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Day: 24 January 2022

CMB, Grimaldi Forum renew historic partnership

by: Cassandra Tanti
24/01/2022

Monaco’s main culture and exhibition centre, the Grimaldi Forum, has secured an exciting schedule of events this year thanks to the resigning of premium sponsor CMB private bank on Monday.

It is a partnership that began in 2005, but each time CMB renews its annual financial support, it is an enormous relief and boost of confidence for the team at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco.

“We thank CMB Monaco for its support and its loyalty, particularly in this context of the health crisis which has been raging for almost two years,” said Grimaldi Forum Chairman Henri Fissore.

The signing of the partnership, which symbolically took place on Monday at the Grimaldi Forum before the press, secures a strong schedule of events for 2022, headed by Managing Director Sylvie Biancheri.

“The programming has to be more and more ambitious,” Biancheri told Monaco Life. “We make a lot of effort to renew the partnership in the best conditions, to meet the expectations of CMB by organsing big names, big shows and big exhibitions. We are very proud to get this renewal for 18 years now, it is very meaningful.”

Photo of the Grimaldi Forum Monaco, by Monaco Life

Headline shows this year include French singer and former first lady Carla Bruni, who performed in January, the “Godfather of Punk” Iggy Pop in May, and French pop singer Christophe Maé also in May.

Modanse, created by the world’s greatest ballet superstar Svetlana Zakharova and featuring stars of Bolshoi, will have its European premier in Monaco in April. Featuring costumes by fashion house Chanel, the unique performance is expected to be a sell-out.

In line with this fusion of the arts theme is the hugely popular annual summer expo which this year is dedicated to fashion designer and shoe icon ‘Christian Louboutin – the exhibition(ist)’ and will take place in the months of July and August.

Other highlights include the Salon du Livre, Thursday Live Sessions and Top Marques.

“The quality of what Sylvie is doing is second to none,” Francesco Grosoli, Managing Director of CMB Monaco, told Monaco Life. “There are many things happening in the Principality, but the visibility that the Grimaldi Forum brings both inside and outside of Monaco is very important.”

 

SEE ALSO:

Handel and Chanel celebrated in exceptional ballet

Christian Louboutin: An odyssey through three decades of abundant creativity

 

Photo: CMB Managing Director Francesco Grosoli, CMB Chairman Etienne Franzi, Grimaldi Forum Chairman Henri Fissore, and Grimaldi Forum General Manager Sylvie Biancheri, by Monaco Life

 

 

 

Chanel celebrated in exceptional ballet

by: Stephanie Horsman
24/01/2022

Modanse, starring prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova and members of the Bolshoi Ballet, will present two exceptional performances dedicated to dance, music and beautiful costumes this April.

As far as spectacles go, this one rates high on the charts. Acclaimed Bolshoi prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova will be on stage two nights at the Grimaldi Forum in April, for not just one, but two strikingly different dances in one single performance.

Zakharova, who is notable for being the first and only Russian Etoile at La Scala, will be dancing in a double bill by MuzArts entitled Modanse. The show commences with Come un Respiro (Like a Breath), a celebration of George Frideric Handel’s Baroque style music complemented by a dance choreographed by Mauro Bigonzetti and elegant costumes designed by Helena de Medeiros.

The second part of the performance will be the ballet Gabrielle Chanel, a tribute to the fashion icon and legend. The show takes the audience through Coco Chanel’s journey from an obscure provincial singer to becoming an enduring household name in the world of fashion and design. Her connection to the ballet was cemented over the years through her collaborations with great artists and choreographers including Serge Diaghilev, founder of Ballets Russes.

The show will feature over 80 costumes that were specially designed by Chanel Creative Studio Creative Director Virginie Viard and will use archived photos and videos to further enhance the beauty of the event.

Svetlana Zakharova will be joined on stage by a star-studded cast of dancers from the Bolshoi ballet, including Jacopo Tissi, Vyacheslav Lopatin, Mikhail Lobukhin, Denis Savin, Anastasia Stashkevich and Ana Turazashvili.

