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Day: 10 February 2022

Monte-Carlo Masters organisers thrilled at the return of fans

by: Luke Entwistle
10/02/2022
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Thursday marked the start of the build-up to the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters tennis championship, with a press conference highlighting the return of fans and doubt over Novak Djokovic’s appearance.

The last edition of Monaco’s flagship tennis event took place behind-closed-doors, so as ATP Chairman Andrea Gaundezi told Monaco Life, he is looking forward to welcoming the fans back for the 115th edition of the tournament in April. “We want to see full crowds like before. My first wish is to see the stadium full, to see people enjoying tennis and having fun at live sporting events.”

Meanwhile, Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Director Zeljko Franulovic said that he expects the event to host some of the biggest names in world tennis. “I am expecting all of the world’s top 10, apart from Roger Federer, who is unfortunately still injured.” That includes 21-time Grand Slam winner and recent Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal, last year’s winner Stefanos Tsitsipas, as well as a range of talented young prospects.

Gaundezi, who has won three ATP Tour titles and six finals, praised the longevity of the careers of some of the current crop of world stars, saying, “I don’t know how they do it (Federer and Nadal), it’s amazing. When I retired, I thought no one could ever beat Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slams, and I was wrong three times. The continuity and longevity they have had in their careers will probably go unmatched. I think it’s great for the sport.”

One of those to have broken Sampras’ record is Novak Djokovic, but his inclusion in the competition is also in major doubt, his very public opposition to receiving a Covid vaccine potentially making his attendance problematic.

Monte-Carlo Masters director Zeijko Franulovic broached the controversy during the conference, stating, “We would be delighted to welcome him. It just needs to be within the rules. He knows that very well. The rule currently for entering France is that you have to be vaccinated (to enter a sporting venue). That is the first rule. The ATP’s rule is that the player either has to be vaccinated or has recently recovered from Covid. For the moment, Djokovic isn’t vaccinated, as far as I know. His chances of attending rely on him.”

Seemingly, Djokovic is relying on a policy change from the French government, who for now are currently insisting on vaccination or a recent positive Covid test (four months from February 15th) for entry into all venues, including stadia. Djokovic, as well as the organisers of the Monte-Carlo Masters, are therefore awaiting French government guidelines, which will ultimately decide Djokovic’s participation.

Getting the vaccination before the start of the tournament would also of course allow him to participate, but given his reticence to doing so, which recently saw him deported from Australia, this is perhaps a less likely option.

Regardless of his attendance, Monaco is readying itself for live tennis once again. Fans will need a vaccine pass and attendance is of course dependent on there being no changes to the current health measures in France.

The build-up continues with the announcement of the attending players on 14th March before the draw taking place on 8th April. The tournament itself will last just over a week between 9th and 17th April. Gaundezi, like all tennis fans in Monaco, has a simple wish: “I just want a top competition and for the players to provide great matches and entertain millions of fans.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZzWOr2DTIR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Photo from left to right: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Director Zeljko Franulovic and Monte-Carlo Country Club President Melanie-Antoinette de Massy

 

 

 

The year to visit Monaco’s Prehistoric Museum

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/02/2022

Monaco’s Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology has hit the incredible milestone of 120 years in 2022. Why not use the opportunity to explore this gem and find out more about the ancient people of the region?

The Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology was founded in 1902 by Prince Albert I with a view to conserve the relics of primitive humanity excavated in the Principality and neighbouring regions.

This simple concept has sustained the institution for over a century, which moved to its present location at the Jardin Exotique in 1960 in the form we know it today.

The collections allow visitors to step back in time and retrace the steps of the human race during the glacial and interglacial periods, giving glimpses of the lives of the people of the Riviera a million years ago.

The idea for the museum came about following the excavation of the Grimaldi Caves from 1895 to 1902. Prince Albert I ordered the works, and was the principal financier of the project, but had no one place to exhibit the findings.

Thus, he decided to convert the former Government House building, turning it into the new home for his discoveries and appointed Canon Leonce de Villeneuve as director. Prince Rainier III moved the museum to the present locale in 1960 to a building designed by Louis Rué.

