Mercedes scoops the first Grace Influential Positive Impact Award

31/05/2023

The Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team was awarded the inaugural Grace Influential Positive Impact Award at a celebration held last weekend during the Monaco Grand Prix.

The Positive Impact Award from the Princess Grace Foundation USA’s Grace Influential initiative was created as a way to applaud a Formula 1 team or organisation for its tangible achievements in an ongoing commitment towards innovation and positive impact through sustainability, inclusion or philanthropic means.

These lofty aspirations were met by the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team, who won the 2023 inaugural prize with the ambitious Accelerate 25 programme that pledges to recruit 25% of new team members from under-represented groups by 2025. The plan, already in effect for the last two years, has made incredible progress, increasing female team members by a quarter as well as tripling the number of people from ethnic minorities.

“At Mercedes, we believe that a more diverse and inclusive team drives greater performance on track,” said Bradley Lord, Mercedes’ Communications Director.

The top flight brand has also aligned itself using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to guide students from marginalised groups toward careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) fields through partnerships with the Mulberry Schools Trust, the Stemettes, the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers, the Sutton Trust and the Business Disability Forum.

“We are delighted to be recognised as the first recipients of the Princess Grace Positive Impact Award, especially given the quality of the projects that are happening across all the F1 teams,” said Lord. “It was great to see how all the teams are using the sport’s global platform to inspire and enable opportunity.”

*Prince Albert II with Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Photo source: Princess Grace Foundation USA*

EXCELLENCE AMONGST ALL ENTRANTS

Though Mercedes snagged the top spot, McLaren Racing with their Racing Engage programme and Alfa Romeo with the Save the Children partnership gave them a run for their money, coming in second and third respectively. Each team received special commendations for their efforts.

“We were thrilled to see how enthusiastically the Formula 1 teams have taken up the spirit of the Grace Influential Positive Impact Award; the standard of entries has been superlative and has set the bar extremely high in this first year of the award’s existence,” said Brisa Carleton, CEO of the Princess Grace Foundation.

Celebrations continued in the Grand Prix pitlane on Saturday, when Prince Albert II of Monaco and Brisa Carleton, along with CEO of Liberty Media Greg Maffei and CEO of Formula 1 Stefano Domenicali, presented Mercedes Team Principle Toto Wolff with the winning trophy: an artistic piece by Dale Chihuly entitled Gilded Mediterranean Blue Venetian with Speckled Leaves 2022.

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Featured photo: Prince Albert with Brisa Carleton and Toto Wolff, source: Princess Grace Foundation USA

Top street artists heading to Monaco for UPAINT 2023

by: Stephanie Horsman

31/05/2023

For four days next week, the Promenade du Larvotto will be abuzz with the sounds of graffiti artists from the world over as Monaco welcomes back its vibrant UPAINT urban painting festival.

Street art, formerly known as graffiti, had its roots in 1970s New York City, when young people used spray paint and other materials to illegally create images on the sides of buildings and subway trains. For decades, many didn’t understand the art and therefore found it offensive, but, as it is said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and these artists, called taggers, persevered.

Fast-forward to today and street art is big business. A cousin to its original form, it is now a highly sophisticated and sought-after medium produced by talented artists, some of whom have become well-known globally.

Monaco at the forefront

Monaco saw the writing on the wall and has been at the forefront of recognising this art form. The Principality launched the Urban Painting Around the World (UPAW) festival, which morphed into UPAINT, some seven years ago and it continues to attract top artists.

This year’s crew includes: Mon Devane and Lula Goce from Spain; One Truth Bros out of Switzerland; Norway’s Martin Whatson and Hama Wood; Stom500, Lord Anthony Cahn and Nils Inne from France; Woskerski of the UK; Iéna Cruz via Italy and the USA; Rylsee from Germany; and Monaco’s own Mr One Teas.

The festival will also host interactive activities, such as the Street Art Challenge Junior, which is a showcase of Monaco’s secondary school students’ creativity. Visitors will also be able to walk through an exhibition of artworks from previous editions of UPAINT – some pieces of which will be on sale as limited edition prints – and express their own talents on a dedicated wall space.

