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Month: June 2020

Interview: Murat Vargi

by: Natasha Girardi
25/06/2020

We speak to Monaco resident Murat Vargi, founding member of Turkcell and the Mind Your Waste Foundation, entrepreneur, yogi, philanthropist, avid sailor and last year’s winner of the YCM Explorer Awards La Belle Classe for Adventure, Ethics and Environment.
This interview felt like one brushstroke on a canvas, full of verve and life, a paragraph to a novel the length of War and Peace. I was in awe of his larger than life persona, his passion for ethical and modern philanthropical causes in the world of finance in an era when much of this was unheard of. Today, Murat Vargi champions education, equality and the urgent need to protect our planet through behavioural change.
 
Monaco life: You’ve worked relentlessly since early childhood and achieved many outstanding goals in your life. But what has been your proudest moment? 
Murat Vargi: After 12 years of complete immersion in running and developing Turkcell, the high point was becoming the first Turkish company to IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.
But my proudest moments are lived daily in my two daughters who are the source of my happiness. Remarkably, they share the same passion for philanthropy and my business. My eldest daughter is the president of MV Holdings and she now understands my journey. I don’t advise her but let her make her own mark on the company; I want her to have full responsibility. Now she understands some of the challenges and hardships involved in running a company. It is wonderful because it gives me more time to pursue my hobbies. My youngest daughter recently spent time in Gambia and Senegal where we made wells for the villages.
How did you develop such a strong work ethic? 
My work ethic was born out of love for my family and the loss of my father who passed away at the age of 42. I am forever grateful to my mother who was always encouraging. If I came home with a terrible grade, I was never scolded but encouraged to try better. Even when I had 4/10 on a test, she would be positive and gently ask me to try and do a little better. I don’t remember ever being punished by her.
I always worked from an early age. At 13, I was a clerk’s assistant and I would always spend my money on things for our household. If I made $50, I would spend $20 on something for my mother. It formed me.
Well it must have served you well, considering you went on to establish Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile provider. How did that come about?
It was a combination of synchronous events including government regulation and an interview I gave to the Financial Times, which led to me forming a partnership with Swedish company Torsten Press of Comviq. In 1988, the European Union decided to have one cellular system that was GSM, so all pan European countries agreed to this one system, including Turkey, although not fully a part of Europe. This started the process: cell phones were state owned and monopolised, and I took part in the process of dismantling this monopoly.
What then motivated you to set up the Mind Your Waste Foundation?
I have always balanced business and nature. Long walks in nature is a must for me. However, whilst walking in Turkey I was deeply saddened and disturbed by the build-up of plastic bags and litter in the forests and on the beaches.
I felt the best way to tackle this alarming unawareness about the damage of waste on our planet was through creating Mind Your Waste Foundation. We developed a series of campaigns that were aired on Turkish television and radio – 30 second short films made by my brother who is a film maker, and songs with a variety of rap and classic popular music specifically targeting the key market segments. After five years, our market studies showed a marked improvement in behavioural patterns towards litter.
Ultimately, our biggest achievement was reducing plastic bag consumption from 100% to 20% and initiating a system for people to get money back for returning plastic bottles.
Informing people of their behaviour is a powerful form of creating change and that is the underlying motivation of my philanthropy.
Similarly, we educated 10,000 girls by giving them scholarships as a means of reducing teenage marriages brought about by poverty.
Marcel Proust always asked: “What do you eat for breakfast?”. What is your daily routine in Monaco? 
For Turks, breakfast is a much-loved tradition based on our love of the Mediterranean’s olive trees and olive oil. So, I have olives with white cheese and honey, sometimes eggs, parsley, tomatoes and peppers. When dieting I have muesli and tea and no coffee.

Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks

For a man gifted in always seeing the bigger picture, who is your favourite artist?
Presently, I would say that Edward Hopper is my favourite artist and in a way his paintings perfectly capture this era of confinement and isolation that we are living in. They are the best example of how to follow social distancing guidelines! Nighthawks (1942) is very special to me, as in all his works there is a sense of solitude and silence. He is absorbing on so many levels, especially the unspoken narrative, that mutable tone that exists in couples that he paints so brilliantly.
What inspired you to build an art collection? 
By chance I came across an auction catalogue and couldn’t believe that there were Renoir’s for sale. My father had a book on the Impressionists and loved Renoir, and that nostalgia is what got me started on building a collection with my daughter.
Have you ticked everything off the list of your childhood dreams? 
(Laughing) Actually, yes I have. My belief is that dreams come true. You’ve got to dream – everything starts with a dream.
What makes you happy now?
Music makes me happy and beautiful friends… anyone with a story, from whom I can learn something. I like positive people.
What line from literature or film resonates with you? 
“It is nothing to die, but it is frightful not to have lived” by Victor Hugo.
What is your favourite film?
With regards to Turkish films, my brother Ömer Vargi’s films are incredible, especially Eskiya. I also laugh so much at French comedy starring Dany Boon or Benoît Poelvoorde.
What is the best present you have ever given? 
Organising a birthday party for my wife and the surprise was having Julio Iglesias come and sing for her in our home amongst our friends.
What are your favourite restaurants?
I think it was the thing I looked forward to the most after lockdown – eating in restaurants. My favourites are Paloma, Anjuna, Maya Bay and Cipriani’s.
I like that you are constantly learning and enjoying life, is this important to you?
It is an honour to support and help wherever I can, and Mind Your Waste and creating equality in the world will always be at the fore of what I do. I have worked relentlessly throughout my life, even today I dedicate 30% of my time to our foundation, to scholarships and the arts.
Life is valuable – one feels this more and more the older you get – and time is precious. As Deepak Chopra says, “You can’t be spiritual if you are not having fun.”
 