The displays let visitors see such wonders as the mammoth skeleton that was found in the deep permafrost of Siberia in 2014. The excavation took a dozen pain-staking years and the result is nothing short of breath-taking. The five metre long, 3.3 metre high mammoth has been recreated using remains and a metal structure.

Archaeological digs continue to this day and are carried out by teams from the museum, with some of the sites located in the Principality itself. The Observatory Cave still has the oldest traces of occupation in the area and is under excavation right now.

Currently, there are several temporary exhibits on at the museum, including ‘Let’s go to the Museum. Paleolithic groups from 25,000 years ago: between sea and mountain’, ‘Monoïkos – The ancient history of the Principality’, ‘The secret of the stones’, ‘The mysterious Okuniev civilization’, ‘Preconceived ideas about prehistory’, ‘On the trail of the first artists: Draw me a bison’, and ‘To conquer fire’. 

The Museum is also a world-class research institute, carrying out excavation works and in-lab studies.

During the school holidays, kids are invited to come join the action with events on 11th, 17th and 18thFebruary. Activities include painting on a rock like a caveman and learning to excavate using real tools on a real site on the 11th.

For older kids, there are workshops on the 17th and 18th to excavate a site as well as create a rock engraving mimicking those done in the Bronze Age by people living in La Vallée des Merveilles using plaster and flint.

The Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology is open from 9am to 6pm daily. Admission is €1 for adults and children living in Monaco under five enter free. For more information, visit the website at www.map-mc.org

 

 

 

 

“Monaco’s rules are now much more restrictive than France”

by: Cassandra Tanti
10/02/2022
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The National Council has called for the scrapping of Monaco’s harshest Covid rules, arguing that the government is less reactive in lifting restrictions than it is in implementing them.  

The National Council released a press statement on Wednesday 9th February saying that elected officials had written to the Government requesting an immediate meeting of the Covid-19 Joint Monitoring Committee so both groups could discuss “a series of measures aimed at easing the health protocols and adapt the management of the health crisis in view of its current favourable evolution”.

In their letter addressed to Minister of State Pierre Dartout, National Council President Stéphane Valeri and President of the Special Commission for Analysis of the Covid-19 Crisis Jacques Rit note the decreasing incidence rate in Monaco, studies that show the Omicron variant is less dangerous than its Delta predecessor, and the fact that for several weeks the number of people admitted to intensive care has remained limited.

Elected officials are therefore asking to address a number of issues with the Prince’s Government.

Firstly, the National Council wants a detailed breakdown of the daily statistics regarding the number of people taken into care at the Princess Grace Hospital Centre, including the number of Covid-positive patients in the pneumology department, the number of Covid-positive patients hospitalised for other reasons, and the number of people in aged care homes that test positive but remain in the care of that establishment.

“These last two categories should not, in fact, be assimilated in the statistics of patients hospitalised for Covid,” argues the National Council.

Elected officials have also questioned why Monaco has not taken receivership of the Novavax vaccine, despite it being authorised by the European Medical Agency at the end of December 2021, and the French Health Authority in mid-January 2022. “The traditional technological method used for this vaccine could be likely to convince people who until now remain wary of vaccines based on the messenger RNA technology,” they say in their letter to the State, calling for the Novavax vaccine to be made available at the National Vaccination Centre and offered to the resident population.

The letter also calls for the government to drop a number of restrictions including compulsory teleworking, mandatory masks outdoors with the exception of popular hotspots, and restrictions on sports and cultural events involving more than 2,000 people.

In line with France, officials would like Monaco to scrap self-isolation for contact cases who are fully vaccinated and test negative.

“The Monegasque rules are now much more restrictive in terms of isolation for people in contact cases benefiting from a complete vaccination scheme, than those in force in France, in particular. Besides the constraints that weigh on families, these rules are particularly penalising for the activity of companies and administrations, which are faced with many contact cases of this nature.”

The Assembly reiterated its call for air purifiers to be installed in school classrooms, saying “the efficiency of which has been demonstrated for many months in neighbouring municipalities”. They would also like to see isolation times around positive and contact cases in schools examined, as well as the need to wear masks outdoors, in playgrounds, during indoor school sports and when students are seated in class.