More than art

Organiser Alberto Colman, his team and the artists invited for this edition will all be supporting a new initiative from the Prince Albert II Foundation (FPA2), which is called Re.Generation and whose purpose is to foster the fulfilment of 10 young and talented candidates under 35 years of age to become tomorrow’s leaders in the field of environmental protection.

The FPA2 will also be holding its 2023 Environmental Photography Award exhibition simultaneously on the Larvotto boardwalk.

Creativity in the virtual world

This year’s UPAINT will not only be in the vanguard regarding art, but in technology as well. It will be the Principality’s first cultural event to be held concurrently in the virtual world via DWorld, allowing more visitors than ever to take part and share in the experience.

As in previous years, collectors will be able to bid on the finished artworks from the artists on the evening of the last day at an auction organised by the Hôtel des Ventes de Monte-Carlo (HVMC). Bidders will also be able to participate online through Invaluable.com and Drouot.com.

UPAINT runs from 10am to 10pm on the Larvotto Promenade from 4th to 7th June. For more information, please click here.

Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.

Photo credit: Axel Bastello / Palais Princier de Monaco

Brits aren’t listening to warnings about sun safety, says report

by: Stephanie Horsman

31/05/2023

Worrying statistics suggest sun safety measures aren’t getting through to some British holidaymakers, with more than one in 20 saying they never wear sun protection when abroad.

Summer is fast approaching and soon tourists will be hitting the beach in droves, looking to create holiday memories for years to come.

But with beautiful sunny days can come serious damage: skin cancer accounts for 4% of all new European cancer diagnoses and 1.3% of all cancer deaths (in 2020).

Now a consumer research survey by Europesure Travel Insurance, which was published during Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May, has flagged fresh concerns that the messages about using sun protection to reduce the risks of skin cancer just aren’t getting through to some British holidaymakers.

POOR HABITS

The study revealed that while more than a quarter of respondents are worried about skin cancer, a full 5.5% never bother with any form of protection from the sun. That figure creeps up to 8% for the 18-to-24-year age group.

On cloudy days, 11% say they don’t think to wear sun cream as they don’t consider sun damage to be a consideration in those conditions. Experts say differently, however, arguing that up to 80% of the sun’s UV radiation reaches the earth on overcast days.

7% of those surveyed said that even though they do use sun cream, they prefer to use a low SPF in order to get a tan, and that number goes up to 13% for 18 to 24-year-olds.

Painful sunburn has been experienced by 27% of British holidaymakers. Women are more affected than men, with a third admitting to getting burnt while abroad.

A shocking number of respondents also said that a sunburn “is just part of the holiday experience”, showing a distinct lack of awareness of the facts: sunburn is known to increase melanoma risks, with that risk level being compounded each time a person gets burnt.

WORRYING ATTITUDES

Europesure Travel Insurance’s Sales and Marketing Director, Paul O’Sullivan, said, “Our survey highlighted worrying attitudes towards sun safety, particularly amongst younger generations. Although we surveyed British travellers, we are sure that the same behaviours are exhibited by travellers from other countries too, so want to extend the warning across Europe.”

Melanoma cases are rising around the globe, with experts saying they are anticipating a 27% rise in cases between 2020 and 2030. In human figures, this is 413,000 new cancer sufferers. Melanoma deaths are also predicted to rise –-by a whopping 31% in this decade – with the total mortality projected to be 74,750 people annually by 2030.

“It’s time for all European travellers to take much better care of themselves and their families when out in the sun,” said O’Sullivan, “and to appreciate that a tan can come at a huge health price.”

To get the most out of sun protection, apply a cream or similar product at least half an hour before initial exposure and reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.

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Photo source: Arturo Rivera for Unsplash

Football: Schoolchildren to compete in the first ever Munegu Cup

by: Elsa Carpenter

30/05/2023

Almost 300 schoolchildren from across the Principality will be donning their boots and team colours next week for the first ever edition of the AS Monaco-backed Munegu Cup.

On Monday 5th June, CE2 pupils from the Révoires, Fontvieille, Condamine, FANB and Saint-Charles schools will head down to the Stade Louis II to compete in Monaco’s inaugural Munegu Cup.

