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Day: 13 July 2021

Upgrades planned for public lifts and escalators

by: Stephanie Horsman
13/07/2021

The government has announced that several of the Principality’s elevators and escalators will be replaced over the next five years to upgrade them to more modern and usable models.

Monaco will have new lifts and escalators installed all over the country over the next five years, with several changes happening in the coming months. In all this year, six escalators and nine public elevators will be replaced, and two escalators will be removed to make way for a glass-panelled lift.

Four of the current six escalators situated in the underground passage of the Carrefour de la Madone will be switched and the remaining two will be swapped out for the glass elevator, allowing those with reduced mobility to safely access the shops located sub-ground level.

The removal and reinstallation of the new systems will be carried out from 8pm at night to ensure the least disruption and are scheduled to run from 12th July to 1st October 2021.

Additionally, two escalators at 17 Rue Grimaldi will be replaced. The work on these will start on 9th August, also with an estimated end date of 1st October.

The nine lifts to undergo facelifts are two public ones of Agaves, the three at Parking de la Costa, two on the north side of the Saint-Charles complex, and two at the Exotic Garden Parking, connecting them to Hector Otto.

This last site will commence work on 19th July with a total replacement of one of the elevators serving the different levels of the car park, though the other lift will remain in operation. When the first is completed on 17th September, the second will then be taken out of service for its turn. Both are scheduled to be fully operational by 12th November. Users will still be able to use the car park during the work.

 
 
 

Red Cross Summer Concert under the stars

by: Stephanie Horsman
13/07/2021

The annual Red Cross Gala is taking place this Friday under a new name but still featuring all the usual glitz and glamour, with singer Jamie Cullum playing for attendees. This year, though, will be an event to remember as guests will be able to dance under the stars in the Place du Casino.

Since 1948, the Red Cross Gala has been a staple of the Monaco summer season. Prince Rainier III was the first chairman of the event and ever since, it has been a wonderful way to raise funds for the charity, as well as give party-goers a chance to revel in good food, good fun and good entertainment.

The legendary Maurice Chevalier played the first event, followed in 1952 by a fashion show held by Christian Dior, then a night with Josephine Baker in 1977, Frank Sinatra in 1980, Elton John in 1984 and Lionel Richie in 2004, to name but a few of the A-listers who have been a part of the event.

There has been no shortage of glamour over the years but never has there been a Red Cross Gala in an entirely open-air setting, until this year. On Friday 16th July, the revamped event, dubbed the Monaco Red Cross Summer Concert, will be held in the newly renovated Place du Casino, with beloved singer Jamie Cullum on hand to entertain the crowd. 

The British jazz-pop singer songwriter has eight studio albums to his credit and is known for his contributions to film scores as well as his personal work.

It will be the first major concert in the square since it was unveiled in 2020.

The Red Cross Gala was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, but the organisation never stopped. They were instrumental in helping the people of the Roya Valley after a storm decimated the region, and they also were on hand mobilising 530 volunteers who clocked up 57,000 hours in support of Covid-related projects.

Donors will be welcomed first to the new terrace of the Café de Paris before heading over to the Place du Casino to enjoy the concert. A visual spectacle also awaits as art works by acclaimed artists Laurence Jenkell and Nick Danzinger will adorn the area.

Tickets for both the cocktail and concert are €800 per person, and tickets for the concert only start at €200.

 
Casino Square June 2020, ©Direction de la Communication / Michael Alesi
 
 
 

Record vaccine appointments follow Macron speech

by: Stephanie Horsman
13/07/2021

Over 926,000 vaccination appointments were made on Doctolib Monday following Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that the unvaccinated will not enjoy the same luxuries and freedoms accorded to those who are. 

It took threats to motivate the public but motivate it certainly did. French President Emmaunuel Macron’s speech on Monday had the desired effect, spurring 926,000 people to book their Covid jab appointments in a single day.

This record-breaking number nearly doubles the last record for appointments on a single day made on Doctolib, the online site used to get time slots not only for inoculations, but also for regular meetings with doctors, which was set on 11th May when 471,396 people booked in. On a normal day, the site says they record about 147,000 per day.

Doctolib suffered a short crash during Macron’s speech so many people were trying to connect, only resolving itself at 8:50pm. From which point, the site declared on its Twitter account, roughly 20,000 appointments were taken every minute. 

“There were 7.5 million connections in a few minutes Monday evening,” the site’s general manager Stanislas Niox-Chateau explained on RMC. For those not yet been able to book, “there are still appointments in some large centres,” he said, with slots reopening regularly. 

It is estimated the vast majority of those who booked were in the under-35 age group, though no solid figures backing this up have been produced. This group is being blamed for a large portion of the new positive cases, as they tend to be more social and less cautious about the virus.

