In effort to keep Monaco on its downward Covid-circulation trajectory, the government is reinstating its mass screening campaign for returning students, teachers and staff after the February break.
Thousands of self-tests will be up for grabs on the first day back to class, Monday 21st February, on a voluntary basis. Adults will be able to decide for themselves, and children will be invited to test, subject to parental authorisation. Parents will be contacted ahead of time by their children’s school offering the authorisation form.
These tests are the exact same ones used at the start of school back in January. The paediatrician-recommended tests are fast, non-invasive and easy-to-use. They are done by use of a small nasal swab inserted in the entrance to the nostril and deliver results in just 15 minutes.
People who test positive are quickly identified, thus preventing the potential spread to other classmates and school staff members, limiting contamination.
Nearly 5,000 people took advantage of the campaign in January, and the government hopes to exceed that number this time around.
For those outside of a school environment, the government reminds residents they can also obtain free testing by calling the National Screening Centre for an appointment on +377 92 05 55 00.
Photo source: Government Communication Department
James Blunt, Pink Martini, Imany… Summer Festival 2022
The Société des Bains de Mer hosts a summer music festival every year showcasing some of the biggest names on the planet. This is the 2022 schedule so far…
For almost half a century, the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival has been a mainstay in the summer social calendar. Huge stars like Sting, Seal, The Jacksons, Enrique Iglesias, John Legend, The Beach Boys and Ringo Starr are among the talent to have walked the stages of Summer Festival’s past.
This year, the concert series hits a new high with a line-up that includes musical talent across several genres.
Opening night, 13th July, welcomes American retro Jazz-pop band Pink Martini to the stage. Formed in 1994, their first album Sympathique went double gold in France in 1997, and the title single has become a classic in its own right. Playing original songs and covers in several languages, including English, French and Spanish, this versatile band is hard to pin down style-wise, but has been a crowd-pleaser for nearly three decades.
Pink Martini is coming to the Opera Garnier on 13th July. The show starts at 8:30pm and, as with all the Summer Festival events, proper attire is expected, meaning jackets for men and dresses or the like for ladies. Guests over the age of seven years old are invited to join in.
Next up is Imany, who will be presenting her latest, Voodoo Cello, for the crowd’s delight. A late bloomer in the music world, she has nonetheless made a huge impact with her music, an eclectic blend of blues, soul and folk. This new album incorporates her warm bass tones with eight cellos reprising some of history’s biggest hits, from diverse artists such as Bob Marley, Radiohead, Cat Stevens, Hozier, and Donna Summer.
Imany comes to the Opera Garnier on 15th July for an 8:30pm concert.
Then, English superstar James Blunt hits the stage in Monaco. The epitome of the sweet-faced, tormented rock star, Blunt has captivated audiences for years. With songs meant to evoke emotion, he explores difficult topics such as war and heartbreak to singular effect.
He returns this year with a compilation of his greatest hits. The Starts Beneath My Feet celebrates 17 years of entertaining audiences and will be the cornerstone of his concert.
James Blunt will be playing on 28th July at the Salle des Etoiles in a dinner show.
Last but not least is super-sexy singer and actress Rita Ora. Whilst performing as an actress in London, she was clocked by a talent scout who introduced her to rapper Jay-Z in New York when she was just 18. He signed her to his label, starting her on the road to stardom. In 2021, she released Bang, her fourth album, which she will be showcasing at the Summer Festival.
Rita Ora will be at the Salle des Etoiles on 31st July for a dinner show.
The Princess Grace Academy stood out during the finale of the International Competition for Young Dancers at the prestigious Prix de Lausanne, with three students taking out prizes.
Of the 70 dancers and 20 finalists who took part in the competition oon 5th February, three students from the school involved with the Ballets de Monte-Carlo stood out. Young American Darrion Sellman won the Oak Foundation Gold Medal and Scholarship, while Frenchman Dorian Plasse won the Coromandel Foundation grant and the Contemporary Prize. The scholarships will give these young talents the opportunity to choose the Company they will join, among the prestigious partner institutions of the Prix de Lausanne.
A third student of the Princess Grace Academy, Italian Luca Branca, stood out with his version of ‘Les ombres du temps’, interpreted by Yo Nakajima from the same school, and won one of two Young Creation Awards. His original creation will be added to the contemporary repertoire of the Prix de Lausanne 2023.
Each year, a partner school or company is invited to present a piece during the Prix de Lausanne, and this year, it was the Princess Grace Academy’s turn to show off its know-how. 10 students performed ‘Back on Track 61’ by Jean-Christophe Maillot.
In a rare show that drinking and driving can indeed go together, Venturi Racing, the Monaco-based Formula E motor racing team, has joined forces with Stoli Group’s elit Vodka.
