The Grimaldi Forum team has celebrated its 20th anniversary with Prince Albert, a momentous occasion during which details of two upcoming summer exhibitions were revealed.
Prince Albert joined a large cohort of Grimaldi Forum Monaco (GFM) employees on
Thursday 9th July to mark an important anniversary not only for the congress and culture centre, but for Monaco.
Given the coronavirus crisis, it is perhaps not the party that everyone had in mind, however the GFM team were keen to give it a good crack.
It is this enormous team spirit which is at the heart of the success of the Grimaldi Forum, said Sylvie Biancheri, General Director of the GFM, which has been an “extraordinary human adventure, with a team which has largely been there since the start and which each new recruit enthusiastically joins.”
In fact, more than half of the workforce has been with the centre for more than 10 years, while 25% have been part of the team since 2000.
After the screening of a film on the history of the Grimaldi Forum, Sylvie Biancheri spoke about the incredible rise of the institution, which had achieved record figures in 2019 with a turnover of €24 million, 290,000 visitors and almost 120 events. This was on the back of five years of constant growth.
Building on these figures, it was said that the Grimaldi Forum Monaco remains optimistic about its future. Recovery is expected from September when a full calendar of events kicks off, including an exciting new hybrid concept utilising digital meetings.
Indeed, the centre is refocussing its commercial strategy, launching a 360° virtual reality tour of the venue before the end of the year – an innovative way to introduce people to its new 600 sqm terrace in September and the building’s upcoming extension into the new Marretera eco-district.
In terms of culture and in light of the disappointing cancellation of this year’s ‘Monaco and Automobile’ exhibition, the GFM has been able to confirm that next year’s summer exhibition will be dedicated to Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti, featuring the largest selection of works ever loaned by the eponymous Foundation. The following year, in 2023, the Grimaldi Forum will showcase the master of Impressionism: Claude Monet.
In the shorter term, the GFM will mark its official birthday on 20th July with a cultural retrospective devoted to all of the 20 summer exhibitions and musical events of the past two decades, which the public can see on the GFM social networks.
It’s official: AS Monaco’s new season will be marked by a visit from Stade de Reims on the weekend of 22nd August at the Stade Louis II.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel has released the 2020-2021 season calendar, revealing that Monaco will host Stade de Reims on the first matchday of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats season. Like last year, AS Monaco will face FC Metz on the second matchday, 29th to 30th August, at the Stade Saint-Symphorien.
That will be followed by two more away games, before Monaco goes up against Paris Saint-Germain in November.
The full calendar is: Home at the Stade Louis-II:
J11 : AS Monaco – Paris Saint-Germain (November 21-22)
J21 : AS Monaco – Olympique de Marseille (January 23-24)
J29 : AS Monaco – LOSC (March 13-14)
J35 : AS Monaco – Olympique Lyonnais (May 1-2)
J37 : AS Monaco – Stade Rennais (May 15-16) Away:
J4 : Stade Rennais – AS Monaco (September 19-20)
J8 : Olympique Lyonnais – AS Monaco (October 24-25)
J13 : LOSC – AS Monaco (December 5-6)
J14 : Olympique de Marseille – AS Monaco (December 12-13)
J26 : Paris Saint-Germain – AS Monaco (February 20-21)
The Monegasques will face Les Aiglons, in the derby, on November 7-8 at the Allianz Riviera (J10). The reverse fixture will be held at the Rock, on Wednesday, February 3 (J23), while the Red and Whites will host RC Lens, promoted from Ligue 2, on Wednesday, December 16 (J15).
Meanwhile, AS Monaco have announced the departure of German international full-back Benjamin Henrichs, in a loan with €15m option to buy deal with Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.
Henrichs arrived in the Principality in August 2018, making 44 appearances over the course of two seasons but never really finding consistency in an elongated crisis period that the club experienced. Photo courtesy AS Monaco
Mosquitos don’t transmit Covid-19, but other risks remain
Tiger mosquitos do not pose a coronavirus risk, say authorities, however they do spread other deadly diseases which are on the rise. Prevention, says the government, is therefore key.
The Tiger mosquito (Aedes aegypti) is easily identifiable by the black and white stripes on its body and legs. They are not the greatest fliers in the world, so are often easy to swat and, unlike normal mosquitos, this particular variety is also known for its blood-sucking activity during the day.
They may be small in size, but according to the World Health Organisation, mosquitos are one of the deadliest animals in the world. Their ability to carry and spread disease to humans causes millions of deaths every year, and numbers are rising.
