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Day: 7 September 2021

The White Pirate needs you

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/09/2021

The White Pirate is sailing the French Riviera coast on his way to Monaco, gathering a loot of toys and books for the benefit of sick kids. Here’s how you can contribute to this heart-warming initiative. 
Each summer, the White Pirate boards his sailboat and takes to the French Riviera seas, crossing the Mediterranean from Marseille to Menton and stopping at 25 ports along the way.
His goal – to amass as big a loot of toys as possible.
At the end of his mission, the White Pirate will dock in front of the Lenval Foundation in the bay of Nice to unload his treasure. The nursing staff at the hospital will then distribute the bounty to hospitalised children over the following months.
For the second year running, the Mairie de Monaco is taking part in the initiative by Les Voiles Blanches Bettimask, with two chests for collection in the Principality – one at the entrance of the town hall and the other at La Condamine Market.
Other ‘chests’ are located at various points throughout the French Riviera.

Photo courtesy Mairie de Monaco

Donations must be new and have a maximum value of €50, except with prior agreement of the organiser. They must be packaged in their original, unopened packaging.
Young Monegasque musician Olivia Dorato has composed a song for the initiative, titled ‘The Child and the White Pirate’. You can listen to that here, and learn more about the operation: https://www.voilesblanches.com
 
 
Photo Photo of the White Pirate sailing the French Riviera coast, source Les Voiles Blanches Bettimask
 
 
 
 
 

EU hits 70% vaccination milestone

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/09/2021

The European Commission has announced that, as of the end of August, 70% of the adult population of the European Union has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The success in vaccinating 256 million people, said the European Commission on 31st August, was the result of its efforts to ensure that all countries had enough doses of the vaccine.
“The full vaccination of 70% of adults in the EU already in August is a great achievement,” said President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. “The EU’s strategy of moving forward together is paying off and putting Europe at the vanguard of the global fight against Covid-19. But the pandemic is not over. We need more. I call on everyone who can to get vaccinated. And we need to help the rest of the world vaccinate, too. Europe will continue to support its partners in this effort, in particular the low- and middle-income countries.”
The EU’s strategy to vaccinate as many people as possible is led by the belief that this will help control the impact of the pandemic, proof of which has already been witnessed through lower death and hospitalisation rates throughout the Member States.
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said of the results, “I am very pleased that as of today we have reached our goal to vaccinate 70% of EU adults before the end of the summer. This is a collective achievement of the EU and its Member States that shows what is possible when we work together with solidarity and in coordination. We will continue to support in particular those Member States that are continuing to face challenges. We need to close the immunity gap and the door for new variants and to do so, vaccinations must win the race over variants.”
In addition to making sure all Member States had enough to cover their populations, the EU has also exported roughly half of the doses produced in Europe to other countries. It has given nearly €3 billion to offer 1.8 billion jabs to the Covax programme, which in turn has sent them to 92 lower- and middle-income nations.
The EU will continue its efforts with Covax, agreeing to send another 200 million pre-ordered doses when they have been delivered until the end of 2021.
In order to keep up with new variants, the EC announced a new contract signed with BioNTech-Pfizer for an additional 1.8 billion doses of the vaccine by the end of 2023 including jabs adapted to new mutations. A similar Moderna contract has been signed for 150 million doses.
 
 
Photo source: European Commission press centre
 
 
 

Masters Padel Tournament coming to Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/09/2021

The APT Padel Tour has chosen Monaco as the latest location to host a leg on their international tournament schedule and fans of the wildly popular sport will get a chance to get in on the action.

The APT Hublot Monaco Masters Padel Tournament is coming to the Principality from 13th to 19th September at the Terrasses du Soleil at the Monte-Carlo Casino, in collaboration with the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), featuring exciting padel action and top seeded players.

The event is organised by Monte-Carlo International Sports with the support of the Federation Sportive de Padel, who will be offering prizes to winners totalling €60,000.

Though centre court will be set up at the Casino, additional qualifying matches will be played at the Tennis Padel Soleil in Beausoleil, giving fans the chance to visit two venues.