The event has been co-created by AS Monaco, at the behest of President Dmitry Rybolovlev, and the Department of National Education, Youth and Sports (DENJS) as a way of promoting sport and team playing amongst young people as well as to highlight the “educational values of sport”.

In line with these goals, older pupils from Monaco high schools will be brought in to referee the matches as the teams bid for a shot at the Munegu Cup trophy.

“AS Monaco occupies a large place in the sporting life of the Principality and, in particular, in that of young Monegasques,” said Rybolovlev, who has thrown himself behind the planning of the competition as well as that of the wider Kids Tour, which has seen AS Monaco and its players travel the breadth of the region to meet young fans since September 2022.

“The practice of sport is essential for their growth and development, whether in terms of physical health, team spirit, dedication, character [or] discipline. AS Monaco deploys various actions for our young supporters and I am very happy that a new event for schoolchildren can see the light of day: the Munegu Cup,” he added, before thanking Isabelle Bonnal, the Commissioner General of DENJS, for her support in the project.

Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.

Photo by Monaco Life

Health: new cutting-edge laser and hair transplant treatment centre in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman

30/05/2023

Complimenting Monaco’s strong health sector is a new clinic offering local laser and transplant treatments called La Clinique Monte-Carlo Eyes and Hair Surgery.

Monaco is renowned for its centres of expertise when it comes to health and wellbeing, among them: the Princess Grace Hospital Centre, the IM2S, and the cardio-thoracic center.

Entering that realm now is the Monte-Carlo Eyes and Hair Surgery Clinic.

From a newly refurbished space in the Gildo Pastor Centre in Fontvieille, the co-founders of La Clinique Monte-Carlo Eyes and Hair Surgery, Doctor Enrica Segond-Romeo and Doctor Philippe Berros, offer the latest methods in hair transplant and laser eye surgeries.

Among the technology being used by Doctor Enrica Segond-Romeo is the TrichoLAB studio, the first device of its kind that combines standardised global imaging and precise microphotography for both surgical and non-surgical use, to work with men and women looking for hair transplants.

Doctor Philippe Berros is an ophthalmologist and surgeon specialised in refractive and laser surgery who has been practicing at the International Medical Centre of Monaco for several years. He offers patients laser techniques or implants for vision disorders, including myopia, presbyopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.

They have enlisted Doctor Cecilia Marcacci, who has 15 years of surgical experience, as the Medical Director of the facility, as well as a team of other professionals to provide on-site consultations, postoperative care and personalised follow-ups.

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Photo supplied

Basketball: Monaco begin Betclic semi-finals with a win

by: Luke Entwistle

30/05/2023

AS Monaco Basketball are one step closer to the Betclic Elite final after beating Bourg-en-Bresse (96-79) on Monday in the first match of a five-match semi-final series.

The Roca Team made light work of Strasbourg in the quarter-finals to advance after a comfortable 2-0 series win. Now they find themselves on the right side of the draw: Monaco’s two closest challengers, Boulogne-Levallois and Lyon-Villeurbanne, will face off against each other in the other semi-final.

Kevin Durant once again in attendance

Monaco’s team is therefore a strong favourite to reach the final. The first match against Bourg-en-Bresse was wrapped up before halftime, and the Roca Team headed back to the dressing rooms with a 16-point advantage (48-32). That lead was never eaten into.

Donatas Motiejunas (20 points) inflicted much of the damage, whilst Mike James (12 points), Elie Okobo (13 points) and Jordan Loyd (12 points) shouldered the creative burden in front of Kevin Durant, who is becoming something of a regular at the Salle Gaston Médecin.

“From the opening minutes, we played with the aggression that we needed. The players have really come into this match in playoff mode,” said Sasa Obradovic post-match.

The Roca Team were wasteful in the final quarter, unnecessarily losing possession on multiple occasions and being hit in the transition, but there was no chance of a comeback as Obradovic’s men professionally sealed the win (96-79).

Monaco will be hoping to double their lead at the Salle Gaston Médecin on Wednesday. A victory would leave them within one win of the Betclic Elite final, which will take place later this month.

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Photo by AS Monaco Basket

Month: May 2023