The worldwide incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold in the past 30 years, and more countries are reporting their first outbreaks of the disease. Zika, dengue and chikungunya are all transmitted to humans by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
So how can people protect themselves? The risk of chikungunya, dengue or zika epidemics lies in imported cases – that is, a person who has stayed in an endemic area and returns home with the disease present in their system.
None of these diseases can be transmitted directly from person to person, but if the mosquito bites an infected person, it can pick up the virus and transmit it to a healthy subject when it bites again.
In an effort to limit the risk of mosquitos, the Monaco government is encouraging everyone in the Principality to follow some simple guidelines: eliminate standing water on terraces and in gardens, no matter how small; use mosquito repellents, diffusers and spirals; utilise window and bed mosquito nets; and identify imported cases of chikungunya, dengue or zika early enough to allow the immediate implementation of public health measures. Tiger mosquitos and Covid
The good news, according to the experts, is that it is impossible for insects to transmit Covid-19 through their bites.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) had mentioned it, now the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Security (ANSES) has confirmed it: no transmission of the virus responsible for Covid-19 by a mosquito has been determined, nor of any virus of the coronavirus family,” said the government in a statement.
This is backed by a new study published on 26th June by the Italian National Institute of Health, which shows that mosquitoes cannot transmit the coronavirus, whether it be a common mosquito or a Tiger mosquito. Chikungunya, dengue and zika: what are the symptoms?
Chikungunya or dengue fever may be present in a person with a fever above 38.5°C together with the sudden onset of at least one of the following signs: headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, lower back pain, rash or retro-orbital (eye) pain. Symptoms of Zika include rash (with or without fever) and at least two of the following signs: conjunctivitis, headache, joint pain and muscle pain. A blood test is able to confirm the diagnosis.
People who suspect they may have one of the mosquito-born diseases are advised to use a suitable skin repellent on themselves and their close entourage while they wait for testing at the Princess Grace Hospital Centre.
The government has further relaxed Covid-related restrictions in the Principality, a move that is being welcomed by restaurants and bars who are keen to boost clientele.
Following a ministerial decision on 26th June, the rules for musical ambiance and table spacing in restaurants and bars have been rolled back somewhat.
Since Monday 6th July, the required distance between tables has been reduced from 1.5 metres to 1 metre – not far from the standard.
Meanwhile, live bands and DJs can once again perform throughout Monaco, however there will be a sound limitation of 74 decibels in certain venues. As the chart shows below, this is quite low – equivalent to the sound of a vacuum cleaner. Decibels chart, courtesy Lion Stone Events
But the sound restriction will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis at the operator’s request and assessed depending on the configuration of the venue and the type of live music.
Photo: Live events band Four Kicks, courtesy Studio Cabrelli
This year’s winners of the Monaco Solar and Energy Boat Challenge have been crowned, with some truly innovative young teams stepping up to the plate.
Despite its exceptional virtual format this year, the Monaco Solar and Energy Boat Challenge has proven synonymous with innovation and progress in yachting. For seven years, the event has promoted alternative motorised boat propulsion initiatives, and this year was no different.
As teams were not allowed to travel to the Principality due to the current health crisis, the Yacht Club of Monaco offered contestants a new format based on sharing information on open source with auditions online for the 18 teams in competition to pitch their projects.
At the online prize-giving ceremony on Wednesday 8th July, five prizes were awarded – each including a financial grant for the winner.
“As part of our ‘Monaco: Capital of Yachting’ project, the Monaco Solar and Energy Boat Challenge aims to support a new generation of engineers whose ideas and inventions are going to re-write the industry’s rule book, making it more respectful of the environment,” says YCM General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri. “We wanted to recognise all the hard work put in by the teams during the last year, while fully respecting health guidelines and avoiding large crowds. That’s why we decided to go the virtual route, for the first time since its launch in 2014.”
Organised by the Yacht Club of Monaco alongside the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the International Powerboating Federation, the event is unique in the fact it reflects the commitment of researchers, academics, future engineers, inventors, and yachting and energy professionals.
Despite world-wide health restrictions disrupting their work, 18 teams representing 12 nations stepped up to the plate to present their project to a Technical Jury comprising engineer Marco Casiraghi, the man behind the project, Erwann Lebel, naval architect at Espen Oeino International, and Jérémie Lagarrigue from Energy Observer.
Divided into three classes – Solar, Energy and Open Sea Class – most participants put themselves forward for all three categories of prizes: Innovation, Eco Conception and the Spirit Prize. Dossiers had to be handed in by 10th June 2020 and were subject to an in-depth analysis, with each team then having an opportunity to pitch their project in oral interviews with an international jury via Zoom.
