Day: 30 May 2019

The 2020 summer exhibition of the Grimaldi Forum has been announced. Titled ‘Monaco and the automobile’, it will showcase the connection between the history of the Principality and vehicles starting from the year 1897.

The convention centre, in collaboration with the Automobile Club of Monaco and the Automobile Club de France, is preparing the exhibition and says it will be “an immersion in history and Monegasque heritage”.

It is scheduled to take place from 9th July to 13th September 2020 and will focus on three sections. The first will be dedicated to the beginning of the automobile in Monaco, with particular focus on the Monte-Carlo Rally which was inaugurated in 1911. A map will detail the birth and evolution of the Rally, including emblematic competitions, unexpected models and unpublished documents.

The exhibition will also recount the legendary story of the Monaco Grand Prix founded in 1929 by Antony Noghès, with several authentic Bugattis on show.

Finally, there will a retrospective on the relationship between the Princely family and the automobile, and it will be presented through archives and historic reports.

The World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa and the Principality of Monaco have joined together to fight malaria on the African continent. The problem is critical, as 93% of reported deaths by the disease occur there.  

The partnership, signed on 28th May at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, aims to eradicate malaria from the continent completely. The Principality has donated two million euros to be paid out over a five year period to reach this end.

Funding will go toward assistance in eight Sahel region countries: Cape Verde, Burkino Faso, Mali, Gambia, Niger, Mauritania, Chad and Senegal. With more than 374 million people at risk in this area, providing fast, available treatment options will save many lives. The disease is both preventable and curable, and the funding provided by Monaco will be instrumental in ensuring those who need treatment will get it when they need it, as well as providing technical and delivery support. 

“Grants like the one from the Principality of Monaco help to ensure that we continue to make progress, especially in the countries most affected by this disease,” says Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for HIV and AIDS Africa.

Mr. Gilles Tonelli, Government Counselor-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Prince’s Government stated that “this new investment is a recognition of the enormous burden that malaria places on African countries, paralyzing effect of this disease on the socio-economic development of the region.”

The ‘Apprentice Collectors’ is an educational program aimed at teaching young art students the inner workings of an art museum and about contemporary art in general.

Sponsored by the New National Museum of Monaco, in conjunction with the Société pour la Gestion des Droits d’Auteur (SOGEDA), the initiative is now finishing up its third year.   

Fine art students from two schools, François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré and Albert 1er, participated in a series of meetings, workshops visits, and exchanges this year, all aimed at accomplishing the program’s goals.

At this year’s artmonte-carlo contemporary art fair, students selected works from several artists for the museum’s special acquisition committee, who in turn selected three drawings by artist Mika Rottenberg which will become part of the museum’s collection.

This June, global influencers in business, government, civil society and startups will come together at the Fairmont Monte Carlo for one reason … to help speed up the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Lionel Le Maux, co-founder of Transition Forum, spoke to Monaco Life about why the forum is necessary in our battle against climate change.

Monaco Life: Can you tell me why it was necessary to start the Transition Forum?

Lionel Le Maux:The ecological transition is a vital and systemic issue that must involve different stakeholders from multiple sectors and countries to tackle the immense challenge of creating new models for sustainable economic growth from a broader perspective. From the 2015 Paris Agreement to the voices of young activists around the world, we’ve all heard the calls for urgent action in the face of climate change, overpopulation, biodiversity loss and the depletion of natural resources. Technical solutions exist, but we need to work together and finance them. No single actor can do it alone. Our goal is to strengthen the ecosystem of key players across multiple sectors — companies, startups, investors, cities, NGOs, foundations, researchers — in order to identify innovative solutions, form partnerships and spur investments which are essential to speeding up the transition.

What has the response been?

The first edition in June 2018 allowed us to start building a community of actors who share our long-term vision of working towards a low-carbon future. The response from speakers and participants was overwhelmingly positive, and many of them are coming back this year to witness the progress made on each other’s actions, and to collaborate on concrete solutions.

Last year, there was a very significant agreement signed, tell me about that and how the Transition Forum fosters these types of deals?

Transition Forum aims to bring together key stakeholders in the ecological transition, and fostering partnerships with sustainability as their purpose is integral to our mission. The timing of our inaugural forum, of which Prince Albert is the high patron, was perfect for the announcement of the partnership between IOC and C40 to make the Olympic Games sustainable. We welcome and encourage all members of our community to use Transition Forum as a platform to announce and launch their sustainable initiatives.

Can we expect any big announcements this year? 

Our focus is not so much on making one big announcement. What’s even more important and impactful will be a number of announcements from diverse international players, followed by concrete actions which can be measured year after year. That’s why, on the first day of this year’s Forum, we’ll open the floor to speakers and participants who wish to share the progress they’ve made on their actions since last year.

Why was it important to focus on the societal impact of the ecological transition this year? 

The transition is about all of us. But, for citizens to fully understand the challenges of the ecological transition, they must be able to measure its impact on their daily lives. We will be focusing on food, housing, mobility, and patterns of production and consumption, because all those aspects of our day to day lives will be radically transformed in the coming years.

Is Monaco an environment for you that inspires people to make investments in sustainable practices? 

Definitely. The actions of the Principality in this area are undeniable, and HSH Prince Albert II has set an inspiring example for others by clearly demonstrating his commitment to leading Monaco on the path towards a low-carbon future.

What concrete or innovative solutions have emerged since the first edition? 

You need to come to the second edition to learn about the wide variety of mind blowing innovations that will be presented: from the latest carbon capture technologies to flexible solar films, to boats powered by plastic waste, photosynthetic architecture, urban cable cars, indoor vertical farming, and much more.

What are the most innovative solutions one can expect to learn of this edition?

I mentioned some of these innovations above. We will hear from a combination of small startups and large companies who have already transformed their business models to embrace sustainability. They’ll share innovative solutions for feeding a burgeoning population, housing people, producing and consuming goods, and low-carbon mobility. But while technology and innovation are obviously important, what is really going to propel us on the path towards a low-carbon future is how we embrace these innovative technologies in our daily lives. Each of us have an important role to play in the ecological transition, and we need to share the responsibility for building a new model for human progress while preserving our planet.

Monaco Life is proud to be a media partner of Transition Forum