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Day: 19 July 2021

Do I use Monaco Safe Pass or EU health pass?

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/07/2021

On Wednesday 21st July, the French government will begin enforcing its mandatory health pass for access to leisure and cultural venues with more than 50 people. So, what does that mean for Monaco residents?
In his recent speech to the nation, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the health pass (pass sanitaire) will become compulsory from 21st July at venues catering for crowds of 50+, including cinemas and museums.
From the beginning of August, it will be necessary to show your health pass to simply have lunch at a restaurant in France, even on an outdoor terrace, or to go shopping in a mall.
It means that these venues will be reserved for people who have been fully vaccinated, have recovered from the virus, or who have tested negatively for Covid. Long distance travel by plane, train and bus will also be affected. The rules, however, will only apply to those aged 12 to 17 from 30th August.
People resident in France can use the country’s TousAntiCovid app or provide a printed copy of the health pass.
Monaco, however, has a different system. For residents of the Principality, the government offers two passes – the Monaco Safe Pass and the European pass.
The Monaco Safe Pass can be used in the Principality of Monaco and in France.
The European Pass is valid in Monaco and in the countries of the European Union, as well as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. This can also be used in France.
Basically, if a Monaco resident has either of these passes, they should be given access where a health pass is mandatory in France.
France’s entry rules will be among the most restrictive in Europe, however similar certificates are already in play for millions of Europeans.
Denmark was the first country in Europe to introduce a ‘Coronapass’ to go to things like restaurants, hairdressers or cinemas. Austria has similar rules.
In Germany and Portugal, restrictions depend on the incidence rate of Covid-19 cases in a specific region, and since 16th July in Greece, people can only go inside establishments if they can prove they have been vaccinated.
Italy is currently looking to extend its health pass to bars and restaurants as the number of infections is on the rise again.
Update: It was revealed by Monaco’s Minister of State Pierre Dartout on Tuesday that close to 16,000 had secured their health pass to date.
 
Photo by Michael Alesi, Government Communication Department
 
 

The story behind Monaco's relationship with the Vatican

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/07/2021

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State to the Holy See, has visited the Principality to celebrate the 40th anniversary of privileged relations between the two states.

In July of 1981, the Holy See and Monaco signed a convention which stated that the Prince of Monaco was willing to renounce rights to appoint the archbishop of the local diocese, leaving it to Rome to fill the spot. This concession led Pope John Paul II to elevate Monaco to the rank of archepiscopal see.

To commemorate this occasion, Cardinal Pietro Parolin paid a three-day visit to the Principality, notably the second smallest state in the world after Vatican City, and amongst other ceremonial events, presided over a papal mass held on Sunday at the Cathedral of Monaco on the Rock.

He spent the afternoon meeting priests and parishioners, as well as celebrating the office of Vespers.

The 1981 Convention is significant in that it gives Monaco a special relationship with the Vatican, as their common religion binds them. Monaco is quite unique in that Catholicism is named in the Constitution as the official religion, the only other country doing so being Malta. The religion is deeply ingrained in the collective psyche of the nation, as well as being a basis for Monegasque identity. 

“It is in the DNA of Monegasque institutions,” explains the Vicar General of Monaco, Mgr Guillaume Paris, on the official YouTube channel of the diocese.

Though freedom of religious practice is encouraged in the Principality, the principles of the Catholic Church were adopted as the foundation for legislation and institutions over the centuries.

The attachment between Monaco and the Vatican stretch back to 1247, when Pope Innocent IV authorised the building of a chapel on the Rock. The relations were unchanged until 1868, when Pope Pius IX separated Monaco from the parish of Nice, then in 1887, Pope Leo XIII created Monaco as its own diocese, reporting directly to the Holy See, marking the start of official diplomatic relations between them.

Papal visits to Monaco and diplomatic ones to the Vatican have been fairly frequent throughout the years, with the last being on 2nd February 2019 when Pope Francis received the National Council saying, “The Monegasques can rely on the founding values of the Principality inspired by the Gospel and by its message of love.”

 
 
Photo by Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace
 
 

Slain teacher’s sister unveils new name for school

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/07/2021

Cap d’Ail’s new nursery school has officially been named the Ecole Samuel Paty, after the schoolteacher who was assassinated near Paris by a young Muslim extremist.
It was a sober moment on Friday 16th July when the school, originally named André Malraux, was rechristened as the Ecole Samuel Paty in honour of the history and geography teacher.
On 16th October 2020, Samuel Paty was beheaded by a Muslim extremist, 18-year-old Abdoullakh Abouyedovich Anzorov, who was subsequently shot and killed by police.
Friday’s ceremony was attended by long-time Cap d’Ail Mayor Xavier Beck, who first initiated the request to rename the school, as well as by Paty’s sister Mickaelle Paty and the Paty family lawyer.
A plaque has been placed next to the motto and flag of France saying, in French, “Ecole Maternelle Samuel Paty, teacher of the Republic (1973-2020).”
Mayor Beck caused a swirl of controversy when he proposed renaming the school. After clearing the decision with Paty’s family, the municipal council eventually decided to go for the change.
“Samuel Paty was not simply a good son, a good father, a good brother, he had chosen to be a teacher, a teacher of the Republic,” said Mayor Beck during the ceremony. “A teacher that his students described as invested, loving his profession and benevolent.”
Paty’s sister Mickaelle also spoke movingly about her brother and about hope, saying, “Thank you to all the people who were opposed to this project and who finally accepted it. Thank you for debating, arguing about this choice which did not seem obvious to you, legitimate. I know that at one point in your life, you have inevitably met a parent, a friend, a teacher, someone like my brother who explained to you that in France, freedom of expression is a fundamental right.
“Continue to take sides. Samuel has disappeared but freedom of expression must be eternal. My brother liked to say: ‘I would like my life and my death to be used for something’. Thanks to all of you, his will makes perfect sense.”
 
