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Day: 10 November 2022

Photos: Prince Albert’s tour of Italy on day two

by: Cassandra Tanti
10/11/2022

Prince Albert II continued his trip to Calabria on Tuesday with visits to many different sites bearing the Grimaldi name. 

The Prince was welcomed to the town by Deputy Mayor Rudi Lizzi, where he unveiled a sign showing the town’s membership to the Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco network. He then went to the Town Hall where he met with elected officials before presiding over the laying of a plaque commemorating his visit.

Prince Albert continued his journey on foot to the Greco-Byzantine crypt of Gerace Cathedral and then the diocesan museum. He also received honorary citizenship at the Chiesa di San Francisco in Assisi.

In Canolo Nuova, a small town of 700 inhabitants, the Prince, Mayor Francesco Larosa, and President of the Aspromonte National Park Leo Autelitano took part in a traditional lunch prepared by the shepherds of the park. Guests enjoyed regional specialities and listened to the sounds of the zampogna, antique bagpipes that are still widely used in Italy.

The afternoon was spent visiting Cittanova, a town in the province of Reggio Calabria. There, the Prince unveiled a plaque at the entrance of the village marking it as a Grimaldi Historic Site of Monaco. Another plaque, this time at City Hall, was unveiled in commemoration of his visit. The procession then took to the streets and alleys to meet the large population who had turned out for Prince Albert’s visit, before he was invited to discover the Chiesa Madre di Cittanova, built in 1785 at the request of Maria Antonia Grimaldi Serra, daughter of the Princess of Gerace Maria Teresa Grimaldi, who died in the earthquake of 1783.

Photo credit: Gaetan Luci / Prince’s Palace

After paying his respects at the tomb of Princess Maria Teresa Grimaldi, the Prince continued his journey on foot to the former Grimaldi Palace via Strada Grimaldi. He then visited the Villa Comunale Carlo Ruggiero park before joining the Teatro Rocco Gentile where he received honorary citizenship of the municipality.

The municipalities of Gerace, Cittanova and Molochio were part of the ancient Principality of Gerace, which, between the 16th and 18th centuries, belonged to the Grimaldis of Genoa from a collateral branch of the Monegasque branch.

The day ended with a dinner offered by the Prince to the mayors of Gerace, Cittanova and Molochio as well as to the regional and local authorities in order to thank them for the extremely warm and friendly welcome reserved for him at each stage.

Photos credit: Gaetan Luci / Prince’s Palace

 

Malizia-Seaexplorer going strong in delayed Route du Rhum

by: Luke Entwistle
10/11/2022

The 12th edition of the delayed Route du Rhum got underway on Wednesday, as 138 sailors, including two Yacht Club of Monaco members, set sail for Guadeloupe. 

In what is a first for the Route du Rhum, which has taken place every four years following its creation in 1978, the race to the Caribbean was delayed due to dangerous weather conditions in Brittany on Sunday. But proceedings did finally get underway at 14:15 on Wednesday, with boats and fans lining the coast for kilometers down the coast at St Malo.

Monaco Yacht Club member Boris Herrmann, sailing on the Malizia-Seaexplorer, is sailing towards the front of the pack following the afternoon’s departure from St Malo. Having set off from the North-westerly seaside town, the flotilla are heading down the coast, past Île d’Ouest before traversing the Atlantic.

Professional sailor Herrmann is currently seventh, just over 37 nautical miles away from leader Louis Duc, aboard Fives – Lantana Environment. Hermann is riding for Team Malizia, founded by Pierre Casiraghi. Getting to the start line in Northern France was the fruit of 18 months of work, carried out by 250 people.

Meanwhile, another Yacht Club of Monaco member, amateur competitor Oren Nataf, sailing the Rayon Vert in the Rhum multi category, is currently in 136th. He is around 137 nautical miles off the leader.

The race is expected to last six days, with the first to cross the finish line in Guadeloupe in each category taking the prestigious prize.

 

Photo by Pierre Bouras

Cap 3000 to give clothing “second life” in exchange for gift cards

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/11/2022

This weekend, the Cap 3000 shopping centre, in collaboration with organisation The Second Life, is holding a pop-up event where people can trade used clothing items in good condition for a gift card.  

Globally, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste is created each year; the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of clothes ending up on landfill sites every second. This shocking statistic puts into sharp focus the amount of waste created by discarded clothes, but many people simply don’t know what else to do with items they no longer want.  

A solution to this dilemma can be found this weekend at Cap 3000. A pop-up stand, organised by The Second Life – a platform designed to give second-hand items a new life – will be set up from 11th to 13th November, allowing people to come with their clothes and perhaps get something in return for them.   

“This physical kiosk will be located at the main entrance, Porte de Cannes, from 10am to 6pm for three days,” says Julie Magnan-Antonini, marketing and communication director of Cap 3000.   

The way it works is that sellers are walked through The Second Life’s website and are asked a few basic questions. After a short analysis period, the website will propose an amount, which the seller can accept or reject. If accepted, a voucher is printed, and the items can be dropped at a relay point. A QR code is then generated and the seller has three weeks to go to a Cap 3000 info point and collect a gift voucher, valid for one year, to be used at any shop in the award-winning mall.  

There are some ground rules with regard to the items being sold. The platform accepts men’s, women’s, children’s and baby clothes from 1,800 registered brands. They do not accept undergarments, pyjamas, tights, jewellery, handbags, shoes or other accessories. Finally, the pieces must be in new or almost-new condition, with no missing buttons or signs of heavy wear.    

