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Month: January 2023

Greek New Year tradition celebrated at Monaco Yacht Club

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/01/2023

The annual ceremony of cutting the vasilopita – the traditional Greek New Year’s cake – was held last week at the Yacht Club de Monaco with prominent members of the Hellenic Community of Monaco joining in on the celebrations.  

Cutting the vasilopita is an important start of the year in Greece and is done to pay tribute to Saint Basil. Usually cut by the senior member of the family, portions of the vasilopita are distributed amongst the household in a specific way. The first portion is, in more religious families, cut in remembrance of Jesus Christ, and the other portions are cut for the members of the family, including “the house” and “the poor”. A coin is baked into the cake for luck in the year ahead.   

On 22nd January, the Hellenic Community of Greece gathered at the Yacht Club of Monaco to carry out this time-honoured tradition as well as to recap the past year and talk of plans for the future.  

Members, along with their families, listened as the president of the association, Sophia Vaharis Tsouvelekakis, presented her annual report, which included the activities carried out in both the Principality and Greece, followed by the treasurer of the Hellenic Community, Dr. Panagiotis Kyriazis, who presented the financial statement for 2022.  

Also on hand were Ambassador of France to Monaco Laurent Stefanini, Minister of State Pierre Dartout with his wife Helen, Archbishop of Monaco Dominique-Marie David, Metropolitan of France Dimitrios Ploumis, and Honorary General Consul of Greece to Monaco Petros Machas. 

The leader of the Greek Orthodox Church in France, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, was awarded an honorary distinction for his great contribution to Christianity and the people in general. 

Candy sculptures were created for the event by French artist Laurence Jenkell, painted in Greek and Monegasque colours.  

Finally, the lucky coin winner was treated to a weekend at the Vathi Cove resort on the Greek island of Thasos.  

  

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Photo supplied by the Hellenic Community of Monaco

 

Dubai Cares partners with COP28 to put education at forefront of climate action

by: Cassandra Tanti
26/01/2023

It was during the World Economic Forum in Davos that Dubai Cares signed an historic agreement to put education, and specifically climate education, on the main agenda of this year’s COP28.

The incoming presidency of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Dubai Cares have agreed to partner on a suite of climate education outcomes on the sidelines of COP28, which will take place at Expo City Dubai from 30th November to 12th December 2023.

Dubai Cares will notably host the second edition of the RewirEd Summit, the global education cooperation platform, in conjunction with the global climate summit with a focus on climate action education and approaches this year.

“The theme of the RewirEd summit will be climate and education: green skills and green jobs towards green economies. This will be the first ever COP to have an education day as a main pillar,” Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares, told Monaco Life.

Dubai Cares will lead a global preparatory process from now until the summit to mobilise public and private actors around new policy, financing, and technology outcomes that both equip learners for the net-zero economy and enhance accessibility and resilience in the education sector.

“In developing countries, we always look at it through the lens of opportunity for the children and youth who missed out on education or who don’t have any jobs even if they are certified,” added Dr. Al Gurg. “We look out how we can have the best ecosystem built in the context of that country, so we can give the opportunity of training and upskilling to these youth for future jobs.”

Dubai Cares was created in 2007 as part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, and has been working towards providing children and youth in developing countries with access to quality education through the design and funding of programmes that aim to be impactful, sustainable and scalable. To date, the UAE-based global philanthropic organisation has successfully launched education programmes reaching over 21 million beneficiaries in 60 developing countries.

Dubai Cares plans to support the efforts of COP28 by convening climate and education stakeholders from around the world to unify efforts towards a common vision.

“COP28 represents the UAE’s enduring commitment to addressing the climate crisis and accelerating progress towards a better and more secure and prosperous world,” said Dr. Tariq Al Gurg. “As COP28’s education partner, Dubai Cares looks forward to supporting the UAE’s efforts by uniting education and climate actors towards a common vision of unlocking the potential of transformed education systems to not only mitigate climate challenges, but also contribute to national and global aspirations. We are pleased to see that COP28 will be the first COP gathering to prioritise education in climate discussions by placing it at the forefront of its agenda.”

