On October 12, 2019, the Willy Brandt Center dedicated a Red Lounge to poet, politician, writer, orientalist, diplomat and rebel, Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840-1922).<\/p>\n
Blunt was described as a wildly individual, illustrious and eccentric personality. Accompanied by his wife, Lady Anne Blunt (a granddaughter of Lord Byron), Blunt traveled the Middle East and visited Jerusalem, a town he would refer to later as the most beautiful place he had ever been in.<\/p>\n
The Willy Brandt Center was happy to host an evening full of poetry, adventurous historical discoveries, original illustrations, lively discussions and a tasty British tea time, served on the center\u2019s balcony.<\/p>\n
The evening\u2019s guest of honor was the British Consul-General, his excellency Mr. Philip Hall, who reflected on Blunt and his role in British diplomacy and society.<\/p>\n
The event also featured a discussion on Blunt\u2019s political views and his personal life, while highlighting Lady Blunt\u2019s courageous personality: as the first European woman to make a recorded journey into Central Arabia, she documented her travels through sketches and diaries, depicting her experiences and the people and she encountered along the way.<\/p>\n
The renowned Israeli actor Guy Bracca recited poems of W. S. Blunt, which also reflected Blunt\u2019s impressions of his journey to Jerusalem. The event also included a colorful insight into the cosmopolitan Jerusalem of Blunt\u2019s time by Prof. Ali Qleibo.<\/p>\n\n\t\t