Stoli elit Vodka is a winner. First hitting the market in 2003 using a new “freeze filtration” system, it quickly took off, becoming one of the world’s most popular spirits.
Winners attract other winners, and given that line of reasoning, a partnership with ROKit Venturi Racing then, seems like a natural fit. The Monegasque racing team founded by Gildo Pastor and now run by Scott Swid, Susie Wolff, Jérôme d’Ambrosio and José Aznar Botella, announced a major partnership deal with Stoli elit recently at the Mexico City E-Prix.
“With sustainability at the heart of our DNA, we have a plan to deliver one vision and one mission: establishing the most powerful and sustainable ultra-luxury spirits and wines portfolio by 2025,” said Damian McKinney, Global CEO of Stoli Group. “To that end, we have been in search of partners that boldly match our sustainability vision in innovative ways, and on multiple fronts. We are thrilled to announce we have found that in the ROKiT Venturi team as the leader in electric motorsport, driven forward by a female CEO and in full support of LGBTQ rights.”
As principal sponsor, elit will take a central role in the team’s visual branding and identity, appearing on the front wing, nose cone and bargeboards of the team’s livery. Drivers Edoardo Mortara and Lucas Di Grassi will be sporting newly branded kit and the garage will also receive the new look.
Photo source: Venturi Racing
“We are delighted to welcome the Stoli Group and elit Vodka to our partnership family,” said CEO of ROKiT Venturi Racing Susie Wolff. “We both share bold aspirations for the future and together, we will continue to champion sustainability, diversity and inclusion over the coming seasons.”
The partnership signals a start of high-profile collaborations between the E-Racing world and the corporate one. The latest generation of E-Prix cars has nearly double the energy storage capacity of the previous one, with pilots racing at higher speeds for longer periods. This added “oomph” is a boon for E-Prix, making it an appealing choice for car enthusiasts the world over, not just those who have a social conscience.
“While a successful sustainable journey can’t be achieved alone, together we can make a lasting difference,” concluded McKinney. “ROKiT Venturi Racing, the Stoli Group and elit Vodka are united in the pursuit of excellence and not only want to be the best but strive to break the mould, achieving the unachievable.”
ROKiT Venturi Racing has been part of the FIA Formula E World Championships since the series’ start in December 2013. Last season saw ROKiT have their most successful year yet, winning five podium finishes, scoring two victories and boasting the series’ first vice-World Drivers’ Championship title.
Top photo: Lucas di Grassi, Driver, Jérôme D’Ambrosio, Team Principal, Damian McKinney, Global CEO of Stoli Group and Edoardo Mortara, Driver. Source: Venturi Racing
Monacollecte, the first major waste collection campaign in Monaco, is being held later this month, providing an easy disposal solution for things like unused household items.
Everyone has at one time or another looked around at the clutter in their home and wondered, “What am I going to do with this?”
The people of Monaco now have a chance to find out with the first edition of Monacollecte. The “solidarity event” is sponsored by actor Samuel le Bihan and organised by the government, the Société Monégasque d’Assainissement (ASM), the Mairie and MC2D.
Residents are invited to drop off all unwanted items that are sitting around their homes and taking up space, as well as things that they don’t know what to do with and that cannot be disposed of in the usual bins, such as half empty tins of paint.
A number of charities, such as the Monaco Red Cross, Mission Enfance, Semeur d’Espoir, Interactions & Solidarity, Friends of Lebanon, the Nice Foundation and the Society for the Protection of Animlas, will be on hand to collect what can be used again. Items like clothing, books, small household appliances, toys, video games and computer equipment are welcome.
The remainder will be turned over to SMA’s treatment or recycling channels. The things they will dispose of properly include paint, gas cylinders, solvents, glass windows and doors, electronics and electrical waste.
As part of the event, free exhibitions and information stands will also be set up, explaining how certain things should be disposed of in a safe way.
Among the exhibitors is the Earthwake association, created by Samuel Le Bihan and former Director General of Action Against Hunger François Danel, who aim to find concrete solutions to stop millions of tonnes of plastic waste from flowing into the oceans each year, affecting health, climate and marine biodiversity.
The programme has some really interesting elements, including awareness-raising entertainment featuring virtual reality headsets teaching people the principles of sorting, a demonstration of aerial terminal collections for glass and recyclable household packaging recovery by SMA, electric tipper tower demos and drawings made by CE2 students which will be voted on by the public.
Additionally, all exhibitors will have stands for questions and information, and guests will be able to register to visit the SMA waste-to-energy plant or the PAPREC household packaging and paper sorting centre at the Prevention and Recycling Offices.
Monacollecte will be held on 25th and 26th February on the Port Hercule Esplanade or the Quai Albert Ier from 10am to 8pm. Entry is free.
