Dr Helvy Tiana Rosa is widely recognised as a pioneer of contemporary Islamic literature in Indonesia, having written more than 100 books over a 40-year career. Her contribution has been recognised with more than 50 national and international awards in literature and women’s empowerment. In 1997, she founded Forum Lingkar Pena, a writing community that has since grown into a network spanning more than 200 cities in Indonesia and abroad. She teaches Creative Writing at the State University of Jakarta (UNJ) and, alongside her academic work, has built a parallel career as a film producer. Helvy currently serves as Vice Chair of the Academy of Islamic Arts, Culture, and Civilization under the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). Her recent work reflects a sustained commitment to the Palestinian cause: she produced Hayya 3: Gaza (2025), and her newly released short story collection, Gaza: A Night in Jakarta (2026), continues to advocate for Palestine’s struggle for freedom.