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Day: 6 July 2021

Take the electric minibus straight to Larvotto Beach

by: Stephanie Horsman
06/07/2021

Access to the newly opened Larvotto Beach complex just became a lot easier thanks to the introduction of a free electric shuttle service that will run all summer long.

Larvotto Beach is up and running again and to celebrate the grand reopening of the new seaside complex, the government and Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco (CAM) are offering minibus shuttle services on a 22-seat electric vehicle throughout the summer season.

The shuttle will follow a loop running along Avenue Princesse Grace connecting the Portier roundabout to the Monte-Carlo Bay roundabout, the usual routing of bus lines 5 and 6. The shuttle gives access to the beach from the nearby public car parks, namely, Grimaldi Forum car park, Testimonio car park and Portier car park.

The CAM service runs every 15 minutes daily from 10am to 7pm and is easily recognisable with bright yellow sides and “Plage Larvotto” emblazoned across the front.

Signs and panels located in car parks and at bus stops provide all the details and information users should need.

 
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Prince Albert opens new Larvotto beach

 
 
Photo by Government Communication Department
 
 

MonacoTech equips itself with a FabLab

by: Cassandra Tanti
06/07/2021

Start-up incubator MonacoTech has stepped up its support for young innovative companies with its new FabLab, a scientific laboratory that will help with the formation of prototypes and PoCs in everything from marine biotechnology to medical devices.
The FabLab was designed and set up to enable MonacoTech start-ups to carry out innovative and concrete work necessary for their development, mainly in the fields of biology, health and electronics.
The laboratory will allow for experimentation and a convergence of knowledge for PoCs (Proof of Concept), but it can also be used for prototyping and developing products and processes. It will allow startups to design, create, assemble, test, improve and use their prototypes.
“The FabLab acts as an accelerator of opportunities for the promoters of innovative projects, it is a place of manufacture itself,” said MonacoTech in a statement. “But above all, it is a collaborative space open to a community in order to realise a concept, to bring an idea to life. It is a place of innovation and knowledge sharing in favour of pooling skills, equipment and the emergence of collaborative and transdisciplinary projects resulting from innovations by MonacoTech startups.”

The lab is organised into two areas: the “wet” area for work particularly on cells, and the “dry” area for other activities.
The FabLab is currently being used by three startups: Surgisafe, which is developing an intelligent suction cannula capable of immediately detecting abnormal or cancerous tissues during a surgical intervention, Coraliotech, which is producing innovative molecules from coral organisms for cosmetics and in the medical sector, and Novetech Surgery, which is creating innovative orthopaedic implants for use by veterinary surgeons.
The FabLab has everything needed, from ventilated cabinets for chemicals and a C02 incubator for cells, to a fluorescence microscope and spectrophotometer. The fleet of equipment will evolve with the projects and new activities.
The laboratory complements the range of services already offered within the MonacoTech incubator and it expects to attract some serious new projects thanks to the addition.
“This should allow new startups to find in MonacoTech the conditions for the development of their projects, but also to bring out new innovations, and to promote the knowledge and know-how of the Monegasque ecosystem.”
 
Photo credit: MonacoTech
 
 
 

Success for inaugural Monaco Streaming Film Festival

by: Stephanie Horsman
06/07/2021

The Monaco Streaming Film Festival has held its inaugural event and among the long list of films were a feature length directed by Michael Flatley, for which he also won best actor, and a short made by the Antropov Foundation.

The Monaco Streaming Film Festival, held from 3rd to 6th July at the Grimaldi Forum, is unique in that it is the first ever event of its kind to live stream all aspects of the event for the general public to view.

The festival was also the first to show the directorial feature film debut by Lord of the Dance star and Monaco resident Michael Flatley entitled Blackbird.

Flatley wrote, stars in and financed the project about a disillusioned former MI6 operative, Victor Blackley, who leaves that life behind to become the proprietor of a hotel on Barbados that has a reputation for being a safe haven for criminals looking for a place to do covert business. Blackley finds he can no longer turn a blind eye when a blast from his past turns up, reigniting an old love affair as well as pitting him against a villain who is willing to cause global mayhem, putting millions of lives at stake.

Flatley’s film is evoking Hollywood’s golden age films, a fact he clearly is trying to encourage.