Photo: Prince Albert presenting the YCM La Belle Classe Explorer Awards for Adventure, Ethics and Environment to Murat Vargi.
 
 

Honda partners with EVER Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
25/06/2020

Honda will be showcasing its new electric and hybrid vehicles in Monaco as part of an important new partnership deal with EVER Monaco.

EVER Monaco is one of Europe’s largest and longest-standing events dedicated to sustainable mobility and renewable energy sources, and this year they have a heavy-hitting new partner. The French branch of Honda Motors Europe and EVER Monaco announced their new alliance for this year’s event which will run from 10th to 12th September at the Grimaldi Forum.  

Sponsored annually by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Société Monegasque de l’Electricite et du Gaz (SMEG), regular exhibitors at EVER Monaco include big car and two-wheel vehicle manufacturers, energy companies, representatives from the maritime industry, players from the sustainable housing market and institutions dedicated to renewable technology or sustainability in its many forms.  

“The history of our event, of which this is the 15th edition this year, proves how avant-garde EVER Monaco has been, having since 2006 come to share Monaco’s vision for the mobility of tomorrow,” said Bernard Fautrier, President of EVER Monaco. “EVER Monaco has always wanted to associate its event with a leading automaker in the field of electromobility. This is the case today with Honda Motor Europe Ltd Branch France, which becomes for the first year the official partner of our event.”

The new partnership will showcase Honda’s latest electric and hybrid cars, giving both sides a boost in public visibility.

Pierre Guignot, Director of the Automobile Division of Honda France agrees, saying that, “While we are launching the Honda e, our first 100% electric model, the new Jazz Hybrid and the CR-V Hybrid are also in the spotlight. It was a good time to intensify our presence at EVER Monaco through this partnership. Professionals, institutions and the general public will be able to discover our products in a privileged setting, at the heart of an event that has always met our expectations.” 

The event will be set up in the Espace Diaghilev of the Grimaldi Forum for the indoor portion. For those wishing to take vehicles out for a spin, the Ride and Drive area will be extended and a test rack for smaller vehicles will be located inside.

 
 

AS Monaco says goodbye to several players

by: Stephanie Horsman
25/06/2020

June marks the end of contract for several Red and White players, including powerhouse striker Islam Slimani who was on loan from Leicester City.

In the ever-evolving world of professional football, players come and go with regularity. June marks the end of contract and loan period for several players who had been on the 2019-20 AS Monaco roster.

Croatian goalie Danijel Subasic and Monaco have decided to part ways after eight years and more than 200 games with the club. The 35-year-old was the 2017 French goalkeeper of the year, the same year he helped Monaco win Ligue 1 and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. 

Two other goalkeepers will be departing at the end of June, Swiss International Diego Benaglio, who arrived from Wolfsburg three years ago, and Seydou Sy, the Senegalese International who had been with the team since 2014 after moving over from AC Milan.

Striker Moussa Sylla will also be leaving. He had 34 appearances with the club including six in the Champion’s League where he scored one goal.

AS Monaco is also bidding adieu to three players who came last season on loan. Powerhouse Striker and Algerian International Islam Slimani, on loan from Leicester City, will end his time on the Rock after 19 games where he racked up nine goals and seven assists. Chelsea loaner Tiemoué Bakayoko, a former AS Monaco midfielder who played here from 2014 to 2017, leaves after competing in 23 games last year. Finally, Portuguese International midfielder Adrien Silva is ending his time in Monaco after playing 40 games with the club. 

Several players from the Academy teams also arrive at the end of the contract and include Safwan Mbae, Nordine Ibouroi, Théo Louis, Owen Maës, Kevin Appin, Jordy Gaspar, Pierre Nguinda and Quentin Ngakoutou.