Three prizes and two ‘Coup de Cœur’ (favourite) prizes were awarded by the jury who were impressed with the quality of the work presented. Photo: YCM, Studio Borlenghi
The Innovation Prize went to Técnico Solar Boat (Portugal) in the Energy Class category for most advanced improvements and innovation relevance in meeting the sector’s requirements. It’s the fourth time the Portuguese have participated – three times in the Solar Class and this year in the Energy Class. This time, engineers at the Instituto Superior Técnico decided to aim for two categories with two different prototypes. In the Energy Class, they stood out for their concept of a boat powered by hydrogen using a 5kW fuel cell, with current innovations motivating them to produce their own fuel cell and hydrogen using electrolysis of water via an electrolyser powered by solar panels in the future.
Inspired by the Energy Observer vessel, these students hope to have a system in place to filter seawater for the electrolysis process and use the hydrogen produced to power their bespoke fuel cell.
The Eco Conception Prize went to SBM Offshore E-Racing Team (Monaco) for its efficiency of materials and processes used, and its contribution to science and the team’s commitment to sharing good practices.
Sustainability was at the core of the project from SBM Offshore E-Racing Team, led by Francesco Prazzo, in terms of the lifecycle of the cockpit, use of different materials as well as the propulsion system which comprises standard components that can all be reused.
In their quest to find new renewable energy solutions, they designed a prototype floating system that can produce hydrogen from sea water using solar and wind power, ideas that aroused the jury’s curiosity, to clinch the Eco Conception Prize ahead of the eight other contestants.
The Spirit Prize was won by TU Delft Boat Team (Netherlands), who have been regulars to this meeting since the first edition in 2014.
According to the jury, the young engineers this year brilliantly retraced and illustrated the technical research they’d achieved over the past few months despite the lockdown and not being able to progress the project as fast as they wanted. “Their team spirit reflects the spirit of the event, making them a worthy winner of this prize,” said the YCM.
Unable to decide between them, the international jury wanted to pay tribute to two teams in particular with the Coup de Cœur prize. Hydros Team UI Indonesia in 2019, courtesy YCM
The first was awarded to Hydros Team UI (Indonesia), who was competing for all three prizes with a boat powered by a battery and solar panels that contained several special features. Hynova (France), was awarded the second Coup de Cœur prize for their prototype of a 40-foot boat powered by an electric engine, itself powered by hydrogen from a fuel cell supplied by Toyota.
But the initiative doesn’t stop with the prize giving. Exchanges will continue throughout the year in the form of webinars so contestants can stay in contact with professionals, share knowledge and reinforce links between candidates and major players in the industry.
The presentations and discussions are available on the event’s website: https://mcsebc.org/webinar/.
Top photo: Marco Casiraghi and Bernard d’Alessandri. Photos and text provided by Yacht Club of Monaco
Monaco court dismisses criminal case against Bouvier
In a long-running dispute being played out across the globe, Monaco’s high court has upheld an earlier ruling dismissing a case of fraud and money laundering against a prominent art dealer brought about by Dmitry Rybolovlev.
Monaco’s Court of Appeal ordered in December the closure of a preliminary investigation into art dealer Yves Bouvier in 2016 in response to a complaint by the Russian billionaire and owner of AS Monaco Dmitry Rybolovlev.
The messy battle began several years ago when Mr. Bouvier helped Mr. Rybolovlev buy 38 pieces of world-class art for €2 billion over a period of about 12 years, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi. Mr. Rybolovlev has said in court papers that he believed Mr. Bouvier was acting as his agent and adviser on the transactions, and he paid Mr. Bouvier a fee for his services. But he later discovered, he said, that Mr. Bouvier had bought many of the items in advance, then flipped them to him at a mark-up of €1 billion.
Mr Bouvier, in turn, says that he was operating as a dealer and was free to take a cut.
The Monaco Court of Revision confirmed on Wednesday the decision to cancel “all criminal proceedings against Swiss art dealer Yves Bouvier”, Mr Bouvier’s lawyers said in a statement.
“It is a total and definitive victory in Monaco,” Yves Bouvier added. “For the last five years, I have been claiming my innocence, and today I have been vindicated by the Monaco courts.”
In its ruling on Wednesday, the court said that “the investigations had been conducted in a biased and unfair manner under conditions which seriously and lastingly compromised the balance between the parties.”
Mr Bouvier still faces criminal proceedings brought by Mr Rybolovlev in Geneva, where he is also charged with fraud, abuse of trust and money laundering.
“This (Wednesday’s) outcome has come about for purely procedural reasons—and not because of an absence of evidence against Yves Bouvier,” said Mr Rybolovlev’s lawyers, Hervé Temime and Thomas Giaccardi, in a statement. Top photo: Dmitry Rybolovlev and Yves Bouvier, by Monaco Life
