Day: 29 May 2017

His Excellency Robert Fillon, Ambassador of Monaco in Italy, representing HSH the Sovereign Prince, inaugurated the “infiorata di Noto” in the Sicilian city on May 20. The Monegasque delegation, composed of Guy Antognelli, Deputy Director of the Tourism and Convention Office, and the celebrated local artist Richard Seren, participated in a series of cultural events during the day to mark the festival.

Prince Albert was made a citizen of honour last year, and relations of friendship and cooperation have blossomed between the Principality and Noto, a city recognised for its architectural qualities as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Noto this year chose to dedicate its traditional “infiorata” – a popular celebration of springtime, during which beautiful decorations of cut flowers are displayed by volunteers in one of the main streets of the city – to Monaco and to make the Principality the guest of honour of the event.

Every year, more than a hundred thousand visitors and numerous media visit “Noto inforiata”.

Monaco had commissioned Richard Seren to create original drawings that were made into the decorative floral displays along rue Nicolaci with the motifs evoking the Principality.

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France’s new President, Emmanuel Macron, welcomed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the Chateau de Versailles on Monday at 2:15 pm for their first meeting, which covered a series of topics, the most important of which was the situation in Syria and Ukraine.

After a warm but perfunctory handshake on the red carpet in the marble courtyard of the chateau, which exhibited none of the drama of Mr Macron’s meeting last week with President Trump, the two heads of state enjoyed an extended luncheon before appearing at a joint press conference.

Vladimir Putin had previously called on Macron to “overcome mutual distrust”, in a message of congratulations send the day after his election, an election in which the Russian state has been accused of interfering.

At the G7 summit in Sicily at the weekend, Mr Macron had said: “It is essential to talk to Russia because there are a number of international issues that will not be resolved without a tough dialogue with them.”

The choice of Versailles for the summit venue is no accident. The two presidents are meeting after 300 years of Franco-Russian diplomacy that started under Czar Peter the Great.

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The annual Gala of the Princess Grace Dance Academy – open to the public – will take place on June 24 and 25 in the splendid Salle Garnier of the Opera de Monte-Carlo.

The Academy has enjoyed outstanding success in recent years, with 100 percent of its students accepted by international dance companies after their training.

The Princess Grace Academy has become one of the world’s most prestigious ballet schools, actively participating in preparing future generations of dancers by familiarising them with all styles of dance, from the most classical to the most contemporary, so that these students can join any company.

The year’s highlight, the Princess Grace Academy Gala, is an exceptional event at which students, teachers and choreographers together offer the public a dazzling show where the watchword is excellence.

A Moroccan man has been sent to jail after seriously abusing his young Monegasque wife over a period of several months. Monaco’s criminal court heard that police were called out a total of eleven times to the couple’s home on avenue Pasteur, after the wife telephoned to complain of violence at the hands of her husband.

Trouble was not long in coming to the marriage after wedding vows were exchanged in April 2016, the court was told, and, as is often the case in domestic violence, the victim at first refused to press charges. Finally, when the victim lodged a criminal complaint, in an attempt to explain away her injuries, the defendant claimed his wife had fallen.

Court President Florestan Bellinzona noted that the assaults were recurring. The defendant admitted he had hit his wife repeatedly, but blamed alcohol for his actions.

“Your wife took a picture with her Smartphone, she had black eyes and there were traces of struggle in the room,” the Judge Bellinzona said.

“When I work, I do not get carried away, but I have a big problem With alcohol,” responded the defendant.

The Deputy Prosecutor pointed out that every day three women die due to domestic violence. “You do not have to accept such behaviour in the Principality. His wife will not see him again. She asks that he never return to the marital home and condemn him to eighteen months,” he argued.

Counsel for the accused faced an uphill task, but nonetheless argued for a non-custodial sentence. The court decided to send the culprit to jail for 12 months, with a restraining order with the victim for two years.

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