 
 

 

Proposals sought for Monk Seal Alliance projects

by: Stephanie Horsman
25/06/2020

The Prince Albert II Foundation, in conjunction with the MAVA Foundation for Nature, the Segré Foundation, the Sancta Devota Foundation, and the Thalassa Foundation, is launching a call for two collaborative projects for their Monk Seal Alliance project.
The Monk Seal Alliance (MSA), was founded in 2019 to bring together associations that are working on ways to preserve the Mediterranean monk seal population and it has now put out a call for project proposals covering two topics.
The first is for the conservation of the Mediterranean monk seal in priority areas. The focus of this project should address at least one of three objectives: to end harmful impacts of tourism on the seal population, to stop negative interactions with fishermen, and to create or enforce measures in protected areas for the species.
Projects must include, amongst several other criteria points, an education, information or training component and must be carried out in the priority areas of Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. Projects will need to be ready to go by the first trimester of 2021 and funding is available from €50,000 to €300,000, possibly more for larger scale international projects.
The pre-application form must be handed in by 15th August, outlining the objectives of the plan. Those who make it to the next stage will need to turn in a complete project proposal by 30th September.
The second has to do with reinforcing international collaboration and capacity building for Mediterranean monk seal protection.
This proposed project should look at concrete activities that define potential monk seal habitats, are looking to have a better understanding of the seal population, and to raise awareness on the monk seal’s status, negative impacts and protection measures.
This project encourages people from countries where monk seals are currently breeding and living, with different backgrounds and levels of expertise, as international cooperation is essential. The projects should be roughly two to three years in duration and be prepared to start by June 2021. Maximum financing offered is €300,000.
Pre-application forms must be submitted by 15th October 2020 and include the main aspects of the project and how it responds to the objectives set forth. Those who pass the pre-screening will be invited to submit a full proposal before 15th January.
For more information, a complete listing of the requirements and to get the pre-application forms, visit https://www.fpa2.org/monk-seal-alliance-fr.html
 
 

Pictures: Princely family enjoys St. John’s Day celebrations

by: Stephanie Horsman
24/06/2020

Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella have joined their parents Prince Albert and Princess Charlene on the Palace balcony for the annual St. John’s Day celebrations. 

It was a beautiful evening on Tuesday for the Princely family’s first public engagement since the Covid crisis began and the mood was certainly celebratory.
St. John’s Day festivities take place in Monaco every 23rd and 24th of June in two districts, Monaco-Ville on the 23rd and Place des Moulins on the 24th. Celebrations kick off on the Rock with a religious service at the Palatine Chapel, followed by a batafoegu, or bonfire, in the square in front of the Palace.

Tuesday’s service was attended by the Prince and his family as well as government officials and members of traditional Monegasque associations.

Afterwards, the Princely family were perched on the balcony overlooking the square where dancers accompanied the palm frond-fuelled fire to enliven the event.

The festivities occur roughly around the summer solstice to kick off the new season and celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. He was a major figure in several religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism and the Baháʼí Faith, and is one of only three Christian saints whose birthday is celebrated annually. 

The nights are organised around the dual themes of fire and light – particularly fitting as they are amongst the longest days of the year and are also the start of the hot summer season.

Health rules were applied during festivities, including the wearing of masks and social distancing.
Scroll through the photos of the celebrations below:



 
© Photos: Eric Mathon / Prince Palace, Manu Vitali / Communication Department
 

"It's important to get the money into the hands of artists"

by: Cassandra Tanti
24/06/2020

Little did Brisa Trinchero know when she took over as CEO of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA that a worldwide pandemic would force her to abort three flagship events and redirect much of the Foundation’s awards money towards struggling artists.
One year into the job, we spoke with the two-time Tony Award winning Broadway investor and ‘40 Under 40’ award winning entrepreneur about how the coronavirus has allowed the Foundation to re-examine 40 years of tradition, and her efforts in building a cultural bridge between the birthplace of Princess Grace and the Principality.
 
