship event, the French Embassy – IFI continues to promote literature throughout the year, building on the success of the AYO BACA! program and expanding its ambitions with the launch of Choix Goncourt Indonesia this year.

Convinced that cooperation in the field of books and reading is as important as in other areas of collaboration, the French Embassy – IFI places literature at the heart of education, cultural exchange, and critical thinking. This commitment reflects France's strong reading culture, which ranks fourth globally in the average number of books read per year.

For the launch of Reading Nite 2026 on January 22nd, IFI Jakarta is organizing a multilingual read-aloud event at the Mediatek. As part of the IFI's monthly Book Club, participants are invited to read and recite their favourite literary quotes aloud, in French, Indonesian, or another language, creating a fun intercultural and multilingual exchange.

Not only in Jakarta, Reading Nite is also held in Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Semarang, Medan, Makassar, and Bali, featuring bilingual readings, storytelling for children and families, meetings with authors, and creative literary experiences rooted in local culture.