Alexey Antropov with Pascal Granero, Director of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, and Aya Glagoleva. Photo: International Philanthropy Summit Monaco.
The first edition of the International Philanthropy Summit took place on Thursday, February 15, at Auditorium Rainier III.
Founded by Antropov Alexey, the event brought together some 60 people to hear distinguished philanthropists, who help “drive public attention to the social responsibility of wealthy individuals and luxury brands”.
The programming was divided into three sessions: How Private Wealth Can Fill Public Gaps: Charity, Philanthropy & Social Investment; What Are the Key Trends in Philanthropy?; and How Celebrities & Luxury Brands Work to Save Natural Resources and Improve the Livelihoods and Education of the Most Vulnerable and Unprotected People?
The distinguished list of international speakers included well-respected Monaco figures – the Director of the Prince Albert II Foundation Olivier Wenden, Luc Pettavino, Founder of OnlyWatch, the biennial charity auction of one-of-a-kind timepieces for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research, and Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannu, Founder of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, and the first Monaco resident to join the Giving Pledge, the “global, multi-generational initiative” that encourages the most affluent individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.
Alexey Antropov, Sir Stelios, Aya Glagoleva, Ambassador of the Antropov Foundation, and Vladimir Lyaporov. Photo: International Philanthropy Summit Monaco.
At the end of the day, three speakers were presented with awards, designed by Monaco-based artist Marcos Marin. The first trophy was given to Dr Rupert Graf Strachwitz, Founder of the Maecenata Institute for Philanthropy and Civil Society in Berlin, whose involvement with not-profit organisations for over 30 years has earned him acclaim as one of Germany’s key philanthropists.
The second prize was awarded to Sir Stelios, whose Foundation is committed to supporting entrepreneurship with annual awards such as the Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs in the UK. The easyJet founder received a Knighthood for services to entrepreneurship, and since 2009 he has been the Honorary General Consul for the Republic of Cyprus in the Principality of Monaco.
Daniel Gros, Director of the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels, received the final award. Mr Gros, a frequent speaker at World Economic Forum, previously worked for the International Monetary Fund and was a former advisor to the French prime minister.
On Thursday, February 15, the Palace brightly displayed the colour orange, as special lights illuminated the building in a tribute International Childhood Cancer Day.
This was an initiative of the Monaco-based Fondation Flavien, which had gathered several hundred people at the Place du Palais for a symbolic march to raise awareness about paediatric cancers.
Photo: Facebook Palais Princier de Monaco
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), every three minutes a child dies of cancer, but children have a signifcicantly higher surivival rate than adults, which in high-income countries reach an average of 84 percent.
The Fondation Flavien aims to help and support the fight against childhood cancers, rare diseases in children and the families affected by these types of diseases. This is done through research, preventive action, care and support for families as well as the medical profession. The Foundation therefore works hand in hand with the Scientific Center of Monaco – led by Professor Rampal, Scientific Director Denis German and Research Director, Gilles Pagès.
Photo: Facebook Palais Princier de Monaco
The most used therapeutic model in the treatment of childhood cancers combines surgery followed by chemotherapy and then conventional radiotherapy. In Nice, the technical platform will soon be equipped with a proton therapy device, only the second in France. This is a very precise radiotherapy that can irradiate the tumour by sparing the neighbouring organs to significantly reduce adverse effects.
However, the response of paediatric cancer cells to this type of therapy is still poorly understood and needs to be compared to conventional treatment in order to better appreciate the therapeutic benefits. Although the treatment permits stabilisation of the disease at first, relapses related to an ability to form blood and lymphatic vessels and high metabolic (energetic) activity of residual tumour cells can be observed. These mechanisms, already well known in adult tumours can be countered with new anti-cancer therapies, called “targeted therapies”, not yet used in children for lack of studies and funding.
In 2015, IARC reported worldwide incidence of childhood cancer increased “from 165,000 new cases annually to 215,000 cases for children 14 years and younger” and 85,000 new cases for 15-19 year-olds.
Etienne Franzi, President of CMB; HE Mireille Pettiti, President of MIE; Gilles Tonelli, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Albert Croesi, Managing Director of MIE. Photo: Manuel Vitali/DC
Albert Croesi, Managing Director of Monaco Inter Expo (MIE), and Etienne Franzi, President of Compagnie Monégasque de Banque (CMB), signed a working partnership agreement on Thursday, February 15, in the presence of Gilles Tonelli, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and HE Mireille Pettiti, President of MIE.
Convinced by the positive experience of the first partnership between MIE and CMB during the Astana EXPO-2017 Specialised Exhibition, the Monegasque bank wished to become more involved with the State Corporation to promote the influence of the Principality locally and beyond its borders.
