Day: 2 February 2017

Monaco’s International Cooperation Department has sent a new Monaco International Volunteer (VIM) into the field. Charlotte Gamba, 24, has started her mission with the Ephata school, supported by the Monegasque Cooperation.

The specialised school teaches blind and partially-sighted children in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar. Established in 2002 by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary the Immaculate, Ephata offers guidance adapted to visual handicaps, enabling children to benefit from education with a maximum degree of autonomy.

During this year of volunteering, Charlotte, a Monegasque and a lawyer by training, will have the task of assisting the Administrative and Financial Manager of Ephata, and in particular to organise training in labour law.

She will also participate in the implementation and development of the school’s educational programmes, in particular providing support in French and English.

She will also be responsible for developing an activity generating income for the school: the establishment of a “bush taxi” line – a taxi collective between Antananarivo, the Malagasy capital, and Fianarantsoa.

Currently, six VIMs are on long-term missions in three priority countries of the Monegasque Cooperation: Morocco, Burkina Faso, and Madagascar.

Each job opening is published in the Journal de Monaco. Job profiles vary according to the needs of the partners of the Monegasque Cooperation. An application form is available on the website under the heading “The International Volunteers of Monaco”.

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The Monaco Tourist and Convention Authority (DTC) was in Madrid on January 18 for the official launch of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, at the invitation of the World Tourism Organisation, visitmonaco.com reports.

In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2017 “International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.” This year marks an important stage in the 2030 Agenda and is a step on the way to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

At the official launch in Madrid, Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation, emphasised that tourism is continuing to grow, despite the various crises:

“In 2016, more than 1.2 billion people travelled around the world for the purposes of tourism and six billion others made internal trips.”

With this in mind, the Secretary-General stressed the need for more sustainability in all aspects of tourism. He said that, “In parallel with the growth of the sector, there is also increased responsibility to promote greater sustainability, equity, inclusiveness and peace in our societies.”

The Monaco Tourist and Convention Authority has identified various aspects that it will develop throughout the year, including accessibility, with the publication of a booklet for visitors with reduced mobility, and the environment, with numerous visits highlighting activities related to protecting the environment. (Source: visitmonaco.com)

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British Airways is adding two summer destinations from Nice: London Stansted and Manchester, using 98-seat aircraft.

On Saturdays only, the carrier will fly from Manchester, with flights leaving at 1:05 pm, arriving in Nice at 4:25 pm, returning from Nice at 5:10 pm and arriving in Manchester at 6:10 pm.

Also on Saturdays, BA will fly from Stansted with departures at 1:05 pm, arriving into Nice at 4:15 pm. The return leg will leave Nice at 5 pm and arrive at Stansted at 6:10 pm.

BA has formerly served Gatwick, Heathrow and London City with flights operating year-round.

Meanwhile, Monaco Life has contacted British Airways for comment on the cancellation during part of March and April of the Heathrow-Nice flight BA352, which leaves London at 8:35 pm and arrives at Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport at 11:30 pm.

The flight is “always close to full”, commented a Monaco resident, who added that “with this flight removed from the schedule and the last BA flight leaving at 5:40 pm, it makes it impossible to do a days work in London and then return home.”

Also, since January 11, all economy passengers on flights of less than five hours out of Heathrow and Gatwick will now have to pay for snacks (Stansted and London City departures will continue free food service until summer 2017).

The Marks & Spencer “All food choices under £5” menu uses a cashless payment system only, or Executive Club Members can pay with Avios (BA app download required).

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The Larvotto tunnel will be closed at night to traffic in both directions from Monday, February 6, until Thursday, March 30. The overnight closures will run each day from 8 pm until 6 am. The noisiest work will be stopped at midnight.

The closure is a continuation of the progressive installation of security features in Monaco’s road tunnels, including the setting up of fire protection networks and the creation of fire and safety niches.

During the duration of work, users coming from the east of the Principality via boulevard du Larvotto will have to leave at the Portier roundabout, while traffic coming from the west will only have access to the Monaco train station.

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