Modanse, organised by Luxpro and Valna Management Muzarts Production, is coming to the Grimaldi Forum’s Salle des Princes on the 7th and 8th April.

 

 

Restoration of Boulevard du Larvotto underway

by: Stephanie Horsman
24/01/2022

As steady progress continues on Testimonio II, the project’s partners are initiating works to restore Boulevard du Larvotto to its original state, allowing for traffic flow to return to normal.

Road works will begin on 24th January to revisit the original outline of Boulevard du Larvotto. Groupe Marcozzo and VINCI Immoblier will be in charge of the project which will connect the new section to the historic road.

The operation will include some traffic disruptions that are expected to go on for two and a half months with completion in April. During this period, an alternating traffic system is being established to allow for access and to limit disruption.

As the works on the road start, network projects are simultaneously being worked on in Testimonio II’s public technical galleries, many of which will run under Boulevard du Larvotto. These networks will serve the entire district, including the thalassothermy network incorporated by the government.

This will require another alternating traffic situation running from April to mid-July, though exact dates have yet to be announced. This will signal the completion of this phase of works on the road, until 2024, when a roundabout will be created on the Boulevard to facilitate entry and exit from the car park at Testimonio II.

Testimonio II is one of the Principality’s largest construction projects currently underway. It will be made up of two residential towers with 348 state apartments and a 50-place creche, and will be the new home of the International School of Monaco, accommodating 700 pupils. Parking on 13 levels will accommodate 1,100 vehicles, including 850 for the state and public parking. There is also a private residence, Bay House, which will be comprised of 56 apartments and five villas.

The state apartments will account for roughly 10% of the country’s current stock and the total surface area of the project is approximately 150,000m2 using nearly 10,000m2 of land. The project will use 16,000 tonnes of steel and 120,000m3 of concrete. During peak times, there are more than 1,000 workers on site.

The project has not been without hiccoughs, though. They builders are working on a steep slope, reduced rights of way and with complicated hydro-geology and geotechnics.

The project was green lit in 2015, and has been progressing gradually, despite the pandemic, ever since. It is expected that the first tower and creche will be ready for occupation by the end of this year, with the second tower being complete in the 3rd quarter of 2023. The International School will be able to open its doors in 2023 as well. Finally, Bay House is set to be ready in 2024.

“Testimonio is more than a construction site for us: it is a major project for Monaco, which provides concrete solutions adapted to the needs of Monegasques and residents of the Principality,” said Céline Caron-Dagioni, Minister of Equipment, Environment and Urban Planning. “It is also a project that requires going through many stages before seeing the end of the tunnel. We still have one important task left so that Boulevard du Larvotto can be returned to full traffic and alternating is the only solution: since the beginning of the year, we have been working with the promoter and the builder to adjust a device that allows for the completion of the work and will not cut off traffic.”

 

 

Image of the future Testimonio II project by DR, Monaco Government 

 

 

Loeb claims Monte-Carlo Rally crown in dramatic finish

by: Luke Entwistle
24/01/2022

Loeb beat Ogier in a battle of the Sébastien’s, as the former claimed his eighth Monte-Carlo Rally win after an incredible final day of racing on Sunday.

The pendulum swung back-and-forth between the pair the entire event. Defending champion Ogier began strongly on Thursday following the departure from Casino Square, winning both stages. The drivers’ route was illuminated by road-side fans, whose pyrotechnics and fireworks inaugurated the event in style as they raced through the alpine night.

Loeb, who was making a one-off appearance, wasn’t far behind, and set to work on reducing the slender six second deficit. Victories in the opening two stages narrowed the gap between the two Frenchmen, whilst Adrien Formaux came out unscathed from a hefty crash in snowy conditions, which saw the car tumble down the mountainside in the opening stage of Friday morning.

By the third stage of the day, which saw the drivers tackle some treacherous mountain roads around Valberg, Loeb had manufactured an advantage of 13 seconds to Ogier, whilst Welshman Elfyn Evans split the pair in second.

