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Day: 17 August 2021

Prince’s Foundation takes stunning exhibition to Italy

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/08/2021

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s photography exhibition, highlighting the beauty of the natural world and the impact of human activities, will be held Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome from 10th to 20th September 2021. 
The most beautiful photos from the Foundation’s International Environmental Photography Prize will be presented to raise public awareness of the issues surrounding the accelerated loss of biodiversity.
“The choice of theme is significant. It reflects the lessons to be learned from the global crisis we are facing: human health depends on the health of animals and our environment,” says Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and CEO of the Foundation. “The photographs presented invite us to reflect on our relationship with wildlife and urge us to act in favour of global health.”
The city of Rome has given its patronage to the exhibition, which follows on from the first edition of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Environmental Photography Prize. This competition involved nearly 6,000 photographs submitted by around 1,400 photographers from all over the world, in three categories: ‘Incredible Wildlife’, ‘Wildlife in Crisis’ and ‘Reasons for Hope’. The photographs illustrate the contrast between the beauty of wildlife and the terrible impact of human activities on natural habitats.
“It is imperative to raise public awareness of the need to develop a more harmonious relationship with nature. We are honoured that the city of Rome shares this conviction and has agreed to host this event,” says Marco Colasanti, President of the Foundation’s Italian branch.
The exhibition can be viewed online at: https://exposition.fpa2.org/online-exhibition/
 
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The winning photos of the Prince’s Environmental Awards

 
 
 
 
 
Photograph by Evegeny Borisov
 

Wildfire ravages the Var

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/08/2021

Firefighters are battling a massive wildfire that has so far claimed over 5,000 hectares in the Var, forcing evacuations and destroying properties. 

The blaze has mobilised 700 firefighters from the region, along with some from the neighbouring Alpes-Maritimes, reminding people of the dangers that the hot and dry weather can bring.

The fire started on Monday at around 5:45pm in Gonfaron and firefighters spent all day and night trying to get it under some sort of control. The mistral winds, which reached gusts of up to 70km/hour, have made efforts incredibly difficult. By dawn on Tuesday, the Massif des Maures, north-east of Toulon, was an eerie moonscape.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that, “weather conditions are unfavourable” in what seems a vast understatement. He announced he will be visiting the affected area to monitor the situation. 

In addition to the manpower on the ground, helicopters and Canadair planes have been deployed to try and douse the blaze.

“The speed of propagation of the fire is out of the ordinary,” said Fire Captain Olivier Pecot. “Normally with these conditions, a fire moves at 1,000 meters per hour. There, it was moving and even again this night at 4,000 metres per hour.”

A crisis unit has been set up in the area as authorities fear the worst is yet to come. The fire is not under control, and flames are still being battled in the Plain des Maures and in the Golfe de Saint-Tropez areas.

So far, over a hundred homes have been affected, though on a positive note, there are no reported casualties. A dozen campsites have been cleared as a precaution and one site in Grimaud has been completely destroyed.

Several roads are closed to traffic including the RD33 from Le Luc to Les Mayons, RD75 from Gonfaron to La Garde-Freinet, RD558 from La Gardeto Freinet-Grimaud, RD14 and RD2048 in Grimaud, RD27 in La Môle. The prefecture is also asking residents not to travel by car between Bormes-les-Mimosas and Golde de Saint-Tropez, in both directions.

 The fire is one of the biggest to hit the region this summer and is reminiscent of the fires that decimated the area in 2003 when more than 54,000 hectares (133,500 acres) burned, killing three firefighters and two British tourists.

 

 
Photo by Sarah Luccarini
 
 

Which shopping centres now request a health pass?

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/08/2021

As of 16th August, people wanting to enter major shopping centres must present a health pass. One of the Riviera’s most popular shopping malls has managed to skip the list, while furniture giant Ikea hasn’t been so lucky.

The French government has mandated health passes at shopping centres larger than 20,000sqm in departments where the incidence rate exceeds 200 per 100,000 inhabitants over the period of one week.

In the Alpes-Maritimes on Tuesday, the incidence rate was 580.

As a result, several shopping malls are affected: Cap 3000 in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Auchan in La Trinité, both Carrefour Lingostière and TNL in Nice, the Carrefour in Antibes and the Giant Casino in Mandelieu-la-Napoule.

Polygone Riviera in Cagnes-sur-Mer is not included in this list because it is an open-air shopping centre.

In the Var, there are also six shopping centres that will demand a health pass of customers: Auchan in La Seyne-sur-Mer, Carrefour in Ollioules, Carrefour Mayol-Toulon, Carrefour Grand Var Ouest in La Valette du Var, Géant Casino Center Azur in Hyères, and Ikea in Toulon.

Additionally, the obligation to wear a mask in the Alpes-Maritimes and the prohibition of alcohol consumption on public streets and amplified musical activity have been renewed.

A health pass can be obtained by presenting proof full vaccination, a negative PCR test carried out by an approved healthcare professional less than 72 hours prior to entry, or a certificate showing antibodies from previous infection.

 

 
 

Famed harpist performing this month

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/08/2021

Harpist and conductor Sylvain Blassel is coming to play two local shows at the end of August in Monaco and Beaulieu-sur-Mer where he is sure to dazzle audiences with his unique style and unusual musical choices.
Famous harp player and conductor Sylvain Blassel will be performing in Monaco at St Paul’s Anglican Church on Thursday 26th August at 8:30pm and will reprise his show again on the 27th at St Michael’s Anglican Church in Beaulieu.
Blassel is known for his interesting interpretations of Bach, Beethoven, Liszt and Haydn and his concert will feature three of these composers. He will play Bach’s Partita no 1 BWV 825 as well as Beethoven’s Bagatelles opus 126 and a selection from Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies.
His website explains, “Keen to expand the repertoire available to him as a harpist, Sylvain Blassel has come to specialise in the virtuoso adaptation of music hitherto undreamt-of on the harp. He performs not simply transcriptions of digestible solos, but giants of the piano and orchestra repertoire.”
Blessel is commonly referred to as one the most outstanding musicians of his generation.
The harpist is a regular with the both the Berlin and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras and is Professor of Harp at his alma mater, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon. He has also recently been appointed Professor at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and is regularly invited to give masterclasses throughout the world: in major cities such as New York, Tokyo, Toronto, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Chicago, Seoul, Beijing, and Shanghai. Additionally, he was selected as a jury member for the 20th International Harp Contest in Israel, and the 11th USA International Harp Competition.