Sir Jeremy Hunt to appear at Literary Festival alongside Chief Minister

Conservative MP and former Chancellor and Foreign Secretary, Sir Jeremy Hunt, has been confirmed as the third headliner for this year’s Gibunco Gibraltar Literary Festival, the Gibraltar Cultural Services announced on Wednesday on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

He will appear ‘In Conversation With’ the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, to discuss his book Can We Be Great Again? Why a Dangerous World Needs Britain.

The book explores Britain’s role in a post-Brexit world and examines whether the UK can remain a global power.

Sir Jeremy draws on his experience in government, as well as his background founding the educational publishing company Hotcourses and supporting a charity for AIDS orphans in Africa.

A number of other authors have also been confirmed for the festival.

Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon, will present her upcoming book A Year at Highclere – Secrets and Stories from The Real Downton Abbey. Her previous works include Lady Almina and Lady Catherine, which provide historical and biographical insight into aristocratic life in the early 20th century.

Award-winning historian Carlo Greppi will discuss A Man of Few Words – The Bricklayer of Auschwitz Who Saved Primo Levi, a true story of resilience and heroism during the Holocaust.

Joao Vale de Almeida, the EU’s former Ambassador to the United States, the UN and the UK, will present The Divorce of Nations: A Diplomat’s Inside View as the Global Order Collapses, offering a personal account of global events including Brexit, the Great Financial Crisis, and the aftermath of 9/11.

Professors Janne Haaland and Rob Johnson will deliver a talk based on their book NATO and the Russian War in Ukraine, which examines the Western alliance’s response to the Russian invasion and the evolving state of international defence cooperation.

Illustrator James Mayhew will take part in the Schools Programme, sponsored by the John Mackintosh Educational Trust. He will present A Symphony of Stories, combining storytelling, classical music and art. Mr Mayhew is the author of over 70 titles, including the Ella Bella Ballerina series and Once Upon a Tune.

Professor Khalid Bekkaoui of the University of Fez will present Necklace and Pomegranates, a multicultural novel set in late Victorian Gibraltar. His participation is supported by the Gibraltar Moroccan Business Association in Tangier.

Journalist and broadcaster Alice Mascarenhas will present a book about her late father, Manolo Mascarenhas, known for his 1960s Radio Gibraltar programme Palabras al Viento. The book compiles his newspaper writings from 1946 to 1972 and reflects on Gibraltar’s cultural and political history during a time of heightened tensions with Spain.

A panel discussion at the festival will further explore the impact of Palabras al Viento on Gibraltar’s identity and morale during the lead-up to the 1969 frontier closure.

In collaboration with Seabourn Cruise Line, Grant Harrold, a former royal butler and etiquette expert, will present The Royal Butler, a memoir recounting his life within the royal household.

The Minister for Culture and Tourism, Christian Santos, said: “The Gibunco Gibraltar Literary Festival is no doubt a highlight of our cultural and tourism calendar and the amazing guest speakers are a testament to that. I look forward to another great festival later in the year.”

The festival will take place from November 10 to 16. Further information is available by contacting the Festival Director on 20047309 or by emailing info@culture.gi.