Day: 1 November 2017

A very moving award ceremony of the second edition of the “Heart of Words” contest took place on October 20 at the Monte Carlo Technical and Hospitality School in the presence of Prince Albert, who presented the prizes to the winners.

The event was attended by important personalities, including Patrice Cellario, Minister of the Interior; Isabelle Bonnal, Director of National Education, Youth and Sports; HE Marine de Carné de Trécesson, Ambassador of France to Monaco; Nicole Barbin, President of Women World Leaders; and among others, the members of the Jury, the government, the diplomatic and consular corps, as well as partners in the Hearts of Words, and personalities from business sports, and culture.

Prince Albert took the floor to confirm the importance he attaches to this initiative, which takes a real look at respect for human and women’s rights and gender equality. The Prince emphasised that Heart of Words grew up with its own identity, and is now ready to stand on its own, and become independent to expand its horizons around the world.

Prince Albert did the honour of presenting the prizes to the winners, accompanied by Fawzia Zouari, President of the Jury, and Hilde Haneuse Heye, Founder and President of Aux Cœurs des Mots.

Young high school students have succeeded in highlighting women who have made a significant impact and who are able to meet challenges in a difficult context. The young people emphasised the role and work of women who had validated their central place in society, eradicating discrimination and advancing the principles of gender equality.

Twenty-six schools on four continents took part in the Heart of Words Competition, which is in the French language. The winners of the second edition were:

1st: Bessi Kama “The jump of hope”, Coastal College, Lomé, Togo.
2nd: Christine Ntahe “Mother Sunday”, High School of the Holy Spirit, Bujumbura, Burundi.
3rd: Zahra Rahimi “Zahra so well known, so little known”, Shahid Mahdavi School, Tehran, Iran and Sidonie Amoussou “A life a fight for a young freedman”, La Rosette School Complex, Porto-Novo, Benin (Ex-aequo).
4th: Nada Moghaizel-Nasr “An exceptional activist”, French Holy Family School, Jounieh, Lebanon.

The Jury’s Coup de Coeur went to Djoher Amhis “The Guardian of the Temple”, Alexandre Dumas International High School, Algiers, Algeria, and Marina Gahama “A grain of sand”, Maurice College, Nice, France, received Special Mention.

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Monaco defender Fabinho has chosen to speak out to Nice-Matin on his disappointment during the summer of not being freed to join league rivals Paris Saint-Germain. He said he had considered “going into dispute” with the club, but thought better of it.

“I couldn’t get what the club had promised me out of my head. I was convinced I was right, and yes, I thought about going into dispute with them,” he told local French daily Nice Matin.

“But I talked it over with my friends, my family, my agent, and it wasn’t an easy decision. The image I would have given off wouldn’t have been one that corresponded to me.”

The 24-year-old Brazilian added, “Even though I only had that as a solution, I preferred not to enter into a fight with the club.”

He admitted that at the start of this season he hadn’t given the game his all. “My mind was elsewhere. Sometimes, unwittingly, I didn’t manage to give my all. It wasn’t to give a bad impression of myself, I couldn’t do anything. I was frustrated at the end of the transfer window, but I’ve turned the page.”

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The first official meeting within the civil protection consultation framework agreement between Monaco and Mauritania took place last week in the Maghreb region of western Africa.

Representing Mauritania were the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralisation. Monaco was represented by the head of the fire brigade, the Honorary Consul and representatives of the Directorate for International Cooperation.

The meeting on October 25 followed the signing of the agreement in July this year. On that occasion, the Monegasque delegation was led by Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Department for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, who was received by the highest Mauritanian authorities.

Cooperation between the two countries in the field of civil protection, initiated by Monaco’s fire service, has been in place for the past 20 years.

Diplomatic relations between Monaco and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, which borders Algeria, Senegal and Mali, was officially established in 2011, although Mauritania has also been a country for priority cooperation and aid by the Monaco government since 2002.