“We are grateful to the COP28 Presidency for believing in our mission and for selecting Dubai Cares to coordinate stakeholders in designing the COP’s education programming.”

Dubai Cares plays a key role in helping to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and quality education for all, and promote lifelong learning by 2030, by supporting programmes in early childhood development, access to quality primary and secondary education, technical and vocational education and training for youth as well as a particular focus on education in emergencies and protracted crises. Dubai Cares also adopts a strategic approach to improve student enrollment and learning outcomes through an integrated school health and nutrition model that is made up of school-based deworming activities, school feeding, and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) in schools.

“Climate change is the defining challenge of our era. It is essential for us to empower our youth and society with the knowledge and skills to become changemakers and contribute to meaningful action,” said H.E. Amb. Majid Al Suwaidi, Director General of COP28. “We welcome this partnership with Dubai Cares, to connect with diverse stakeholders, create capacity-building opportunities and mobilise a concerted drive for inclusive climate progress.”

“Green and climate education is what we can include in our curriculums today in schools to instill a mindset in our children of the importance of climate and planet Earth and how we have to take care of it,” said Dr. Al Gurg. “Our generation will not be able to solve these issues, but we can instigate small solutions and prepare the upcoming generation to make the change that needs to happen.”

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SEE ALSO:

“Education has been neglected globally”

Photo: H.E. Amb. Majid Al Suwaidi, Director General of COP28 and Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares, source: Dubai Cares

Dates for your diary: two February Pink Ribbon events with special guest Noah Wyle

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/01/2023

Breast cancer charity Pink Ribbon Monaco is back with two big events next month, featuring appearances by former E.R. star actor Noah Wyle.

This February, two special occasions are taking place. The first is the ‘Dare to Bear’ Gala at the Hôtel Hermitage on Friday 10th February. TV star and human rights advocate Noah Wyle, whose life was touched by the recent illness of a relative, will be in attendance.

During the gala, an auction will be held selling one-of-a-kind photos and film strips from two Alfred Hitchcock‘s classics: Rear Window and Vertigo. All stills contain either Grace Kelly or Kim Novak alone or with James Stewart.

These one of a kind pictures will be sold alongside the filmstrip for a unique piece of movie history. Also in the auction is jewellery, a watch and more.

Two days later, on 12th February, will be the annual Pink Ribbon Walk, which Wyle will also be a part of. The five-kilometre event starts at 9.45am from Port Hercule, following a route that passes in front of the Palace, the Cathedral and the Oceanographic Museum, then the Casino de Monte-Carlo terraces.

“The easy circuit will allow people of all sporting levels to participate,” say the organisers. “Children are welcome and free under 13 years old. Other participants must assist people with reduced mobility or using strollers in certain places.”

Raffle tickets will be on sale at €10 for two, and a commemorative t-shirt, offered by partner SBM Offshore, will be given to mark the event.

The walk itself is unique to others, in that participants don’t have a number on their bibs. Instead, they are asked to write messages of support or tribute to people living with breast cancer. Additionally, it is not meant to be competitive, but collaborative.

“It is not a question of completing the course in record time, but of participating in large numbers to bring visibility to the cause we support,” the association says.

The walk is organised within the framework of the Monaco Run, which offers different events for all running enthusiasts over a weekend each year. In 2023, the Monaco Run will offer 1,000m races for young and old, as well as a chance to participate in the 12-kilometre City Trail, which will take runners through the Principality’s most emblematic sites via narrow streets, parks and stairways. Five and 10-kilometre races will also be held.

Pink Ribbon Monaco has been raising funds and awareness for breast cancer since 2011 under the leadership of founder Natasha Frost-Savio. Registration for the Pink Ribbon Walk is €30, and for more information or to register for the walk and to purchase gala tickets, visit www.pinkribbon.mc or email office@pinkribbon.mc.

 

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Photo source: Pink Ribbon Monaco/Facebook. This article was originally published on 12th January. 

UArctic meeting puts polar issues front and centre

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/01/2023

More than a hundred people gathered at the recent UArctic Rector’s Meeting, including Prince Albert II, who emphasised the important role of universities in solving the climactic challenges facing polar region.  

