(Java, Indonesia, 1941) isn't only is a famous poet, he's also a journalist, essayist, editor and columnist. Mohamad contributed to the creation of the Indonesian language, Bahasa Indonesia. He took part in the struggle against Suharto's regime in many ways. He founded the succesful critical literary magazine Tempo, which was banned twice by the government. In 1995 Mohamad initiated the Institute for the Study of Free Information Flow. After Suharto's resignation in 1998, Tempo started publishing again. Mohamad has received various international awards for his readiness to resist. Several of his poetry collections were republished around his 70th birthday. His most recent collections are Don Quixote (2011) and 70 Puisi (70 Poems). In 1995, Mohamad was one of the participants of the first Winternachten festival, and has since returned to The Hague several times for the same purpose.

(Hilversum, 1952) published several books from her Indonesian background: Scherven van smaragd (Fragments of Emerald), Onder de blauwe Sarong (Under the blue sarong) and Kleurverschil (Different Colors). Stories of the older generation were collected in her book Indië was alles. Alles (Indonesia was everything. Everything). Ze died in 2019.
(WN 1998)

(Netherlands, 1952) became well-known with her novels Geen gewoon Indisch meisje (No Ordinary Indonesian Girl, 1983) and Vaders van betekenis (Fathers of Significance, 1989), as well as the documentary Het land van mijn ouders (The Land of My Parents, 1983), in which the principal characters seek out their roots. Bloem is the daughter of Indonesian parents who, after Indonesian independence, migrated to the Netherlands. In 1993 she received the E. du Perron Award. Besides writing a large number of novels, short-story and poetry collections, and non-fiction,YA - a.o. Matabia (1981) about an Indonesian girl, published in Japanese and German, and many times awarded -  and children's books, she made film and TV productions such as the feature film Ver van familie (Far from Family, 2008) and the YA film De tovenaarsleerling (The Sorcerer's Apprentice, 1986) that won her a Cinekid Award. Her novel Een meisje van honderd (Girl of a Hundred Years, 2012) is a family story offering a brilliant overview of a century of Indonesian-Dutch history. Recent works include Haar goede hand (Her Good Hand, 2016) on her relationship with her mother, Een teken van leven (A Sign of Life, 2018) about mourning, and Indo (2020) on Indonesian history and Indonesian perceptions of identity. Her novel Meisjes uit het dorp (Village Girls) will be published January 2023. Bloem, who is also a clinical psychologist and visual artist besides being an author, received the 2022 Constantijn Huygens Prize for her entire oeuvre.

(Netherlands, 1945) writes novels, stories, essays, lectures and columns with a strong historical bent. She debuted with 1987's Tine of de dalen waar het leven woont (Tine, or the Valleys Where Life Lives), a fictitious biography of 19th-century Dutch writer Multatuli's first wife. Her book De naam van de vader (The Name of the Father) won the 1994 Multatuli Prize. In 2002 she wrote Pelican Bay, about slavery in the Caribbean and the Netherlands. Her essay collection Schatplicht (Tribute) appeared in 2013, and her 2016 novel Aan het eind van de dag (At the End of the Day) is simultaneously a portrait of a career woman and a snapshot of the second half of the 20th century. De val van Thomas G. (The fall of Thomas G.) tells about the publisher of a controversial book. Noordervliet's body of work was awarded the 2018 Constantijn Huygens Prize.

(Solo, Mid-Java, 1935 - Bogor 2009) was a poet, dramatist and actor. From 1964 to 1967 he lived in the United States, where he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Art. In 1968 he founded the Bengkel Teater in Depok, which was controversial due to its singular choice of material. His unconventional behavior and critical attitude was the cause of conflict with the government. As a poet he debuted in 1957 with the collection Ballada orang-orang tercinta (Ballad of the loved people). Several other collections include Blues untuk Bonnie (Blues for Bonnie, 1961) and Sajak-sajak sepatu tua (Poems of old shoes, 1972) His work has been translated in English, German and Dutch. Rendra placed his poetry in the tradition of Indonesian oral culture and considered literature a 'performing act'.

(Grobogan, Mid-Java, 1965) studied Indonesian language and literature in Jakarta, was a student of the famous poet Rendra and acted for a long time in Rendra's Bengkel Theater. Following this, Srengenge founded the Matahari Theater. His poems were published in magazines such as Horison, Republika and Media Indonesia. He published amongst others Persetubuhan Liar (Wild lovemaking) (1992). In Jakarta he participated in the Istuqual International Poetry Reading and Workshop. He has been invited several times to take part in the Winternachten festival in The Hague. Srengenge is very much involved in the Utan Kayu Theater, an alternative cultural centre in Jakarta. His style of reading is very theatrical, and the context of his work is very much involved with the social development within Indonesia. For example, he has written a number of poems inspired by his stay in East Timor during the struggles for independance.
WIN 2003

arrived in The Netherlands in the 1950s. She studied Psychology in Amsterdam, returned to The Netherlands in the 1907s to study Philosophy in Leiden. Got her doctoral degree in Jakarta at the Universitas Indonesia (philosophy). Worked as headmaster at the Academy for the Visual Arts in Jakarta. She has a Chair in philosophy and works the head of a patent bureau. She owns an important gallery for modern visual arts in Jakarta and is a member of the Indonesian committee for human rights.

(Batavia, Dutch-Indies, 1918) spent her youth in the Dutch-Indies. She attended elementary and grammar school there. After briefly studying literature in the Netherlands she went on to complete Theatre School. Almost immediatley after that she chose to dedicate her life to writing. Her childhood in the Dutch-Indies repeatedly plays a role in her work, as is obvious in her debut novella Oeroeg (1948) and the novels Heren van de thee (Gentlemen of the tea) (1992) en Sleuteloog, her much praised novel published in 2002. Most of Haasse's books are historical novels. For instance her first comprehensive, frequently reprinted novel Het woud der verwachting (The forest of expectations) (1949) is about Charles d’Orleans, a fifteenth century poet. Her most recent book is entitled Bij de les (Accompanying the lessons) (2004), which includes old educational school charts from the Dutch-Indies. Haase has been distinguished many times. On the 17th of November 2004 she received personally from Queen Beatrix the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren (The Dutch Literature Award). Hella Haasse died in 2011.