Englishman Gus Greensmith claimed his first World Rally Championship win, and although Ogier had reduced the gap to Loeb in the latter half of the day, Loeb still carried an almost 10 second advantage going into the penultimate day.

Saturday came and Ogier was on the charge. After a third place finish in the first event of the day, he won the second to retake the overall lead of the event by a matter of milliseconds. Another win in the 11th stage eked out the lead further, and by Saturday evening he had stretched out an advantage of over 21 seconds.

Ogier looked set to retain his title going into the final day, as he had seemingly fought off Loeb’s spirited fightback. But there was another twist in the tale. Ogier suffered a puncture on the penultimate stage, the lead consequently changing hands once again going into the final event of the competition.

With a deficit of 9.5 seconds to overcome, Ogier’s attempts to retain his title were hampered further, after a jump start saw him receive a 10-point time penalty. Despite a valiant effort, that deficit proved insurmountable, Loeb taking the title by 10.5 seconds.

Upon the Champion’s triumphant return to Casino Square, Loeb celebrated in style, performing his iconic backflip. His co-driver Isabelle Galmiche, a maths teacher, also became the first female winner of a World Rally Championship since 1997.

Loeb expressed his delight and surprise at taking home an eighth Monte-Carlo Rallye title, saying, “It’s an incredible feeling, it’s been so long. I was hoping to keep up the pace, but to win is unexpected… I didn’t expect so much when I came here.”

Loeb and Ogier threw up a battle for the ages amidst an incredible atmosphere, and hopefully they both return next year to write another chapter in this incredible rivalry.

 

 

 

Photo source: Automobile Club of Monaco

 

 

 

Monaco stunned in injury time

by: Luke Entwistle
24/01/2022

Montpellier snatched a dramatic victory in the dying seconds against AS Monaco on Sunday, consigning Philippe Clement to his first defeat as manager and damaging the side’s European aspirations.

Clement told Monaco Life pre-match that he was looking to rectify Monaco’s poor away form in Ligue 1 this season. The Principality side have only won three out of their 10 away matches in the competition this campaign, and have failed to score in five of their last six matches away from the Stade Louis II.

Clement is still dealing with a depleted roster. Already without a number of first-team players including Benoit Badiashile, Aleksandr Golovin and Myron Boadu, he lost Kevin Volland shortly before kick-off, leaving Wissam Ben Yedder as the only recognised striker in the squad.

Monaco still fielded an experienced side, and there could be no excuse for the slack defending that led to Montpellier opening the scoring. Elye Wahi probably couldn’t believe his luck when he received the ball in acres of space within the Monaco penalty area. With the marauding left-back Caio Henrique nowhere to be seen, the young French striker picked his spot and slotted past Aleksandr Nubel.

Things would get worse for Monaco. The scorer Wahi would turn provider this time, setting up Englishman Stephy Mavididi just outside the box, who rifled a powerful shot past Nubel to double Montpellier’s advantage and leave Monaco with a mountain to climb.

The Principality side immediately went about conquering that mountain, and a sumptuous, chipped through ball from Aurelien Tchouameni put the ball on a plate for Ben Yedder to slot home, halving the deficit and becoming the outright top scorer in Ligue 1 in the process.

In the second-half, Montpellier sat deeper and deeper, inviting pressure. Their stern defensive effort, however, deprived Monaco of any clear-cut chances. That was until Vanderson, on as a substitute, connected perfectly with a volley on the swivel, to net his first goal for the club following his arrival at the start of January. Having restored parity, Monaco were looking for a winner.

Montpellier, however, had other ideas. The side had posed little threat since the second goal, but began to push once again, as the closing stages were played at a high tempo. A piercing run from Nicolas Cozza split the Monaco defence apart. He then laid it off to Mavididi, who blasted into the roof of the net, queuing jubilant scenes in La Mosson. Contrast that with the images of the Monaco players, many of whom lay on the turf, head in hands – their battling remontada undone in the blink of an eye.