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News

Perverse weather conditions, such as the late frost that destroyed much of France’s wine crop in its early stages this spring, along with drought conditions over the summer, have combined to hammer the wine sector unusually hard. Output was down by 19 percent from 2016.

Many experts have attributed the weather troubles to climate change. However, climate change is not the only challenge.

Jérôme Agostini, director of the CNIV, an umbrella group for the various professions in the French wine industry, said: “It’s not just a problem of climate change but also of bacteria diseases affecting the wood of the vines and insects destroying the plants.”

The CNIV is now working with France’s public agricultural authority FranceAgriMer and the Ministry of Agriculture on a plan to combat the decline that’s been gathering pace over several decades.

Currently at the research stage, the project will receive €10.5 million in investment over the course of three years between 2017 and 2020.

Georges Haushalter, Bordeaux trader and president of the Economic Commission of the Interprofessional Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), has spoken of widespread anxiety through the French wine industry and the threat of bankruptcy for a number of vineyards, particularly in Burgundy. “The situation is critical, but not tragic,” he told l’Express.

Vineyard owners and the rest of the industry are now focussed on 2018, which promises to be a make or break year for French wine production.

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On Wednesday, October 25, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA celebrated the 2017 Princess Grace Awards Gala in Beverly Hills in the presence of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene.

Hosted by Sex and the City actress Kristin Davis, the 2017 Princess Grace Awards Gala marked the Foundation’s 35th Anniversary and continues the legacy of Grace Kelly, who during her lifetime helped emerging artists pursue their artistic careers.

Since its inception, the non-profit, publicly-supported foundation, headquartered in New York City, has awarded €860,000 (over $1 million) annually to up-and-coming talent in theatre, dance, and film by awarding scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. To date, nearly 800 recipients have been awarded.

The highlight of Wednesday’s Gala was when Prince Albert and Avatar star Sam Worthington presented filmmaker James Cameron with the Prince Rainier III Award for his outstanding contribution to the Arts and his exemplary give-back. This award includes a grant of €21,400 ($25,000) to the philanthropic organisation of the recipient’s choice and a uniquely designed sculpture by artist Alex Soldier.

Filmmaker Jon M. Chu (2001 Princess Grace Award Winner) and New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Tiler Peck (2004 Princess Grace Award Winner) bestowed the 2017 Princess Grace Statue Award – for artists distinguishing themselves in their respective disciplines since receiving their initial Princess Grace Awards – to screenwriter Bridget Carpenter and choreographer Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards

The Princess Grace Award was also presented to 21 rising artists. The audience was treated to a tap dance performance by Princess Grace Award winners Michelle Dorrance and Joseph Wiggan, along with Jason Samuels Smith, and Sara Bareilles closed the evening with a special musical performance of her chart-topping hits Love Song, She Used to Be Mine, and Brave.

Additional attendees included HE Ambassador Maguy Maccario Doyle, Buzz Aldrin, Khandi Alexander (Scandal), Toby E. Boshak (PGF-USA Executive Director), Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer (Producer), Sharna Burgess (Dancing with the Stars), Sofia Carson (Descendants 2), Karen and Stephen Hillenburg (Creator, SpongeBob SquarePants), Hon. John F. Lehman (PGF-USA Chairman), D. Christopher Le Vine (PGF-USA Board of Trustees), Christopher McDonald (Ballers), Sofia Milos (Sangre Negra), Isabela Moner (Transformers: The Last Knight), Bethany Mota (Social Media Personality), Judd Nelson (Billionaire Boys Club), Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Wolfgang and Gelila Puck (Host Committee), Sam Trammell (This Is Us), Jon B. Turk, MD (PGF-USA Board of Trustees), Dick Wolf (Creator, Law & Order), Lynn Wyatt (PGF-USA Board of Trustees), and Billy Zane (Legends of Tomorrow).

Article first published October 26, 2017. All photos by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Princess Grace Foundation-USA.

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