“MIE is not only honoured by the confidence of the CMB, which becomes its official partner, but also proud to be associated with the image of excellence of this bank,” said Mr Croesi.
MIE’s mission is to promote the image of Monaco abroad and to organise events in the Principality, the first of which, entitled “Meeting of the Historic Grimaldi Sites of Monaco”, will take place on June 23 and 24, 2018.
Boris Cyrulnik and Charlotte Casiraghi, Founding Member of Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco. Photo; Manuel Vitali/DC 
The Monaco Philosophical Encounters hosted an important and successful lecture on the topic of “Childhood and Violence”, given by Boris Cyrulnik, at the Princess Grace Theatre on Wednesday, February 14.
After a presentation by Charlotte Casiraghi, founding Member of Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco, the French neuro-psychiatrist discussed the evolution of violence in history as well as the dangers of emotional neglect and the different types of attacks – verbal, psychological, and physical, which can damage the child’s relationship to the world and damage its brain.
Recalling that the repercussions of violence can be detected in utero, Boris Cyrulnik, through the concept of “sensory niche”, emphasised the need to develop as soon as possible a secure attachment with the child, which will induce him or her to develop strong self-confidence and self-esteem.
Boris Cyrulnik and Charlotte Casiraghi, Founding Member of Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco. Photo; Manuel Vitali/DC 
In front of a passionate audience, with whom he largely interacted, he concluded his presentation with an extension of the conference’s theme by evoking the obvious links between violence and deculturation, violence and eroticism, violence and authority.
Dr Cyrulnik’s interest in psychiatry, particularly psychological resilience, stems from his own childhood during WWII. As a Jewish child, both his parents were arrested and killed. In 1943, young Boris was captured by Nazis in Bordeaux but managed to avoid detention by hiding in restrooms and later living as a farm boy – Jean Laborde – until the end of the war.
The funds raised during the evening will be fully donated to the Monegasque Association “Jeune J’écoute”.
A Monegasque delegation took part in an exchange of views on co-operation between the Council of Europe and the United Nations (UN) in the field of human rights, held in Strasbourg on Thursday, February 15.
Held every year within the framework of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the meeting aims to enable various experts to discuss ways to improve strategic collaboration and synergies between the Strasbourg Organisation and UN bodies on the many topics of common interest.
A discussion on the protection of migrant children gave the Principality the opportunity to highlight its international commitment, both political and financial, to the rights of the child, particularly in the context of the migration crisis.
The Committee of Ministers is the statutory decision-making body of the Council of Europe, composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Member States. The latter meet once a year at ministerial level and their Delegates (Permanent Representatives to the Council of Europe) sit once a week.
Sylvie Biancheri, General Director of Grimaldi Forum Monaco
ML: Can you tell us a little about your background, and the path that led to your current position of General Director, Grimaldi Forum Monaco? SB: I am Parisian, and moved to Monaco in 1995 with my husband Franck, a Monegasque, who had the opportunity to join the Department of Finance and Economy as General Director.
It was a turning point in my career. Since 1983, I had mainly been working for banks (Export Financing) and insurance brokers (Political and Financial Risks). I spent two years at the Monaco Tourism Board where I learned about business tourism and then in 1998, when the Grimaldi Forum was still under construction, I was asked to put together a small team of three to elaborate a strategy, both in culture and business tourism, and to prepare the Forum’s operations. It was an amazing experience as we started essentially from zero!
ML: Can you please provide a brief history with some key facts and figures for our readers who may not be familiar with the Grimaldi Forum. SB: Inaugurated in July 2000, the Grimaldi Forum Monaco is the Congress Centre of the Principality of Monaco, hosting one hundred professional events per year: trade shows, product launches, conventions, conferences, gala dinners …
This state-of-art building offers 35,000m² of exhibition and functional space, comprising also the Salle des Princes, which, with 1800 seats, is the largest auditorium in Monaco.
With nearly €17 million turnover, the Grimaldi Forum has achieved record results in 2016 and 2017, generating more than €55 million in economic benefits for the Principality. It is a great source of pride for the 136 employees representing 46 trades through events that welcome more than 220,000 visitors per year.
Since October 2008 the Grimaldi Forum has held ISO 14001:2015 environmental management certification.
Photo: Facebook Grimaldi Forum
ML: Does Grimaldi Forum focus on business and trade? SB: No, the Grimaldi Forum is also an unparalleled venue providing a cultural programme focused on three major themes: exhibitions, music and dance.
Every summer the Grimaldi Forum Monaco puts on a major thematic exhibition devoted to a leading arts movement, a heritage or civilisation subject.