Post-match, Clement succinctly summarised the afternoon’s events, saying, “That was a bit of a mad match, it’s true.” The Belgian, however, believed his side were hard done by, stating, “In light of our domination, and with a bit more luck on our side, we deserved better, at least a draw.”

Clement now has one win, one draw and one loss as Monaco manager. With a Coupe de France fixture against Lens next Sunday, he is positive about the side’s prospects in the near future. “I hope that the coming weeks will be more favourable to us, with the return of certain players to the group.”

 

Photo source: AS Monaco

 

 

Entrepreneur Prince reveals “disruptive” education project

by: Stephanie Horsman
24/01/2022

The 2022 International Day of Education on Monday was marked by the Nereides de Bourbon Group, under the leadership of Prince Nereides de Bourbon, entering into a new partnership agreement with LutinX to bring educational and employment opportunities to displaced and underprivileged people.

The United Nations (UN) declared that “education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility” when they created the International Day of Education, celebrated on 24th January each year.

With 258 million children worldwide currently not attending school, 617 million unable to read or do basic maths, and some four million refugee children out of school, the situation is “unacceptable” according to the UN.

In 2022, a ray of hope is being shone on this problem in the form of the Nereides de Bourbon Group, who in conjunction with blockchain platform company LutinX, have created “a disruptive project to ensure the access to education and more job opportunities for everyone through an advanced technology platform and engine implemented by a blockchain system.”

The project, named NDB Opera, is a new and innovative way for people to access free education as well as a way to help solve the thorny issue of economic immigration.

“Education is essential in empowering people and in refining socio-economic self-affirmation,” said Prince Nereides. “We are living in an unprecedent period for humanity, and education is no longer an option. If we want to forge our future, we must rethink education. We found a concrete remedy to inequality and we stand up for inclusion and equity for a fairer and more sustainable social environment. We live in the era of digital transformation, and I decided to harness technology to ensure equal access to education for everyone. The transition from blackboard to smart board gives us new opportunities to satisfy the growing demand of students and workers to create a learning environment where everything connects.”

The use of blockchain technology is indeed a unique way of linking potential employees to employers, as well as creating a secure space for the educational credentials of the users.

According to the Prince, using blockchain has several advantages for students, companies, and educational institutions.

Students will have access to remote learning programmes anywhere, and will have their credentials saved in the cloud, erasing the need for them to carry a physical diploma or certificate on hand at all times.

“It is an updated ‘personal kit’ that can be carried and consulted wherever the person is in the world,” explained the Prince. “This provides students with a lifetime of online certificates with probative value which is even more valuable for labour migrants.”

Educational establishments also benefit in terms of secure and durable storage, allowing their student records to be digitally stored and accessed, thus saving precious space and cost. It also protects against computer failures and data loss, as blockchains are decentralised and therefore separate from a school’s management and backup systems.

Finally, using this system, companies can be assured the credentials of candidates are true and verifiable.

“For companies, authentication of diplomas can be a real headache for corporate recruiters,” said Prince Nereides. “In an increasingly competitive job market, fraud with false diplomas and approximations during interviews still account for a large proportion of applications. The blockchain is a simple and direct tool for HR departments to ensure the authentication and tamper-proofing of diplomas.”

The intended end result of this elaborate project is that illegal immigration will be stifled. The students will have the ability to get jobs through legal channels, in and out of their home nations, thus stemming the current refugee crisis, as well as lessening the possibilities for human trafficking and terrorism. Mostly, it will give hope and concrete solutions to desperate people who currently have no options.

“If you give a person all necessary tools to carry out a qualified activity, you give them a job and a house, and you ensure them professional and cultural trainings, you do good for them, for the employer, for their family which has remained in the country of origin, but you also contribute to the socio-cultural and economic development of the destination country,” declared Prince Nereides.

 

SEE ALSO:

“Education has been neglected globally”

Passing through Monaco: Joblio Founder Jon Purizhansky