Monaco has made the important step of signing the Convention on laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime and the financing of terrorism.
On Tuesday 23rd April, Ambassador Rémi Mortier, permanent representative of Monaco to the Council of Europe, delivered the Instrument of Ratification allowing the Principality to become the 35th State Party to the Convention.
The convention, open for signature since 2005, will come into force for Monaco on 1st August 2019. It is the first international instrument combining both prevention and the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. It updates a 1990 Convention in order to broaden the action of states in the fight against the financing of terrorism through legal activities.
“The Principality confirms, through this membership, its constant determination to fight against money laundering,” said the government in a statement.
The Monaco Government has put together a host of measures to tackle traffic flow following the collapse of the Moyenne Corniche at the end April. A number of works throughout the Principality have also been postponed to help drivers navigate the city easier.
On 25th April, traffic on the roads leading into Monaco jumped by more than 10% due to a number of combined incidents: the collapse of a retaining wall on the Moyenne Corniche, preparation works surrounding the Grand Prix, a vehicle fire in the A500 tunnel, a truck that became stuck in the Marquet link, an influx of tourists during the school holidays, the inclement weather and the fact police had shut down the Albert II Tunnel in anticipation of potential Yellow Vests protests.
“With a flow of more than 110,000 vehicles per day, traffic in the Principality is a fragile balance. As soon as an event occurs on the access roads to Monaco, it has an immediate impact on the flow of traffic,” said Minister of State Serge Telle after studying roadside surveillance footage taken during that day.
As a result, the government has put together a range of measures to ease traffic flow while the Moyenne Corniche remains closed. They include the acceleration of network renovations on Boulevard Jardin Exotique by increasing the time slot for non-noisy operations, ending on 10th May when the Moyenne Corniche is scheduled to reopen, and resuming two-lane traffic. The second phase of this work is being postponed.
Lighting work on Avenue Hector Otto is also being postponed, and vehicles will be able to use four bus lanes in the Principality: Rue Grimaldi, Boulevard Albert 1er, Avenue d’Ostende and Boulevard Charles III between Place d’Armes and Place du Canton.
In addition, the Government has decided to systematically intensify the means of communication in real time on incidents impacting traffic, including sharing information on social networks and warning systems via local radio stations. They will also reinforce police checks for uncivil road behaviour.
Meanwhile, works at the end of Avenue de Fontvielle that are scheduled to commence after the Grand Prix have been delayed and will be reviewed in order to minimise their impact on traffic.
The government also reiterated current plans to reduce the number of cars on Monaco’s roads, including the deployment in July of a new fleet of 290 electric bikes and 35 new stations including three at Beausoleil, and subsidies for reducing car park usage.
How to host a superyacht party during the Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix is fast approaching and everyone is in the final stages of organising where they will be during the Principality’s biggest event.
The hottest tickets are undoubtedly onboard elegant superyachts that line the harbour and overlook the race track. So what’s it like to host one of the most luxurious parties of the year?
To find out, Monaco Life asked Nicholas Frankl, co-founder of My Yacht Group, who also shared with us his guest list this year, and it is – quite literally – out of this world.
Nicholas you’re quite the mainstay with regards to the Monaco Grand Prix, tell us about your company My Yacht Group and the parties that you create here?
Well we have been happily creating very memorable experiences for our wonderful guests all over the world for 14 years now. We took up what we saw as a vacuum in the market which allowed luxury brands and high-net-worth, ultra-high-net-worth and influential consumers around the world to come to Monaco, without necessarily being attached directly to a Formula 1 team. By and large they are wonderful companies, but they are not necessarily related to HNW and UHNW individuals because they are massive global consumer goods companies, and it lacks a connection.
For example, when I ran the Asprey (Royal family jeweller in London) sponsorship of Ferrari from 1996-99, we assumed that the paddock club would be full of like-minded people. We had this beautiful collection of custom made Ferrari silver that we were selling, and to our horror we discovered that some of the guests of the other sponsors were taking much too much of a liking to some of the pieces of silverware, without necessarily wanting to pay for it. You see there was no commonality between the guests.
So given my love of Monaco and my experience of Formula One, I saw an opportunity to bring luxury brands and clients together on a superyacht – which is really the place you want to be at the Monaco Grand Prix – and create an atmosphere where they felt comfortable with like-minded people.
Nicholas Frankl, co-founder of My Yacht Group
Can you give us an example of the ambiance that is created during an event like this?
My Yacht Group is a company founded by myself and my sister Annabelle. It is a family business, so the atmosphere starts at the top. There is an important connection because we know many of the guests, who come from all over the world, but who go to ART Basel in Miami where again we have a yacht party; they go to St Barths for Christmas and New Year, where we have a yacht celebration; they’re in Pebble Beach California buying cars at the Pebble Beach Concours, again we are the only people there with a superyacht. So many of them we touch on an annual basis or multiple times and they are engaged with our events, and that creates relationships and friendships, not just with us directly but with the other guests.
