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Day: 9 November 2021

Monaco makes third shot available for everyone over 18

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/11/2021

Any adult in Monaco who received their second Covid-19 vaccine dose at least six months ago is now eligible for a booster.
People aged 65 and over have already had access to the third dose of the vaccine, as well as healthcare professionals. On Tuesday, the Prince’s Government announced that every other adult aged 18 and over can access the booster shot if they wish.
The only requirement is that the patient received their last dose more than six months prior. It means that anyone who had their second dose on or before 9th May is now eligible.
Just like the first and second shots, the third booster shot is free for all Monegasque citizens and residents.
Currently, Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for use as a booster dose.
The move by the Monegasque government follows a decision in October by the European Medicine’s Agency to approve a third Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for all European adults in order to increase immunity levels.
People are encouraged to call the Covid19 centre on 92.05.55.00, reachable seven days a week from 8am to 8pm, or go online https://vaccination-covid19.gouv.mc.
 
 
 
Photo source: Government Communication Department
 
 

Monaco Rugby Sevens ready for finals tournament in Paris

by: Luke Entwistle
09/11/2021

With the signing of two renowned, international rugby stars, Monaco Rugby Sevens have completed their squad in preparation for the second edition of the much-anticipated Supersevens finals in Paris on Saturday.
On Monday, the rugby sevens side announced through their social media channels the signings of the South African Cecil Afrika and Englishman Dan Norton, both of whom have international pedigree having represented their respective nations.
Norton, a dynamic winger, is the leading all-time try scorer in rugby sevens history, with over 350 tries. Afrika, meanwhile, represented his country at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, as well as at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
The Monaco side will be the subject of more intense scrutiny as well as heightened expectation in this year’s edition of the Supersevens finals as a result of their hosting of the Olympic Rugby Seven Repechage event back in June. The event, hosted at the Stade Louis II, has bolstered the profile of the sport within the Principality.


The addition of international-level squad members, coupled with their impressive performance during the third stage of qualifying in La Rochelle, means that Jérémy Aicardi’s men will go into the tournament as one of the favourites to succeed inaugural winners, Racing 92, as French Rugby Sevens champions.
The competition, which will be contested at La Défence Arena in Paris, will take place over the course of just one, packed, frenetic day, with 12 matches due to take place. Matches will last a mere 14 minutes, with the loser being immediately eliminated from the competition.
Monaco Rugby Sevens will begin the proceedings against a strong Stade Rochelais Sevens side at 14h20, when Monaco will be hoping for a repeat of their narrow 14-10 victory against the La Rochelle side back in August. Victory would see them progress to the semi-finals, with the grand final taking place at 22h07.
 
 

Patek Philippe desk clock draws €9 million bid

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/11/2021

Only Watch, the yearly charity watch auction under the patronage of Prince Albert II, raised an incredible €28.3 million for research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a childhood disease that renders patients wheelchair bound by age 12 and proves fatal in most cases by the late 20s.
It wasn’t a watch, but it was still an utterly gorgeous timepiece.
A Patek Philippe Complicated Desk Clock, inspired by the one given to American automobile tycoon James Ward Packard in 1923, was auctioned off at Only Watch in Geneva on Saturday and was by far the highest seller of the day. An intense bidding war saw the clock sold for CHF 9.5 million (€9 million), a far cry from the astonishing record breaking 2019 sale of a Patek Philippe for €28 million, but still a good price, nonetheless.
The ornate clock features perpetual calendar and a moon phase but, unlike Packard’s original, adds a peripheral week-number display and a leap year and power reserve indicator. The case is made of sterling silver with American walnut inlays and vermeil detailing to create rosettes and sphinxlike creatures which adorn the clock.
Other big sellers on Saturday were an AP Royal Oak that went for CHF 3.1 million (€2.9 million) and an FP Journe for CHF 4.5 million (€4.25 million).
Prince Albert II was on hand for the event, which sees 99% of all proceeds go directly to research projects focused on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, such as state of the art gene therapy and drugs targeting the mutated genes.
“We don’t often take the time to reflect on progress and science,” said Luc Pettavino, President of the Monegasque Association against muscular dystrophy and whose son Paul suffered from the disease. “We are on the cusp of a clinical trial of a therapeutic solution that was developed with funding from Only Watch, you are relieving illness. To all of you, the Only Watch community, you have my deepest gratitude.”
Five of the 54 timepieces sold at the event, which was in collaboration with Christie’s, fetched over a million euro, and in total, Only Watch raised €28.5 million. This brings the grand total to nearly €100 million raised in the nine editions of the charity event.
 