The site also indicates how many gallons of water is saved by reselling rather than tossing, giving it an eco-friendly twist.   

So for those looking for a pre-holiday clear out, head to Cap 3000 this weekend! 

 

 

Photo source: Unsplash

Flaunt your green credentials on Sustainable Textile Day

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/11/2022

To mark the European Week of Waste Reduction, Monaco’s town hall is putting on a special one-day event to highlight the reuse and recycling of textiles for the betterment of the environment. It’s also a great opportunity to clean out cluttered closets.

There is scarcely a person out there who isn’t guilty of having a stockpile of unworn clothes piling up in the back of a cupboard. Now comes a conscience-free opportunity to offload some of those items thanks to the Monaco Mairie.  

The town hall is putting on a Sustainable Textile Day, a one-off event being held on 26th November from 9am to 4pm at A Casa d’i Soci (the House of Associations). The event is a chance for Monegasques and residents to reserve a stall to sell clothing no longer being worn, giving these items a second life rather than seeing them wind up in landfill or worse.  

But the sale is only one part of the day. Fun workshops will also be set up at the Monaco Media Library’s children’s event, which will teach young people how to make a fabric book in addition to two masterclasses on how to upgrade an old dress into haute couture, a class where participants create accessories and seamless bag, and a sewing repair demonstration.  

There will also be awareness stands on site from: the Mission for the Energy Transition on sustainable textiles; the Department of the Environment explaining engaged trade; the Animal Fund (TAF) on the impact at sea of plastic residues from the textile industry; the Monegasque Sanitation Company (SMA) will touch on recycling and good practices in waste management; and the Monaco Media Library, with a presentation of its resources related to the theme of the day.  

Access is free and all are welcome. To reserve a stall or to register for workshops, contact jbonnin@mairie.mc.

 

 

Photo source: Kris Atomic for Unsplash

Ocean Viking’s fate causes tensions between France and Italy

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/11/2022

A diplomatic dispute is brewing between France and Italy over which country should take in the Ocean Viking, a ship carrying more than 200 migrants that has been stranded at sea since late October.  

The Ocean Viking, a humanitarian boat run by charity organisation SOS Méditerranée, has been, quite literally, left adrift. 

The ship has 234 migrants aboard – including a number of women and children, among them 40 unaccompanied minors and four infants under the age of four – who were rescued from “serious and imminent danger” by Libyan and Maltese teams in October.

Until recently, Ocean Viking had been sitting off the coast of Sicily awaiting approval from the Italian authorities for it to land. The request was ignored, forcing the boat to look for a safe harbour elsewhere, which has prompted a move toward France. It is currently heading for international waters off the coast of Corsica. 

“In the face of silence from Italy and the exceptionality of the situation, the Ocean Viking has now escalated her request for a place of safety in France,” SOS Méditerranée explained in a communiqué dated 8th November. 

The Italian’s newly elected right-wing and anti-immigration prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has tried to hand off responsibility for the migrants to France, thanking them for opening a port to them, something the French have yet to do.  

The French government has called foul on Italy’s refusal, with spokesman Olivier Véran saying on 9th November, “The ship is currently in Italian territorial waters, there are extremely clear European rules that were accepted by the Italians. The current attitude of the Italian government, notably its declarations and refusal to accept the ship [are] unacceptable.”  

Even the European Commission (EC) has stepped in, issuing a statement making their views clear and calling for “the immediate disembarkation, at the nearest place of safety, of all persons rescued and who are on board the Ocean Viking”.  

“The situation on the vessel has reached a critical level and needs to be urgently addressed to avoid a humanitarian tragedy,” said the EC. “The legal obligation to rescue and to ensure the safety of life at sea is clear and unequivocal, irrespective of the circumstances that lead people to be in a situation of distress.”  

Whilst the discussions continue, there is talk of Toulon being a possible place for the ship to moor. According to Europe 1, a system is gradually being put in place in case of this eventuality and in the event of failure of negotiations between France and Italy. 

Local border police are converging on the area, with the boat possibly docking as soon as Friday morning, but as yet, the fates of those on board still remains precarious.  

  

 

 

Photo source: SOS Meditérranée  

Dmitry Rybolovlev joins LFP Executive Board

by: Luke Entwistle
10/11/2022

AS Monaco owner Dmitry Rybolovlev has joined the Executive Board of the Ligue de Football, succeeding Oleg Petrov in the role. 

The Ligue de Football (LFP) made an announcement on Wednesday 9th November that during a meeting of the General Assembly earlier that day, a vote saw Rybolovlev join the Executive Board of the organisation, which runs France’s professional football leagues.

Rybolovlev replaces Petrov, who has vacated the role. However, this former member of the LFP Executive Board is still the Principality club’s representative on the European Association of Clubs and Petrov has recently diversified his sporting activities in the Principality, managing Fedcom Media, which is owned by AS Monaco Basketball owner Alexei Fedorichev. Consequently, Petrov is often present at the Roca Team’s fixtures, as was the case against Red Star Belgrade just last week.

Petrov had been on the board for over two years, having joined it in September 2020. As well as Rybolovlev’s significant investment in AS Monaco, including in the club’s brand new Performance Centre in La Turbie, the Russian owner’s latest move to join the LFP is another sign of his commitment to the club.

 

 

Photo source: AFP