The pinnacle of course is Monaco, and here the atmosphere is relaxed, cordial and elegant. We serve only the best champagne, we will have three kilograms of caviar, excellent catering by Monagasque company A Roca, and live entertainment with a DJ and Eddie Jordan. And of course we have a very beautiful yacht right on the race track.
Catering by A Roca, a Monegasque company
Tell us about the kind of guests that you attract?
We have a lot of clients that come from the US, Europe and Asia, and most of them will say the same thing to me… that they want to go to the Grand Prix but they don’t know how. These are, by and large, high achievers in their fields but they are used to a certain type of performance when they go on holiday. It is not a question of money for them, they just want to go and know they are in safe hands. We have the same team we have had for more than a decade now, they are local people who know how to get stuff done.
Then from a corporate perspective, there are a lot of companies looking to reengage with their existing clients and develop new relationships. This is something we are very specialised in. We spend a lot of time and energy helping brands connect with interesting people in a very authentic way, and what better way to do so than at the Monaco Grand Prix over a four-day period of relaxing, enjoying the atmosphere, and genuinely building a relationship.
MY Legend reception 2018
Is there anyone exciting on the guest list this year?
We actually have an incredible client coming called Axiom Space and they are all record breaking astronauts. One will be Michael Lopez-Alegria, who has done more space walks than anyone at NASA; he helped build the International Space Station, and went up as a cosmonaut with the Russian Space program. Axiom are actually creating the first commercial space station, offering a limited number of tickets at a price of $55 million. They are of course looking to talk to billionaires who are potentially interested in going to space.
So they are the kind of people you get to talk to on a MYG superyacht during the Grand Prix, it truly is an exceptional experience from all levels.
In tune with Monaco’s ‘Green is the new glam’ anthem, Monte Carlo Fashion Week will this year feature several designers who will be showcasing sustainable collections on the runway.
H.S.H. Prince Albert II surrounded by Elizabeth Wessel, Federica Nardoni Spinetta, Rosanna Trinchese and Celina Lafuentede Lavotha @Monaco Tourism Office
Held under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Princess Charlene of Monaco, the 7th edition of Monte-Carlo Fashion Week, chaired by the founder of the Chambre Monegasque de la Mode Federica Nardoni Spinetta, will take to the stage from 15th to 19th May.
“Sustainable development and ethics are and must be synonymous with fashion and involve all the links in the production chain: from the conditions of workers to the use of natural resources, from the elimination of toxic substances in materials to the research of advanced production technologies,” said Federica Nardoni Spinetta.
The guest of honor this year is Alberta Ferretti who will present her Cruise 2020 collection on the evening of Saturday 18th May.The designer is a great supporter of ethical fashion and has recently launched a collection in collaboration with Livia Firth and Eco-Age. The garments are made with carefully selected materials and certifications that guarantee the recycled origin of the material, the use of biological fabrics and a reduction in the use of chemical substances.
Monte-Carlo Fashion Week will alternate on the catwalk prestigious names in the fashion world that are committed to eco-fashion, including Gilberto Calzolari, a designer who has been awarded with the Green Carpet Award in Milan, and animal rights activist Jiri Kalfar, known for his ‘Save The Bees’ collection presented at London Fashion Week.
Also showcasing will be the Monaco beach and cashmere brand ‘Save the Ocean’ collection, that Federica Nardoni Spinetta has served as creative director. The collection draws inspiration from her love of the sea.
Monaco’s ‘Green is the New Glam’ promotional poster
Meanwhile, the Fashion Village will feature artistic work by Giordani Gallery, created in collaboration with Swarovski. ‘Lutjanus Fulgens’ is the representation of a large red snapper with scales and shining chromatic nuances, embroidered with exclusive techniques and materials on a drapery composed of fabric panels, aiming to highlight the issue of safeguarding the marine environment.
The mission of the Chambre Monegasque de la Mode is to increasingly enhance the pathway of fashion houses and discerning brands, capable of changing the traditional economic model, combining business with attention to the environment and social issues, create shared value and collaborate to achieve sustainable development goals.
“Eco is a lifestyle, it is an attitude, it is a dress worn with the awareness of contributing to a better world,” said Federica Nardoni Spinetta.
Ahead of Monte Carlo Fashion Week, which kicks off on 15th May, Monaco Life had a few questions for MCFW’s Celina Lafuente de Lavotha…
Celina tell us about Monte Carlo Fashion Week and how you came to be involved?
Monte Carlo Fashion Week is the official fashion event in the Principality, and since its creation in 2013 by Federica Nardoni Spinetta, President and Founder of the Chambre Monegasque de la Mode, it has been gaining in prestige year after year. I joined the MCFW team in 2017 for the 5th edition, working closely with Federica and Rosanna Trinchese who is our talented Artistic Director. It is a very complex project and we are a rather small group of highly accomplished women, and a few good men, and our main objective to increase our professionalism and reputation, while contributing to the attractiveness of the Principality.