Monaco Life: How would you summarise your first 12 months as CEO of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA?
Brisa Trinchero: I would say it has been an incredible whirlwind – from learning about the Foundation’s amazing artists and meeting everyone in Monaco to the Monte Carlo TV Festival and our New York Gala in the Fall. Then, when Covid hit, everything went dark so quickly, just as I was looking forward to celebrating a successful first year.
Did it take the edge off the momentum?
When I started at the Foundation, I really hit the ground running; we were going full-speed for that whole first year. I was brought in to usher the Foundation into a new era but it was hard to spend time on long term strategy work while also launching several immediate new initiatives for the Foundation. So, this time has actually been a really unique opportunity to reflect and delve into the strategies that we had already been talking about and to take the time to put together a plan for the Foundation’s new era. In the end, the Foundation is going to emerge even better for it.
One of the biggest events that you were planning – and something the Foundation had never done before – was the 007 ‘No Time to Die’ film premier launch in Monte Carlo in April. How disappointed were you when that was cancelled?
Heartbreaking is the only way to describe it. So many of us at the Foundation and in Monaco had worked so hard on that event and it was coming together so beautifully. We had guests from around the world who were very excited about the trip, so it was truly heartbreaking. But we still have every reason to believe that we will be able to reschedule it once the Bond team knows what they are doing with the film release. And if not, it has at least allowed us to figure out how to do these kinds of events, so there will definitely be others like it.
One of the things you mentioned when we last spoke a year ago was your desire to build a cultural bridge between America and Monaco. Have you been able to do that?
We have strengthened the bridge between the US and Monaco significantly, partly through simply having myself and my team spend time in Monaco to speak to the community about Princess Grace. A lot of the feedback I hear is that Monaco is very excited that we are raising the visibility of her legacy, because there is a fear in the community that once someone has been gone for nearly 40 years, even an icon, that there is a risk that their memory might start to fade. So many people, particularly in Monaco, have been asking what we are doing to introduce her to new generations. And that is exactly what we intend to do. There is nothing more exciting than explaining to younger people who she was – her style, fashion and philanthropy. So, I have a lot of confidence in the future of her legacy, but this is the work that we have to do.
The culture industry has taken an enormous hit from the Covid-19 crisis due to the closure of theatres and film sets. What are you seeing on the ground there?
Covid has been devastating for the arts community. It’s been challenging to sit in this position as a Foundation, to have relationships with so many incredible artists, and to see how they are all struggling. With so many of the arts organisations having gone dark, even the most successful artists are suffering because their places of work have shut down.
Your Foundation relies partially on the generosity of donors. What impact has the crisis had from a financial perspective?
We’ve been managing our endowment carefully, as it has certainly been impacted by the market drops. We are also being especially sensitive as to how we approach our donors. While our focus is on the effect this has had on the arts, we know that every industry has been impacted. Many of our donors have continued to be incredibly generous, which we have appreciated, but others are struggling in their own businesses. So, it is a time to be sensitive and to have very candid conversations with people about what we are trying to do while understanding what they’re going through.
How have you approached your Award program during the crisis?
We decided to direct all donated funds directly to artists as opposed to holding our traditional awards programme, because right now we think it is important to just get the money into the hands of artists who have lost their livelihoods and are simply trying to get by.
You’ve been helping to put dollars directly into the hands of artists through your #GratitudeandTonic campaign, can you tell us about that?
In March, just as quarantine was beginning, I saw so many of my artist friends instantly lose their livelihoods and begin to create work virtually to keep us smiling as things went dark. I made the personal commitment to donate $100 a day to different artists. Fortunately, several of my generous friends immediately joined me and soon we were giving away hundreds of dollars a day. The momentum continued to build and it made sense to move it inside of the Foundation so that our donors and artists could participate as well. Now, each week, we empower a different Princess Grace Award winner to give away these donated funds to the artists of their choosing. You can find it on Instagram on my feed @brisatrinchero or at #gratitudeandtonic.

Brisa Trinchero with Prince Albert and the twins at the 2019 Monte Carlo Television Festival

Has the crisis made it easier for you, in a sense, to shake things up as the new CEO?
Absolutely. I had a year to understand how things had been done and recognise areas where there might be room for improvement and adjustment. Our board and our staff have completely embraced that and are excited to take a fresh look at all of our programming. We have convened a series of task forces to look carefully and evaluate all aspects to make sure we are best addressing our mission. 
Is this year’s Prince Grace Foundation-USA Awards Gala still going ahead?
No, we are not pursuing the gala this year – charity galas in the US have almost all been cancelled. But we hope to get back to hosting events soon, that’s our favourite thing to do – we love to gather the community together. But again, we have to be sensitive to when people will want to gather. However, we have many events planned for next year, so watch this space!
You have been strengthening the bridge between Monaco and the US through meeting with the community and partnering with events like the Monte Carlo Television Festival, which was in fact founded by Princess Grace. How else do you plan on strengthening this cultural bridge between the two countries?
We are very excited to be continuing our partnership with Monaco Life and we will be showcasing our incredible artists and awards recipients to the Monaco community through a series of interviews. Many people in Monaco don’t always have the opportunity to meet these artists, so we appreciate the opportunity to share their stories and how the Princess Grace Award has truly shaped their careers, highlighting the incredible achievements that these artists have been able to accomplish thanks to Princess Grace’s legacy.
 
Photo: New York, November 25 2019, (L-R) John F. Lehman, Brisa Trinchero, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and Christopher Le Vine attend the 2019 Princess Grace Awards Gala on November 25, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Princess Grace Foundation – USA)