ML: Since the award of its ISO 14001 certification in October 2008, Grimaldi Forum has continued with its eco-initiatives to reduce waste, water and energy. Can you tell us about the Forum’s commitment to the environment, and how this aligns with the government’s objective of a carbon-neutral Principality by 2050? SB: As we are ISO 14001 certified, we work daily to reduce the impact of our event activity on the environment. This translates into concrete action in terms of reducing our energy and water consumption, effectively sorting waste, adapting a policy of purchasing eco-labelled products or services, and a willingness to raise awareness via our communication.
In other words, we immediately responded to the government’s call for a successful energy transition in the country. We signed the National Pact, and have seen strong results already: a 19.2 percent reduction in power consumption with a 62.7 percent reduction in water consumption since our certification in 2008.
We focus on searching for new energy solutions, such as solar panels, like the plan drawn up by the State as part of its Energy Transition initiative.
ML: How do you plan the yearly agenda? Is there a division of events dedicated to culture or congresses, for example? SB: The development of our agenda is a clever mix between the needs of our business customers who are solicited as part of our commercial prospecting – which represents nearly 80 percent of our events, the requests of cultural entities of the Principality who wish to take advantage of the Grimaldi Forum to showcase their great performances, and Grimaldi Forum’s own productions, shows and especially art exhibitions, like in the summer, which require two years of preparatory work.
Photo: Facebook Grimaldi Forum
ML: Regarding congresses and conferences, how does the Grimaldi Forum compete internationally in Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Events (MICE) market? Which cities do you see as your main competitors? SB: The MICE industry is developing today into an increasingly competitive environment. All tourist destinations try to attract congresses and conferences, which constitute a significant economic windfall. Our main competitors are the major European capitals – Paris, Berlin, Vienna, London … but also the more Mediterranean destinations, like Barcelona and Cannes.
But our assets give us an edge over our competition: a destination with an international reputation, finely-tuned operations, expertise and quality service to meet market demands – which our customers greatly appreciate. And thanks to innovation in all areas, we are always looking for ways to strengthen our attractiveness.
ML: What are the trends you are seeing in the business tourism market and how does Grimaldi Forum Monaco adapt to these demands? SB: Business tourism is living in exciting times – for participants, planners and venues! The Grimaldi Forum Monaco builds its strengths on successful customer experiences, its capacity to innovate and its strategy to satisfy a constantly emerging MICE market. Main trends in the business tourism market:
Value for money: The Grimaldi Forum offers an unequalled quality/price ratio. This is mainly due to the expertise and professionalism of our teams (140 people covering more than 40 different professions), as well as our high standards in terms of customer service. Hospitality and specialised service are very important features at Grimaldi Forum Monaco, which is a key player in helping to make Monaco a business and cultural destination.
“All-inclusive venues for human-friendly event playgrounds”: To quote Event Manager Blog, venues have an increasingly impactful role in helping planners enhance event experiences. As an event-friendly venue, Grimaldi Forum provides end-to-end services while remaining flexible to planners to help them create immersive experiences.
Innovation: Today events need to reach out, connect and share! We have responded to this market demand by proving the necessary digital and technological infrastructure, and also by designing new services for our clients.
Safety and security: Whether physical or cyber, security is top on planners’ agendas. Monaco benefits from a well-known reputation in this field.
Sustainability: For the last 10 years, sustainability has been a growing trend in the industry. Due to our ISO 14001 certification ten years ago, we focus our attention on six priorities: Energy, Water, Waste Sorting, Green Products & Procurement Policy, Prevention of Environmental Risks, and Communication.
Photo: Facebook Grimaldi Forum
ML: How much secondary revenue do congresses and conferences at Grimaldi Forum generate for the Principality? SB: A congress at the Grimaldi Forum is on average between 600 and 1,500 people … per day. For certain events, such as the World Anti-Aging Congress, we exceed the 10,000 professionals who need to stay, eat, move and work in good conditions, and efficiently –everything is within walking distance … The economic spin-off represents around €55 million per year.
ML: What have been some of the Forum’s biggest ever successes – Francis Bacon, the Forbidden City, TEDxMonteCarlo, Top Marques, sports, music? SB: The most successful event held at the Grimaldi Forum was the Grace Kelly exhibition in 2007 with 135,000 visitors in two months.
But success is not only measured by attendance, it depends also on the nature of the event, whether business or cultural … but we do emphasise that any event taking place at the Grimaldi Forum is considered a quality event. This is the strength of the Grimaldi Forum brand, which echoes the richness of our programming.
ML: Any future events or expansion plans for Grimaldi Forum you can share? SB: The future development of the Grimaldi Forum inevitably involves the land extension
project, which will allow us to expand over the next 10 years. With almost 6,000 m2, we will increase our exhibition space by 50 percent and be able to organise three simultaneous events. This is a great opportunity … In the meantime, our goal is to minimise the impact on our business and to remain fully operational to our customers.
For more see the Grimaldi Forum Monaco website. Article first published February 15, 2018.
