Month: May 2019

A new agreement has been signed between two of Monaco’s most important institutions to educate the population on the digital transition. Among the initiatives is training on how to use new technology and avoid scams.

The deal was signed on Tuesday 14th May between Monaco Telecom and Monaco City Council, in the presence of Deputy Mayor in charge of the Digital Transition Nicolas Croesi, Mayor Georges Marsan and General Manager of Monaco Telecom Martin Péronnet.

The collaboration aims to support the Monegasque population in the better use of information and communication technologies on a daily basis. It will also help raise awareness among residents of the initiatives offered by the City Council, and the various advances and technological innovations.

Mayor Georges Marsan said in his welcome speech that it is “one more step towards the digital transition which is at the heart of the priorities [of the Communal Council]”.

The partnership includes three main areas. Firstly, free installation and subscription of the remote phone line will be available from Monaco Telecom, allowing people with loss of autonomy to remain at home while being connected to a telephone alarm 24 hours a day.

Secondly, Monaco Telecom will run three to four workshops per year for members of the Club le Temps de Vivre, offering training in the use of telecommunication devices as well as preventive workshops on digital security, such as scams and phishing. The Club le Temps de Vivre, managed by the Monaco City Council, is open to retired people living in the Principality and offers them opportunities for outings, meetings and activities in a friendly and welcoming environment.

And finally, the Monaco City Council and Monaco Telecom have set up a series of thematic conferences for associations at the Maison des Associations (A Casa d’i Soci), the first of which will take place on Thursday 27th June. The dates and times of the conferences will be communicated by the associations directly to their members. In addition, Monaco Telecom will equip the Maison des Associations free of charge in order to improve its mobile and WiFi network coverage.

“The Town Hall, in its capacity as a local institution, confirms its desire to support the population in the digital transition… a major challenge for the next few years that concerns and affects everyone, especially with the development of the Smart City,” said Mayor Marsan, adding that “no one should feel excluded, or a stranger to this approach. “

Raw TV’s Drowning in Plastic and NHK’s Crackdown: The “Rule of Law” in China are among the unscripted projects competing for the top prize at the 59th annual Monte Carlo Television Festival.

The annual TV festival celebrates the very best of television and offers producers and distributors opportunities to promote and support their sales to worldwide broadcasters.

Across six news and fiction categories, 28 programs from 17 countries are officially selected to compete for the Golden Nymph awards.

The news category refers to programs that cover international, national, regional and local news or current affairs, with RT Russia’s Armour – Riots – Yellow Vests and CNN UK’s Genoa Bridge Collapse among the nominees.

Documentary nominees include Infocus Asia’s Against the Elements (Singapore); NDR and WDR’s Out Of Control: The Implant Files (Germany); NHK’s Crackdown: The “Rule of Law” in China (Japan); A&O Buero Filmproduktion, Moonlight Films and The Why Foundation’s Dollar Heroes: North Korea’s Secret Slaves (Germany, South Korea); and Raw TV’s Drowning in Plastic (UK).

Raw TV has also been named as a nominee in the Special Prize of Prince Rainier III category for Drowning in Plastic, together with Poland’s Krupa Gallery for The Curse of Abundance. The special prize was created in honour of Prince Rainier III, who founded the Monte Carlo Television Festival.

The long fiction category features A Very English Scandal (U.K.), The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (U.S.), Dukla 61 (Czech Republic), Escape at Dannemora (U.S.), Thirst for Life (France) and Before the Night (Italy).

The TV comedy category includes Dubbing Steet (Czech Republic), One Night (Norway), Mental (France) and On the Spectrum (Israel).

In the TV drama arena, the nominees are Bodyguard (U.K.), Das Boot (Germany, Czech Republic), Moscow Noir (Sweden), Killing Eve (U.K.), My Brilliant Friend (Italy) and State of Happiness (Norway).

“We are delighted to celebrate so many strong nominees from all parts of the world in this year’s Golden Nymph Awards,” said Laurent Puons, CEO of the Monte Carlo Television Festival. “ I know that our renowned jury members will use their combined professional skills to select the ultimate winners. The quality and diversity of the official selection this year once again highlights the competition’s position as one of the most influential in the world of international television production.”

This year’s winners will be announced at a red carpet event on the final evening of the Monte Carlo Television Festival, on 18th June. The event kicks off on the 14th June.

For a full list of nominees, click here.

Read also:

L.A.’s Finest to open Monte Carlo Television Festival

Michael Douglas to receive Lifetime Achievement Award in Monaco

Representatives from Lebanon, Switzerland, Belgium and the Republic of Benin have just been accredited as ambassadors by the government of Monaco.

Minister of External Relations and Cooperation Gilles Tonelli welcomed at the Hermitage Hotel on Tuesday 14th May Ambassador of Lebanon Rami Adwan, Ambassador of Switzerland Livia Leu Agosti, Ambassador of Belgium François de Kerchove of Exaerde, and Auguste C. Alavo, Ambassador of the Republic of Benin. During the ceremony, the diplomats presented their Letters of Credence to Prince Albert II.

