Day: 9 June 2019

Prince Albert has taken part in a host of ceremonies in Normandy commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

On Thursday 6th June, the Prince made a private visit to The Grand Bunker, Atlantic Wall Museum. It follows a promise that Prince Albert reportedly made to Brigitte and Fabrice Corbin, the owners of the Grand Bunker Museum, during the summer of 2017. They had hosted an exhibition in Monaco titled ‘The extraordinary story of the landing, Normandy June 6, 1944’ and Prince Albert was so impressed that he promised to discover the Grand Bunker of Ouistreham (Calvados) for himself.

During Thursday’s visit, Prince Albert met the son of British Lieutenant Bob Orrell, a member of the Royal Engineers, 91 Field Company 3rd Beach Group, attached to the 3rd Canadian Division, which had obtained the surrender of the German garrison in 1944.

“I have been to the region several times,” the Prince told France 2. “I think we have to be present and understand the meaning of these commemorations, to remember those who have sacrificed their lives or lost family members.”

Prince Albert also took part in a memorial ceremony at the Renaud stele, where the Gold Star was awarded for the first time outside of the United States. The Gold Star is awarded to families who have lost a loved one during war and on Thursday, posthumously, Alexandre Renaud’s wife Simone was honoured for her devotion to the families of American soldiers.

On Friday 7th June, a Franco-American military ceremony was held in front of the war memorial in Saint-Lô. An international procession then marched through the streets of the city centre and ended at the Memorial Hospital, where a ceremony was held in the presence of Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Residents in Monaco will be asked to take part in a research project studying the effects of Ostreopsis ovata microalgae on the Mediterranean.

The three member states of the RAMOGE Agreement – Monaco, Italy and France – have joined the research project headed by European Co-Clime.

Two students from Nantes University, who are the scientific partners in the project, will be in Monaco from 16th June to 15th September asking residents of the Principality to answer a series of questions, such as how often they go to the beach and their thoughts on global warming.

The roughly 30-minute interview will be conducted at various locations around town including Larvotto Beach, the public gardens, Albert 1er wharf, and the Fisherman’s Beach.

The goal of the study is to ascertain the effects of toxic algae growth on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. It also will attempt to determine the habits and behaviours of residents and tourist on high traffic beach areas, such as Monaco, Nice and Marseille, specifically regarding leisure activities along the coast.

All data collected will be anonymous and is being used solely for scientific purposes. For more information, contact contact@ramoge.org.

Several high-ranking law enforcement officials from Monaco travelled to Poland to be part of the 47th European Regional Conference of the International Criminal Police Organisation (IOOP) INTERPOL. Monaco has been an active INTERPOL member, known and appreciated for the rapid execution of cross-border arrests in the past.

The main purpose of these meetings was to invite each member state to comment on ways to improve information gathering and dispersing procedures and to modernise and streamline information sharing.

 Proposals were directed toward more efficient ways to fight terrorist threats, by increasing the distribution of biometric data, fingerprints and DNA samples for persons of interest in current cases, and persons known or believed to be risks.

They also addressed how to fight international drug trafficking by focusing on the main culprits, the organised crime syndicates, and ways to lessen their presence. Additionally, the meeting introduced cybercrime experts who are now being used to combat criminal acts committed through the internet, the darknet and social media networks.

Staff at the Princess Grace Hospital Centre spent 5th June, World Environment Day, reinforcing their commitment to sustainable development and ecologically sound practices.

The hospital is in the process of becoming a pro-environmental institution with the creation of a vegetable garden on site, recycling projects and the purchase of a fleet of electric vehicles among the initiatives. 

Benoîte de Sevelinges, Director of CHPG, used the occasion to announce the new annual bonus plan created to encourage staff to use eco-friendly modes of transportation for getting to and from work to cut emissions. The scheme supplements current measures already in place that promote carpooling and public transportation as alternatives to driving.  

The day included a bit of fun as well from street artist Anthony Alberti, who decorated home-made bicycle garages fashioned from recycled pallets.

A host of Europe’s leading hedge fund managers have come together to present their most compelling investment ideas at the 3rd annual Sohn Monaco Conference.

Set at the Yacht Club of Monaco on Thursday 6th June, the conference was opened by Finance Minister Jean Castellini. “Sohn is not just any investment conference, it is a conference with a purpose – the purpose of changing lives, and trying to make lives better is the reason why I chose the investment management profession 30 years ago.”

Sohn conferences were created in New York following the death of Ira Sohn, a Wall Street professional who lost his battle with cancer at age 29. Since its inception in 1995, investment leaders from across the globe have been inspired to launch partner Sohn Conferences to bring the financial community together for charitable causes.

Justin Hilbert from Churchill Capital co-founded the Monaco conference with colleague Florence Tournier.

“I became involved eight years ago in New York when I started going to the SOHN conferences, and I thought it was a great way to raise money for charity and a great way for the investment industry to give something back to the world.”

Eleven speakers presented projects for investment, including Adrian Courtenay, the Portfolio Manager of Odey Asset Management overseeing special situations strategies across the $1.6 billion Odey Absolute Return group of funds. Participants received valuable information on Mr Courtenay’s latest projection: the hydrogen industry.

Other speakers included Guido Maria Brera, Co-Founder and CIO of Kairos Partners, Jian Shi Cortesi Portfolio Manager, CFA at GAM Investment Management and Professor Gilles Vassal, Head of Clinical Research at Gustave Roussy.

The Sohn Conference Foundation takes a unique, investor’s approach to grant making. It supports cutting-edge research, innovative technologies and bold initiatives that will have the greatest impact in treating and curing paediatric cancer.

The Sohn Monaco Conference beneficiearies have included the Division of Paediatric Haemotology-Oncology of the University Hospital of Nice, French National Institute INSERM, and the Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer (ITCC) in Paris.