 
 

Leclerc loses lead in last two laps

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/07/2021

The British Grand Prix was filled with thrills and chills, despite the sweltering heat, as Lewis Hamilton ran Max Verstappen off the track in the opening lap, sending him to hospital, then charged past Charles Leclerc in the last two laps of the race to beat the Monegasque, despite his 10-second penalty for the crash.
It was a controversial British GP race at the Silverstone track on Sunday, where World Champion Lewis Hamilton was branded “disrespectful and unsportsmanlike” by Max Verstappen and “dangerous” by Red Bull Chief Christian Horner. There was enough electricity to power a small city.
The first lap saw an overeager Hamilton force Verstappen in to the tyre barriers, rendering his car undrivable for the rest of the race and sending him to hospital for precautionary checks, though no apparent injuries. The crash also put Charles Leclerc in the top spot, where he held onto the lead for most of the race.
This exciting turn of events kept fans of the Ferrari pilot on the edges of their seats, especially as the end neared and Hamilton clawed his way back up the ranks, finally surpassing Leclerc with only two laps to go.
Leclerc’s fantastic podium finish, his first this season, was overshadowed by losing the lead, though it did earn him Formula 1’s Driver of the Day moniker from race fans.
Leclerc said after the race he was battling engine mapping issues, which partly contributed to his inability to hold onto the lead, and despite being disappointed at coming in second, he still was proud of such a good performance at Silverstone.
“It is difficult to enjoy 100% but it has been an incredible race, I gave not 100% but I gave 200%, I gave all of me, but it was just not enough in the last two laps,” said Leclerc after the race.
“We definitely didn’t expect it. We expected after qualifying to be quite competitive but not as competitive as now. We have been fighting for the win, which was incredible, especially on the medium we were extremely quick and then on the hards we lacked a little bit of pace compared to the Mercedes – but overall it was much stronger than we are used to.”
Leclerc had the grace to give credit where due, adding, “Congratulations to Lewis he did an incredible job, and it is amazing to see so many fans in the grandstands. It was fun in the car but lacked just a little bit of pace towards the end.”
The Silverstone finish may be the jumpstart needed for Team Ferrari, who hasn’t seen a podium finish since Carlos Sainz’s in Monaco.
“This was a positive Grand Prix for us, not just because of the result, but mainly because of the progress the team has made,” said Mattia Binotto, Team Principal. “After the race in France the whole group reacted well. We know we are not yet at the point to be fighting for the top places on a regular basis, as there are two cars that are faster than ours. But it’s important that we are working in the right direction.”
 
Photo: Scuderia Ferrari Press Centre
 
 

MEB resumes economic missions in show of "recovery and optimism"

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/07/2021

After a quiet pandemic year, the Monaco Economic Board and its members have hit the road again, this time heading to Florence, Italy for an economic mission.
From 12th to 14th July, the Monaco Economic Board (MEB), with the help of the Embassy of Monaco in Italy, organised an economic mission in collaboration with the Consulate of Monaco in Florence, the Club of Ambassadors of Destination Monaco, the Florence Chamber of Commerce, Cofindustria Firenze and the Promotion Office of the Principality of Monaco in Italy. It is part of a particularly close economic relationship between the Principality and its “other” big neighbour.
“Italy is the leading customer and the leading supplier (excluding France) in terms of trade with Monaco. This economic dynamism can be explained by the close links between the two countries: geographical, historical and cultural proximity,” said the MEB in a statement.

Photo provided by the MEB

For many years, the Monaco Economic Board has been organising operations in Italy in order to intensify these exchanges. For this, it naturally relies on the Embassy of Monaco in Italy and the local Chambers of Commerce. But it also has a valuable network: the Club of Monaco Destination Ambassadors, a club of first-rate Italian economic decision-makers with a strong link to the Principality, supported by the Prince’s Government and the MEB. This network, with more than 400 members and present in 13 cities, allows Monaco to shine at the highest level and aims to offer new business opportunities between the two nations.
In this context, the MEB has organised promotional operations or economic missions to Turin, Milan, Naples, Rome and Venice.
July’s delegation, led by Executive Director General of the MEB Guillaume Rose, was made up of around 10 Monegasque leaders operating in the sectors of banking and finance, ICT, e-commerce, business services, energy and insurance.
On Wednesday 13th, two memoranda of understanding were signed by the MEB and its counterparts from the Florence Chamber of Commerce and Cofindustria Firenze at the Florence Stock Exchange.
Other highlights included visits to Villa Bardini which overlooks Florence, the Nana Bianca incubator and the Gucci museum.
“This economic mission was a real breath of fresh air for our members who, like us, have been stranded by the pandemic,” said Guillaume Rose. “It sends a strong signal of recovery and optimism for companies in the Principality who are thirsty to find new development possibilities.”
The MEB has a series of economic missions planned for the second half of the year to destinations including Antwerp, Saint Petersburg, Amsterdam and the Monaco Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
 
 
Top photo provided by the MEB