UArctic is a network of universities, colleges, research institutes and other organisations concerned with education and research in and about the North Pole, who are all working to promote viable communities and sustainable economies, as well as forging global partnerships in the region.  

On 13th January, representatives from 29 UArctic-affiliated schools met at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco along with other interested parties and were greeted with a welcome address given by Prince Albert II.   

“To protect the Arctic, as with everything related to the environment, nothing would be possible without science and without the work of scientists,” said the Prince. “Nothing would be possible without such painstaking – sometimes unrewarding – efforts, which alone enable us to see beyond appearances, to understand the complex mechanisms at work, to anticipate their effects, and more importantly to find ways of mitigating and adapting to them. This is why we need to encourage research without respite, to nurture it, protect it, and to disseminate the knowledge it offers us as widely as possible.” 

The Prince Albert II Foundation (FPA2) has been a long-time supporter of UArctic and, as such, recognises the active roles universities as seats of learning can provide to the bigger picture. 

Along these lines, the Prince declared, “The specific role of universities is also due to their being not only places where knowledge is produced, but also where it is transmitted. This is also an essential quality for responding to the challenges that we face today.” 

The day unfolded by holding keynote discussions on “some of the most critical and debated issues” facing the region today. A summary will be available to read later this year.  

The meeting was also an opportunity to introduce The Polar Initiative, launched in 2022 by the FPA2 as a tool to take a proactive role in polar preservation and conservation. 

 

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Photo source: Daiwei Lu for Unsplash

AS Monaco’s free-scoring season in numbers

by: Luke Entwistle
26/01/2023

A free-scoring AS Monaco have enjoyed their best first half to a Ligue 1 season in five years. Whilst their league position may not fully reflect that, Les Monégasques still have everything to play for. 

Monaco sit just five points behind Olympique de Marseille, who currently occupy the bottom step of the podium. The Principality side’s first half of the season has been one of mixed fortunes: from the red-card-heavy start to important victories against local rivals OGC Nice and Lyon.

Ultimately, however, the club are the victim of one of Ligue 1’s most competitive seasons in many years. Those at the top, Paris Saint-Germain, RC Lens and Marseille have reached a level of consistency rarely seen in Ligue 1. Monaco themselves have managed to follow in the wake of the podium sides, largely due to their clinical finishing. If their season is to reach a successful conclusion, Philippe Clement’s side will have to keep firing at all cylinders, with none of the clubs around them showing any signs of a let-up.

29 – Monaco have scored in 29 consecutive Ligue 1 matches – the best run of any side in the top five European divisions (Premeir League, Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1). The run dates back to March 2022, and that fateful match against PSG, that at the time changed the course of Les Monégasques season.

18 – The percentage of shots converted into goals in Ligue 1 this season (42/234). That figure is the highest of any team in Europe’s top five divisions.

42 – Monaco’s 42 goals mean that they are the second-highest scorers in Ligue 1, behind only PSG, who dispose of an attack consisting of Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Neymar. In all competitions in the 2022/23 season, nine different players have registered for the Principality side. That includes three defenders: Guillermo Maripán, Caio Henrique and Axel Disasi, who combined have scored seven Ligue 1 goals this term.

2 – The club have two players who have scored more than 10 goals in the league. Wissam Ben Yedder and Breel Embolo have both reached double figures. Amongst the top 10 European divisions, only PSG can boast such a statistic.

37 – The number of points accrued by Clement’s side in the first half of the season. That is the highest total since the 2017/18 season (41 by gameweek 19) when the club finished second in the league. The club have averaged just below two points per match.

20 – The number of points earned away from home. That is the same number as Marseille, and only PSG have earned more (22). Despite trips to PSG, Nice, Lille and Lorient, the club has only lost once on their travels in Ligue 1 this term.

The club are currently on a good run of 1o wins, two draws and two defeats in their last 14 Ligue 1 matches. With the club still also competing in the Europa League, Monaco have everything to play for going into the second half of the season, and the means to make it a great success.

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

Podcast: This Week in Monaco #3

by: Cassandra Tanti
26/01/2023

Listen to ‘This Week in Monaco’, our new Podcast where we talk to the journalists behind the biggest headlines of the week.  

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