Celina Lafuente de Lavotha, Federica Nardoni Spinetta and Rosanna Trinchese @MCFW2018
What is the reaction to Monte Carlo Fashion Week each year among invited guests and designers?
Emerging promising designers from all over the world see the MCFW as an opportunity to launch their brands in Monte Carlo, which becomes their window to the world. Our invited guests appreciate the opportunity to discover new designers, and artisanship from different cultures and countries.
You are now in your 7th edition. How has the event evolved over the years?
As the MCFW establishes itself, we strive to invite fashion icons to recognise their contribution to the fashion world through our prestigious Fashion Awards, such as Naomi Campbell, talented fashion photographers like Nima Bennati and German Larkin, Kean Etro, Flavio Briatore, Philipp Plein, just to name a few. This year the famous Italian designer Alberta Ferretti will not only receive an award, but she is organising an exclusive fashion show at the Yacht Club of Monaco.
This year’s fashion show follows the guidelines of ethical and sustainable fashion. Was it difficult to find designers who fit this brief?
Already established and emerging fashion designers are more determined to embrace sustainability through eco-fashion, as they are conscious of the need to care for the whole fashion chain, from the creative designers, to the artisans who make their clothes, and people who market them.
Our theme for the current edition is in support of the Monaco campaign ‘Green is the New Glam. Fashion, luxury and talent combined with sustainability’. Sustainable development and ethics are and must be synonymous with fashion, and involve all the links in the production chain: from the conditions of workers to the use of natural resources, from the elimination of toxic substances in materials to the research of advanced production technologies.
The prestigious Awards Ceremony was created in 2016, and this year we will recognise fashion icons and new designers who have a passion for environmental awareness and sustainability. The beautiful award was designed by Brazilian Monaco resident Marcos Marin.
Marcos Marin @MCFW2018
Do you see a 100% sustainable fashion show in the future?
Yes, this is our shared vision, but we will do it one edition at a time.
The Monaco Philosophical Encounters, under the chairmanship of Charlotte Casiraghi, has organised an event titled ‘Young Philosophers’. It will run from 8th to 11th May and aims to make philosophy accessible to all young people.
Organised by Joseph Cohen, Robert Maggiori and Raphael Zagury-Orly, ‘Les Journées Young Philosophers’ is open to everyone who wants to familiarise themselves with philosophy.
The New National Museum of Monaco – Villa Sauber is presenting works created by children from the Grandes Sections Maternelle des écoles de Monaco, in coordination with the Department of Education, Youth and Sports, on the theme of ‘The human’.
On Thursday 9th May, the Princess Grace Theatre is hosting the theatrical creation ‘The Poet and the Philosopher’, inspired by Jean Cocteau’s Orphée and Plato’s Apologie de Socrate, which is the result of the support of the Direction of Education, Youth and Sports in association with Jean Cocteau Theatrical Encounters. The performance will be followed by a dialogue with Robert Maggiori, philosopher and founding member of the Monaco Philosophical Meetings.
On Friday 10th, from 7pm to 9pm at the Princess Grace Theatre, there will be a conference titled ‘Adolescences’, presented by Claire Chazal, journalist and author, with sociologist Hakima Ait el Cadi, Manuella de Luca, psychiatrist and director of the magazine Adolescence, and Claire Marin, philosopher, teacher and director of the Philophile collection at Gallimard. Tickets start at €15 (free for students and under 25 on presentation of proof). All profits will be donated to the association Jeune J’écoute.
Saturday 11th May will see a round table at the Technical and Hospitality High School. ‘Comment la philosophie pense l’enfance’ will be presented by Raphael Zagury-Orly, philosopher and founding member of the Monaco Philosophical Meetings, with the philosophers Paul Audi, André Charrak and Pierre Guenancia.
There will be another round table, ‘Reading, growing up, thinking’, and it will be presented by Edwige Chirouter, holder of the UNESCO Chair “Practices of philosophy with children” with Nicole Lambert, author and creator of comics and Claire Marin, philosopher, teacher and director of the Philophile collection at Gallimard.
In collaboration with the Directorate of Education, Youth and Sports and teachers of schools in Monaco, invited philosophers will be in residence in colleges the day of Thursday 9th May and in high schools the day of Friday 10th May, as well as at the Technical and Hospitality High School.
A philosophical magazine created by the children and teachers of seven primary classes will be published during the “Young Philosophers” Days.
There will also be a book titled “Childhood and Violence” by Charlotte Casiraghi and Boris Cyrulnik, published by The Monaco Philosophical Encounters following the lecture given in February 2018 at the Princess Grace Theatre in Monaco.