“Generally speaking, it seemed to elected officials that the Government was very

reactive when it came to implementing restrictive measures, admittedly justified, and much less when it came to lifting them when the indicators are more favourable.”

The National Council ended their letter by requesting a convening of the Covid-19 Monitoring Committee in the next few days.

The National Council has called for the scrapping of Monaco’s harshest restrictions, arguing that the government is less reactive in lifting restrictions than it is in implementing them.

 

 

Photo source: National Council of Monaco

 

 

 

 

“There are far fewer amateurs in the field today”

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/02/2022
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The World Influencers and Bloggers Awards is returning in May to coincide with the Cannes Film Festival, while a new World Influencers Forum is being held in Monaco. Event creator Maria Grazhina Chaplin tells us more.

The World Influencers and Bloggers Awards was launched in 2019 as a way to showcase the biggest online and social media talents, as well as today’s up and comers, from around the globe.

The event, which takes place at the same time as the world famous Cannes Film Festival, brings together names from the blogging and social media worlds, many of whom gain celebrity status in their own right, with the intention of giving them more notoriety and expanding their audiences.

“The aim of the World Influencers and Bloggers Awards is to honour the remarkable talents in various domains and to award the best opinion leaders and bloggers from all over the world,” says event creator Maria Grazhina Chaplin.

To be considered, the candidate must fill out an online application, choosing between four levels depending on their number of followers, starting with a Junior Blogger, whose readership is between 1,000 and 10,000, up to an Influencer, whose followers exceed 500,000.

Then they choose what genre they fit into, the categories are broad and include lifestyle, entertainment, travel, kids, food, animals, fashion, family, beauty and fitness. The application process finishes with choosing which social media platform the blogger primarily or prefers to use for the contest.

After the candidates have applied, their applications will be reviewed by a panel of judges who have been tasked to narrow down the list and select the best of the best based on certain benchmarks and standards. The judges are themselves established influencers, businesspeople, critics and philanthropists, and include 2019 WIBA winner GianLuca Vacchi.

“There are a few main criteria of selection,” explains Chaplin. “First of all, it’s the importance of the message conducted by the blogger, then professionalism (quality of the posts, authenticity, etc.), of course, the genuineness of the influencer (activity, relationships with followers, etc.) and engagement, also influence ability, according to qualitative analysis of the comments, and sustainability.”

Photo of by Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images

The blogging and influencer world may seem a bit remote to the older generations, but for the young, it is a part of daily life. They look to these people for advice, commentary, and guidance. New businesses are being built up around influencers, and they are often treated like rock or film stars.

“There are production companies, advertising agencies, and managers who work only with Influencers. Influence marketing is a separate branch in companies. There are agencies that work with YouTube, educational platforms for influencers, etc., and we are the first who organised the Forum and Exhibition for the industry,” says the Ukrainian native.

This year, Maria Grazhina Chaplin is also organising the first World Influencers Forum in Monaco alongside the awards, which she says “is devoted to bringing together influential personalities, creators, activists, brands, productions, and advertising agencies from all over the world to cooperate across industries and borders to share ideas, information, and innovations.”

It’s one thing to hold an event, it’s quite another to have it well-attended. For an awards ceremony to be noticed, location and timing are everything. Ms Chaplin has strategically built WIBA into the schedule of one of the world’s most glamorous places during its most enticing time of year. Timing it around the Cannes Film Festival and in the Côte d’Azur was no accident.

“It’s the hottest season in Europe of the year, the highest concentration of stars, celebrities, and media in one place at the same time,” she enthuses. “All these factors give everyone a great opportunity to unite several aims of their trip together. People from all over the world and from all continents will come to participate in both the Cannes Film Festival and World Influencers and Bloggers Awards.”

Meanwhile, part of the proceeds from WIBA 2022 application fees will go to the charitable association The Diana Award, which gives young people aged nine to 25 special accolades for social action or humanitarian work. The award was set up in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, with a niche being an anti-bullying campaign. This tie-in with WIBA is natural due to the rise of online bullying, which particularly affects those with high-profiles in that world.