“I wanted to make a modern movie reminiscent of old Hollywood,” said Flatley. “The classics were always entertaining without being excessively violent or complicated. We shot the movie in Barbados, Ireland and London, capturing some of the most cinematically picturesque locations on film, all of which have a special place in my heart. I’m honoured to be showing Blackbird at the inaugural Monaco Streaming Film Festival. It’s an innovative venture and opens the doors globally to a rapidly evolving digital marketplace.”

Flatley was awarded the prize for best actor, a pleasant surprise for a man who has been entertaining people for more than 25 years.

“To receive the award for best actor, and in Monaco, is a great honour indeed,” Flatley said after the Awards Gala.

Another film, this one a short, has also captured attention at the festival. Temptation by Civilisation, made by the Antropov Foundation, is a film that touches on subjects such as human civilisation’s impact on the environment and our collective consciousness with regard to community and self-connectivity. It asks the age-old question of “what purpose does life serve?” in a modern context.

The film is a conversation with Chilean philosopher Dario Salas Sommer, author of the book Morals of the XXI Century. The book was acclaimed and received high praise from such disparate notables as Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Angelina Jolie, Bill Gates, Frances Ford Coppola and Mark Zuckerberg.

As part of the screening, guests were offered Sommer’s book In Praise of Inner Wealth, The Universal Motto, whose initial aim was to help politicians look at solving humanitarian problems in a new way.

Custom racing helmets going under the hammer for charity

by: Stephanie Horsman
06/07/2021

A collection of custom-made racing helmets painted by renowned artists are going on the block at the Prince’s Car Collection to raise money for the children’s cancer hospital in Nice.

In an event organised by the Monaco Liver Disorder Association, and under the patronage of Prince Albert II, 90 custom-painted racing helmets will be going up for auction by Artcurial on Saturday 17th July at 5pm. The event will take place live at the Collection des Voitures de SAS le Prince de Monaco at Les Terrasses de Fontvieille.

The unique collection features helmets that have been turned into incredible works of art by come of today’s most inspiring artists. Some have simply been beautifully painted for effect whilst others have been transformed into something akin to sculpture.

For example, Charles Bataille has turned a helmet into a smiling fish in his Poisson-clown monécasque design, while D.H. Zimic’s La Princesse aux ours features cuddly toys clambering up the sides.

The entire collection can be previewed at the Collection des Voitures de SAS le Prince de Monaco at Les Terrasses de Fontvieille from 15th to 17th July.

Artcurial has a full listing of the helmets up for grabs, all of which have starting bid prices of €800. Those interested can watch or bid live on the house’s website, www.artcurial.com or bid live at the auction site. All proceeds benefit the department of Neonatology and Haematology and Paediatric Oncology at Archet II Hospital in Nice.

 
 

This is Monaco’s team heading to the Olympics

by: Cassandra Tanti
06/07/2021

Prince Albert has presented the Principality’s six athletes who will compete under the Monegasque colours during the Tokyo Olympic Games coming up later this month.
When the Tokyo Olympic Games kick off on 23rd July, there will be six athletes competing for Monaco – Charlotte Afriat (athletics, 100m), Cédric Bessi (judo, -73kg), Xiaoxin Yang (table tennis), Quentin Antognelli (rowing, single scull), Claudia Verdino (swimming, 100m breaststroke) and Théo Druenne (swimming, 1,500m freestyle) who were presented publicly on Monday evening at the Yacht Club of Monaco by Prince Albert II.
Xiaoxin Yang, one of the best table tennis players in the world, was named flag bearer for the Monegasque team, made up of three men and three women.
In presenting the athletes, Prince Albert said: “Inspired by the Olympic ideal, our delegation will reveal its value through its performance and its state of mind. I wish our athletes all the best in achieving their goals and living an unforgettable Olympic experience.”
Since 1920, the Principality of Monaco has had 110 athletes competing in 12 disciplines at 20 Summer Games.
 
Photo left to right: Charlotte Afriat (athletics, 100m), Cédric Bessi (judo, -73kg), Xiaoxin Yang (table tennis), Quentin Antognelli (rowing, single scull), Claudia Verdino (swimming, 100m breaststroke) and Théo Druenne (swimming, 1500m freestyle). Photos: Eric Mathon / Prince’s Palace.