“I would like to thank H.S.H. Prince Albert II and Mr Biamonti, President of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, for helping us to make history by hosting the Hublot Monaco Masters in one of the most iconic places in the world,” said Fabrice Pastor, APT President.” Thank you to everyone including the sponsors for helping us in such difficult times.”

Games played from Wednesday 15th September will be broadcasted live on the APT Padel Tour YouTube channel. The schedule will be announced on the APT website prior to the opening of the competition.

But the fun isn’t limited to the players only. This year, fans are also invited to play on centre court like the pros from 7th to 12th September. For €100, participants will be offered a one-and-a-half-hour session including use of rackets and balls. Reservations can be made online at https://tennispadelsoleil.matchpoint.com.es/Login.aspx.

Padel, also known as paddle tennis, is an increasingly popular sport worldwide. Usually played in doubles on courts roughly one quarter smaller than regular tennis courts, it is fast-paced and exciting. The balls have slightly less pressure than their tennis counterparts and scoring is the same.

 

 

Monaco ballet company welcomes two new dancers

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/09/2021

As the new season is set to begin, the Ballets de Monte-Carlo has announced the addition of two new dancers – Jerome and Laura Tisserand, former principal dancers from the Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Married couple Jerome and Laura Tisserand are familiar with Artistic Director Jean-Christophe Maillot and his oeuvre having danced the title roles in Romeo and Juliet, while Jerome Tisserand played the prince in Cinderella.

Jerome, originally from Lyon, trained at the Paris Opera Ballet and the School of American Ballet. He apprenticed with the Miami City Ballet before joining the Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2007.

Laura, an American from Louisiana, also trained at the School of American Ballet and the Pacific Northwest in 2003. By 2014, they had both risen to become the company’s principal dancers.

The Ballets de Monte-Carlo will open its season on 1st October with a performance of Jean-Christophe Maillot’s version of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in Fréjus for two nights.

The Ballets de Monte-Carlo was formed in 1985 under the auspices of Princess Caroline. In 1993, the arrival of Maillot led to the troupe’s international growth and recognition. Today, the company boasts 50 dancers who travel on tour as ambassadors to the Principality more than 200 days per year.

 
 
 

What is Monaco doing to achieve cleaner air?

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/09/2021

Tuesday marks the second edition of the International Clean Air Day for Blue Skies, an initiative to raise awareness of air quality issues and the impact of air pollution on humanity and the environment.

The International Clean Air Day for Blue Skies, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, is part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The day’s purpose is to give people information and raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution and the importance of clean air to both humans and the environment. It also allows participatory member nations of the UN Environment Programme to highlight and share initiatives aimed at reducing air pollution.

To mark the day and to encourage cleaner air practices, the Compagnie Autobus de Monaco (CAM) made bus services free to all throughout the Principality on Tuesday.

Since 1998, the Principality’s Environmental Department has been monitoring air quality, alerting the public to days when pollution thresholds are exceeded as well as to monitor changes.

The government of Monaco has long been committed to improving air quality, and in 2019 they went the extra mile by becoming members of the Breathe Life organisation, which sets goals for members recommended by the World Health Organisation with the hope they will be achieved by the self-imposed 2030 deadline.

Atmospheric pollutants are assessed every year by the Department of the Environment so that it may respond to the several international conventions to which they have bound themselves, including the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CPATLD) and the Montreal Protocol for the preservation of the ozone layer.

A network of five stations positioned around Monaco was reinforced in 2020 starting the analysis of very fine particles and fine particles from “incomplete combustion” or black carbon, as well as by deploying micro-sensors at certain places around the country which can sense not only pollution but will, by the end of 2021, detect other air-borne irritants like pollen.  

Monaco continues to push for more environmentally friendly mobility choices amongst workers and residents. It encourages purchasing electric vehicles, using alternative methods of transport such as biking and walking when possible, carpooling, the use of biofuels and a gradual transition to total electrification of public transport. All these efforts are meant to culminate in a return to pre-1990 traffic density and cleaner air.

 
 
 
Photo by Chandan Chaurasia on Unsplash