Indonesia’s silent book club aims to encourage the love for the written word

On the same page: Since Aug 2019, a Baca Bareng event has been organised every month for people in Jakarta to gather for an hour to read books quietly. — The Straits Times/ANN

With the sun beating down on their heads, more than 50 people gathered at the Martha Tiahahu Literacy Park in south Jakarta at 3pm on June 18 to read for an hour.

Some of them sat on the benches located throughout the park, some sat cross-legged on the ground or grass. None of them said anything for 60 minutes.