Adwan joined the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants (MAEE) in 2003, where he held the positions of Deputy Head of Missions at the Lebanese Embassies in Romania and the Netherlands and Head of Department at the Political Affairs Division. In 2014, he was appointed Director of the Cabinet of the MAEE. Mr Adwan has also been Advisor to the Minister for Administrative Affairs at the Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water.

Livia Leu Agosti joined the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in 1989, then assumed the position of Deputy Chief of the Political Division II, Americas, Head of the same Division for Africa / Middle East and Head of Mission in Tehran with the title of Ambassador. In 2013, she was appointed delegate of the Federal Council for Trade Agreements and Bilateral Economic Relations Benefit Centre.

François de Kerchove of Exaerde began his diplomatic career in 1991, and was appointed Counselor at the Asian Foreign Office in 2001. After a year as Director General of the Egmont Institute, he joined the Belgian Embassy in his capacity as Minister-Counselor. He was successively promoted Director of International Security Policy at the MFA in 2009, then Ambassador to the EU Political and Security Committee.

During his diplomatic career, initiated in 1975, Auguste C. Alavo became Director of the Asia and Oceania Department in 1987. In 1990 he was promoted to Ambassador and represented his country in China and the Ivory Coast. He then served as Director of the State Protocol, Representative of Benin to the African Development Bank of the Entente Council and Ambassador General of Foreign Affairs.

The Princess Grace Hospital has signed two important agreements with the Department of National Education, Youth and Sports, and the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra.

The first agreement follows an evaluation on the possibility of introducing a teaching program in a hospital environment, aimed at meeting the needs of children patients. This new convention specifies the practical objectives and modalities of such a move.

The second Partnership Agreement was signed between the CHPG and the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra (OPMC) by Benoîte de Sévelinges and Sylvain Charnay, Administrator of the OPMC. It is designed to facilitate the pursuit of artistic and cultural projects between the two entities.

It also aims to continue concerts that are provided by musicians of the OPMC for the elderly people in care at the Rainier III Gerontology Centre, as well as their relatives. More than 40 concerts have been given since the CHPG and the OPMC joined forces in 2011. The signing of this latest Convention will also allow for the development of similar projects with other services at the hospital.

Prince Albert II has visited San Demetrio Corone in Calabria, Italy, a village of 3,500 inhabitants. The friendly visit is part of regular travels to the territories historically linked to the Grimaldi family.

In the early afternoon of Thursday 9th May, Prince Albert was welcomed at the entrance to the village by the Mayor of San Demetrio Corone Salvatore Lamirata, unveiling a plaque identifying it as belonging to the network of Historic Sites of the Grimaldis of Monaco.

The barony of San Demetrio was granted in 1309 to Rainier I Grimaldi (approx. 1267-1314) by Robert I of Anjou, King of Naples. It passed to his son Vinciguerra who ceded it, along with the lordship of Cagnes, to his brother Charles, Lord of Monaco from 1331, Lord of Menton from 1346 and of Roquebrune from 1355.

The territory was repeatedly confiscated and conceded, before King Louis III of Naples returned the barony on 20th February 1421, by a dated letter from Aversa, to Ambroise, Antoine and Jean I, joint Lords of Monaco, in reward for the services of their fleet.

After the unveiling of the plaque, Prince Albert, guided by the Mayor and accompanied by members of the Municipal Council, visited the Sant’Adriano church, which dates from the 11th century and has the remains of Byzantine style ceramic decorations with animal and anthropomorphic motifs.

The Prince then unveiled a plaque commemorating his visit before receiving honorary citizenship of the commune.

During the visit, Prince Albert also met the mayors of Cittanova and Gerace (Calabria), municipalities which are also related to the history of a branch of the Grimaldi family, which the Sovereign Prince will visit at a later date.

A host of companies and individuals in Monaco have been awarded e+Trophies for their eco-friendly practices.

E+ is an environmental label granted to individuals, institutions or companies who have joined in a partnership with SMEG to act and contribute to the energy transition, driven by Prince Albert, the Minister of State and the Monaco Government.

More than a hundred guests gathered on Saturday 11th May for a day organised in parallel with the Monaco Formula E Grand Prix.

This year, 15 institutions, companies and professionals received a prize in various categories covering detailed consumption by use (Smart+), local power generation (Sun+) and energy transition (egeo).

The Monte-Carlo Bay received the ‘Super Trophy’ for its pioneering work in a number of environmental initiatives. CEO Frédéric Darnet and Technical Director Achour Daria were congratulated by Bernard Fautrier, vice-president of the Prince Albert II Foundation.

“The Monte-Carlo Bay has achieved quite extraordinary results in terms of reducing consumption. As pilot site of the Smart + program, it buys green electricity, produces its own photovoltaic electricity and has just inaugurated the first ‘Power Zone’ for the fast charging of electric vehicles in Monaco,” said Thomas Battaglione, CEO of SMEG.

Among the other companies to receive awards were Parkings Publics for their efforts to develop clean mobility, and the Metropole, which was recognised as the first establishment to initiate the Smart + program.

Meanwhile, a host of Monegasque residents were rewarded for being the first to use the myNexio portal to optimise their energy consumption.