 
Photo by Gaetan Luci, Prince’s Palace
 
 
 

Visit the Far East without leaving Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/11/2021

La Loggia, a concept store created by renowned interior designer Adriano Garbarino, is turning Japanese, if only for few months, filling their space with elegant and subtle designs from the East.

La Loggia by Garbarino is taking clients on a journey to Japan with their latest design stage, entitled Reiwa. The word means “beautiful harmony” and is a nod to the name given to this current era by the new emperor of the country, Naruhito, who came to the throne in May 2019.

Adriano Garbarino, the architect of his design space’s newest theme at La Loggia, has been fascinated by the Land of the Rising Sun for years, drawing much of his inspiration from the clean lines and minimalist looks of the country. David Garbarino, Adriano’s son and right-hand man, collaborated with his interior designer Amandine Chanut to create a universe in the pure Japanese tradition.

This latest endeavour, which has been entirely renovated for the occasion, will allow visitors to discover arts and crafts from the time of the shogun through to today.

Some highlight pieces include authentic yoroi ceremonial armour, gold-leaf screens called byobu, and traditional unframed wall hanging made from paper of silk called kakemonos.

In addition, there will be examples of hanakago, woven bamboo baskets, ikebana, a typical floral arrangement, suzuri-bako, inkwells made specifically for calligraphy, and gorgeous lacquered boxes with gold leaf inserts known jubako.

Japan-themed books will also be available at the site, courtesy of Masséna Bookstore, the literary partner of La Loggia by Garbarino.

Traditional Japanese tea ceremonies will be explained with all the necessary accoutrements on display, and any small item purchases will be wrapped in the style of Nippon with beautiful Furoshiki fabrics. These items complement the furnishings inspired by the Far East.

The design show runs from now until 28th February 2022 at La Loggia’s location on Boulevard des Moulins.

It’s time to give back

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/11/2021

The Christmas Box campaign has returned for a second time, giving people the chance to offer a little something special to disadvantaged people this holiday season.
As the holidays approach, what better way to show the spirit of the season than to offer a helping hand to someone in need? This is the concept behind the Christmas Box programme, which asks participants to fill a shoebox with five items geared toward a man or a woman, to be donated to a person who is struggling.
Organised by Monegasque associations Semeurs d’Espoir and Monaco Humanitarian Aid (MHA) in conjunction with Carrefour Monaco, the operation requests donors fill their box with “a sweet word, a good object, a hobby, a beauty product and a hot thing”. These descriptives leave much to the imagination and allow for contributors to have some creative fun when choosing items for the boxes.
Floréal Franch, co-founder and President of Semeurs d’Espoir told La Gazette de Monaco, “We collected 60 boxes (last year). The boxes were distributed in Menton and Nice during the usual patrols and the operation received a warm welcome from the beneficiaries.”
Last year was considered a measured success and the small-ish number of boxes distributed can be explained by the fact that the organisers threw the idea together last minute. The entire event only lasted a few days, but the impact was huge.
This year, they have a start date of 15th November, running straight through until 19th December and the programme has the advantage of three local shoe stores, Aldo, Capucine’s and Courir, generously offering empty shoe boxes, which were quite hard to find the first time.
More than 200 boxes are ready to be claimed at Carrefour Monaco to be filled for local disadvantaged people this Christmas.
The programme is far-reaching, looking not only to obvious sources such as the homeless, but also to students who are in precarious positions.
Monaco Humanitarian Aid has been working with this lesser-known group through their Solidarity Bag project. To feed those who are unable to get enough to eat on a daily basis, they have collected almost a tonne of food in less than two months to be distributed.
Franch said of the partnership, “We have been supporting MHA from the start with vehicle loans. This is also solidarity, helping each other between associations that pursue the same goal. We work together hand in hand and are not just another association.”
Semeurs d’Espoir was created in 2018 as a way to get decent clothes on the backs of the underprivileged by Franch, along with Pierre Brezzo, Benoît Stiquel and Didier Dorfmann. It is the sole association in the region to offer such a service. They distribute clothing from what they call their “emergency mobile dressing room”, allowing mostly men, but also some women and children, to come and try on items of clothing to take away with them.
They have expanded to also supply basic sanitary products as well as food parcels. In addition to Nice and Menton, the organisation will now also cover Beausoleil and Cap d’Ail.
 
 
Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash