Day: 21 September 2017

Leading Luxury Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer has confirmed its participation at Top Marques Watches & Jewellery, opening during Yacht Show week in Monaco.

The famous watch brand, which belongs to the distinguished LVMH group, will be exhibiting its latest timepieces at the third edition of the Principality’s prestigious watch event being held in the Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo from September 28 to 30.

TAG Heuer is just one of a number of exclusive watch and jewellery brands to have been confirmed for the ‘Pop-up’ show, which opens in the splendid Salle Belle Epoque next Thursdayduring the Monaco Yacht Show.

Organisers also revealed on Thursday, September 21, that the patron of the show – HSH Prince Albert – has donated an exclusive timepiece by luxury Swiss watchmaker Breguet for the event’s fundraising auction in aid of Monegasque association Monaco Disease Power.

Prince Albert’s extremely generous prize is one of a number of exclusive items that will go under the hammer at the Top Marques Watches & Jewellery Cocktail Party being held on the opening evening of the show.

Guests to the invitation-only party in the Salle Belle Epoque will also get the chance to bid for a Franck Dubarry watch as well as art work from three major galleries in the fundraising auction for Monaco Disease Power, an organisation which supports the families of children with physical disabilities or mental illness.

Managing director Manoj Bairstow said: “We are overwhelmed by the generous donation of our patron HSH Prince Albert, as well as our other big-hearted partners and exhibitors. Monaco Disease Power works tirelessly to help those in need and we are delighted that through Top Marques Watches & Jewellery, more families will be able to benefit from much-needed respite in the association’s wonderful centre.”

Other brands to be represented at the Principality’s only event dedicated solely to Haute Horlogerie and Jewellery include Swiss horologer Franck Muller, ultra-high-end watchmaker DeWitt and Greubel Forsey, creator of one of the rarest current-production timepieces, the Quadruple Tourbillion. New collections to be showcased include women’s watches by Hesjy, a brand launched this year in Switzerland and Nunzio La Vecchia, more famously known for his revolutionary electric supercar the Quantino, which will be on display outside the Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo throughout the event.

Heading up the list of luxury jewellery are four of Monaco’s most elegant brands: HRH Jewels, Sandra Biloe Joallierie Monaco, Elena Sivoldaeva and Jasre, the latter two exhibitors who are returning for their third year.

Also returning to the show with a stunning Faberge egg “Empres II” is talented artist Isabelle Arpagian who specialises in creating unique artworks for historical castles, private homes and major art collectors.

READ MORE: Top Marques Watches returns to the Hermitage

A high-level conference and interactive exhibit, “(Zero Gravity) 0G Summit – Space Diplomacy in the Age of NewSpace” announced its mission to make Space the New Frontier for Peace during the prestigious 2017 Concordia Annual Summit, on the sidelines of the General Debate of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 19.

Monaco resident Namira Salim co-chaired the Summit, her brainchild, which is the lead initiative of her non-profit, nonpartisan organisation, Space Trust. The event was co-chaired, moderated and hosted by Dr Lance Bush, President & CEO of Challenger Center.

“This year’s 0G Summit dialogue reinforced the importance of the space industry and the benefits it offers to citizens around the globe,” said Dr. Bush. “To ensure the industry continues to innovate at a high level, it is critical that we all work to inspire today’s students to pursue space and other STEM-related careers.”

Namira is internationally renowned as the first (future) Space Tourist from South Asia, Middle East and Monaco to go to space aboard Virgin Galactic—the first private space-line of the world. Sir Richard Branson, Chairman Virgin Group, personally introduced Namira to the world press in Dubai in 2006, as one of the earliest Founders of Virgin Galactic.

“As spacefaring and new space nations expand cooperation via human and robotic missions, the world is on the verge of ushering Space ‘Shuttle’ Diplomacy,” said Namira Salim. “So, why not open space to world leaders and politicians to utilize the orbit for sustainable peacemaking and conflict resolution on earth?”

0G Summit 2030 is being observed by United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and was presented this past February in Vienna at the 54th Session of the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

The (Zero Gravity) 0G Summit, has been advocating the first peace summit in orbit by 2030. The International Space Station has become a beacon for international cooperation in space—where future commercial space stations in orbit by the mid-2020s could serve as a concrete platform for convenings in zero gravity.

Namira is an avid promoter of Private Spaceflight, the new age of space exploration and a keen advocate of peaceful uses of Space. She has undertaken pioneering peace expeditions to all three poles of the world, and is the first Pakistani and first woman from Monaco and the UAE to have reached the North and South Poles in 2007/08, as well as the first Asian to skydive (tandem) over Mount Everest in 2008.

Namira holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University. She is a regular speaker at top space industry events and UN Conferences and has held official peace-themed exhibitions during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, UNESCO’s Executive Board in Paris and OIC Day at UNESCO and several events under the Patronage of Royalty from Monaco and Dubai. Namira has served as an Honorary Ambassador for Pakistan and Honorary Consul in the Principality of Monaco, where she has been based for 20 years.

READ MORE: Prince Albert at the UN

Model and actress Poppy Delevingne showed her passion for protecting the oceans last weekend, as she launched Blue Marine Foundation’s London to Monaco cycle ride.

Delevingne kicked off the charity bike ride – now in its second year – on Sunday morning, September 17, as more than 60 cyclists departed from Somerset House, London, on their 1,400-kilometre challenge. A royal welcome awaits them in Monaco, where HSH Prince Albert will greet them at the Palace.

The money raised will help BLUE achieve its aim of protecting vast tracts of the world’s oceans. BLUE exists to combat overfishing and the destruction of biodiversity – arguably the largest problem facing the world’s oceans – by creating large-scale marine reserves and developing models of sustainable fishing. So far BLUE has helped to protect 4 million square kilometres of ocean.

Poppy is an ambassador for BLUE and explained why she wanted to be there to wish the riders well ahead of their gruelling challenge: “Our oceans and the amazing ecosystems they support are in danger. Overfishing and a lack of protection has thrown them into crisis. The sea is a passion for me personally – it’s a place of peace and relaxation but it also sustains so much life. The fact that it could be destroyed forever is unacceptable, but also avoidable if we put the right protection measures in place. We need to act now to conserve our oceans for future generations, which is why I am a supporter of BLUE and these brave cyclists as they set off on their very tough, but incredibly worthwhile challenge.”

This year, the ride aims to raise funds for even more projects, including the protection of waters around Ascension Island and the Maldives, as well as the Solent Oyster Restoration Project and Beyond Plastic Med, a project in collaboration with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation that targets plastic waste in the Mediterranean.

Clare Brook, CEO of BLUE said: “Last year, funds raised by the London to Monaco cycle ride made a huge contribution to the protection of extraordinary marine environments around Ascension in the tropical Atlantic and the Aeolian Islands north of Sicily. This year the ride will be supporting even more projects and achieving even more. I am in complete awe of my colleagues and all the other riders who are going to such lengths to restore the oceans for future generations.”

Prince Albert, who is the Founding Patron of the Blue Marine Yacht Club, and who will greet the riders at the end of their challenge said: “Oceans are more than ever at the heart of our common future. The London to Monaco Cycle Ride is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness on the necessity to protect our fragile oceans.”

The London to Monaco ride was established by Winch Design and launched last year by pop superstar Simon Le Bon, with riders and sponsors raising a phenomenal £280,000 for two ocean conservation projects. Winch Design has a long-standing relationship with BLUE and has supported the charity through smaller initiatives in the past.

To donate to BLUE and find out more about its vital conservation work, see: http://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/support-us/

READ MORE: A Monaco Yacht Show Series Original: Thomas Hill

The president of European football’s governing body, UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, has called for more commitment from Europe’s political leaders to support measures to regulate the transfer market.

“I have heard some very prominent politicians, such as the German Chancellor Angela Merkel just a few days ago, condemning financial developments in football and calling for greater sporting balance,” Ceferin said in his opening speech to the UEFA Congress in Geneva on Wednesday, September 20.

“To all the European politicians, let me say that we cannot agree more, but I cannot say that you have done much to help us set things straight so far.

“We are open to any and all reforms that would serve the good of the game. We are imaginative and we are committed, and we are just waiting for the green light from those who have yet to enable us to put it right.”

Chancellor Merkel recently criticised France’s Paris Saint-Germain for its spending in the summer transfer window. The club committed itself to the two biggest fees in history to sign Neymar from Barcelona for $264 million and Kylian Mbappe from Monaco for €180 million.

“Such sums are comprehensible to no one. UEFA and FIFA should readjust the rules on player transfers to ensure greater balance. Otherwise, the transfer fees threaten to rise further,” Merkel said.

UEFA said earlier this month said it had opened an enquiry into whether PSG had broken its rules on Financial Fair Play designed to stop clubs spending more than they earn.

READ MORE: Mbappe move to be investigated