“The Diana Award Anti-Bullying program is crucial when it comes to digital space and social media,” says Chaplin, “because bloggers and influencers get a lot of hate and bullying during their activities, and they are very weakly protected from it.”

Despite the pitfalls, becoming an influencer is an attractive option for those passionate about a topic, who have good writing skills and a drive to succeed. Even with all these attributes, it’s a tough world to break into.

What is Maria Chaplin’s recommendation on finding a place in this super competitive realm?

“My advice for beginners is to choose your strongest side and the topic you are an expert in, and do everything professionally from the start, because it isn’t that easy to become a blogger by chance nowadays. There are far fewer amateurs in the field. And the main point is to respect the principles of communication culture.”

 

 

Top photo by Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images

 

 

 

Weekend ski report: 11th to 13th February

by: Luke Entwistle
10/02/2022
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The first snowfall for 2022 is expected in Limone Piemonte on Saturday, offering the perfect opportunity for anyone thinking of hitting the Italian slopes. Other resorts expect snow early next week.

Isola 2000 – There are currently 20 ski slopes and 14 ski lifts open at Isola with around 55cm of hard snow. There’s no fresh snowfall expected over the weekend, however a deluge is expected on Monday, potentially bringing the first layer of fresh snow since Christmas Day. The forecast is for sunny spells. There will be highs of 7°C and lows of -7°C. The col de la Bonette and la Lombarde roads are closed until the end of the winter season. Similarly to last week, Saturday will see the resort host a freestyle ski contest, accompanied by a live DJ set.

Auron – There are currently 22 ski slopes and 18 ski lifts open at the resort, with around 50cm of standing snow. There will be sunny intervals over the weekend with highs of 6°C and lows of -4°C. Just like Isola 2000, Auron is expecting snow after the weekend (Monday and Tuesday). There will also be winds of up to 31 km/h on Friday and 27 km/h on Saturday. In terms of access, Route de la Tinée, Route de la Bonette, Piste de la Moustière, Piste de Demandols all remain closed. The resort will host an ice-hockey match between Auron and Nice on Saturday night.

Les Deux Alpes – There is a large choice of runs at the resort with 24 ski slopes and 10 ski lifts currently open. There is 65cm of soft standing snow. It will be a varied weekend of weather at the resort. Friday will be largely foggy, giving way to clear skies on Saturday, and a slightly cloudier Sunday. There will be lows of -5°C and highs of 5°C.

La Colmiane – There are 11 ski slopes and five ski lifts open at the resort, together with between 40 and 30cm of standing snow. It is expected to be a windy weekend on the sopes with winds of 58 km/h on Friday and 47 km/h on Saturday. It will be largely sunny throughout the weekend, but clouider on Sunday. It will be chillier at the result compared to last week, with highs of 6°C and lows of -4°C. The resort hosts a market on Saturdays, and will continue to do so until the end of March.

Greolieres les Neiges – There are four ski lifts open, as well as 30km of open runs. There is 40cm of hard standing snow at the resort, with 20cm at lower levels. It will be sunny and mild throughout the weekend with highs of 9°C and lows of -3°C. The resort isn’t reporting any road closures.

Limone Piemonte – The Italian resort is reporting 16 open runs and 11 ski-lifts, while snow levels vary from 10cm to 45cm. The resort is expecting it’s first snowfall since Christmas Day on Saturday, whilst it is expected to be largely sunny on Friday and Sunday, with lows of -3°C, highs of 8°C. Passage through the Roya valley currently isn’t possible due to the collapsed bridge at Tende. Drivers must instead pass through Ventimiglia and the journey from Monaco is currently approximately three hours.

Valberg – There are 20 ski slopes and 14 ski lifts open. The resort currently has 40cm of standing snow, but – like the rest of the resorts – there has been no snowfall since Christmas. Conditions will be good throughout the weekend with sunny intervals expected each day. It is expected to be relatively mild with highs of 8°C and lows of -1°C.

Note: Snow tyres must be worn on the roads up to the ski resorts.