Nonetheless, the message from the government is clear. Get vaccinated or risk not being able to resume normal activities. The President’s message stated that those over 12 years of age will need a health pass to enter places of leisure and culture with over 50 people from 21st July. This will be extended to trains, planes, restaurants, hospitals, care homes and Medio-social establishments soon after.  

“I make the choice of confidence and I call on all French people to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” Macron said in his address. “Nine million doses are waiting for you. Get vaccinated is the only way to protect yourself and to protect others. It is what all of our freedom depends on.”

Due to the massive leap in interest, waiting times have been increased significantly, from about a week to 11.2 days. According to Doctolib, about one-third of people will wait between one and two weeks between making their appointments and actually receiving their jab, and another third will be waiting over two weeks.  

At this rate, if one includes the current wait times to get an appointment and the necessary three-week interval between jabs, most will be able to have a valid health pass near the end of August.

Macron’s exact dates for extending the rules to restaurants, cafes, shopping centres, planes and trains were not specific, though he did indicate the rules would apply from “the beginning of August.” For those not fully vaccinated by then, they may be required to carry out regular PCR tests in order to access these types of places.

 
READ ALSO:

France gets tough on unvaccinated citizens

 
 

The story behind The Cupid Index

by: Stephanie Horsman
13/07/2021

Author Sheeva Moshiri has launched her debut book, The Cupid Index, at the Yacht Club of Monaco, which tells the poignant story of a young Persian woman who dreams of finding freedom and true love.

Sheeva Moshiri has worn many hats in her life, including stints in real estate, fashion, public relations, jewellery design and as a trader of puppies in Europe, but the title she says defines her best is as an author.

The 40-something Moshiri, who impressively speaks five languages and currently lives locally, says that writing is what gives her the most fulfilment, allowing her to express what is in her heart and mind, something not always easy to do for a woman of her background living in the West.

“I am torn between two worlds,” says Moshiri. “I belong to the traditional Iranian world through my family, even though I have never lived in Iran. I also belong to the West. I have spent most of my life in Europe, especially in London where I received my academic education. They are two very different environments for a woman.”

Her story, called The Cupid Index, highlights the struggles of a young woman named Soraya who grew up in the United States, but comes from a traditional family. She spends her time trying to make everyone happy, including herself, which proves to be a difficult task.

Soraya’s family is pushing for her to get married and have children, and whilst she wants those things, she wants them with a person she truly loves, not someone her family has chosen for her. The solution comes in the form of a challenge put forth by her mother: find love in four months or marry a man chosen for her.

This puts Soraya in a race against time and begs the question whether one can find love under these conditions. It also puts her in some interesting situations – some hilarious, some sad, and opens the door to her learning much about herself along the way.

Sheeva Moshiri signing books at the Yacht Club of Monaco

The author says her love for writing came from an early age, but her path was anything but straightforward.

“I always loved writing,” she says. “I was, it seems, quite good at writing in English, or that’s what my teachers always told me. I always had a lot to talk about. Then from the age of 16, I suffered from chronic anxiety.

“I felt very lonely. Writing gave me a form of freedom and helped me to take a weight off my shoulders. Today, I still spend a lot of time alone and it is always easier for me to express myself through writing.”

Her book was a labour of love a long time coming, but one that has given her a chance to mature. It also is a realisation of a life-long aspiration and one that she hopes will continue into the future.

“Writing this book and publishing it has been my dream for a long time. I am deeply invested in it. I put my soul in it. I have other ideas in mind and other experiences to share.”

 
 
Top photo of Sheeva Moshiri and Tom Claeren, supplied
 
 

Monaco condemns violence against women at Human Rights Council

by: Cassandra Tanti
13/07/2021

The Principality has taken part in the 47th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which focussed on the subject of violence against women. Here is what was discussed at this high-level roundtable.
The roundtable was opened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, who stressed that female genital mutilation constitutes a serious violation of women’s rights. Its eradication is also included in the fifth Sustainable Development Goal.
“The Principality once again condemned these intolerable practices, the resurgence of which was unfortunately encouraged by the Covid-19 pandemic, and recalled that it had long been associated with initiatives aimed at their eradication,” said the government in a statement.
The annual Women’s Rights Discussion Day focused on violence against women and girls with disabilities, during which the Monegasque delegation expressed its concern about the particular vulnerability of women and girls with disabilities, who are on average 10 times more likely to be victims of violence. Meanwhile, 35% of women in the world are victims of violence, according to the World Health Organisation.
“The situation in Monaco was also reported, where the phenomenon is fortunately contained, thanks in particular to a comprehensive legal framework that is particularly protective of women and people with disabilities,” added the government.
The Human Rights Council is the main United Nations intergovernmental forum on human rights issues around the world. It is made up of 47 member states elected by the United Nations General Assembly, and meets in Geneva three times a year in ordinary session. The Principality is participating as an observer state.