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Month: September 2023

AS Monaco vice-president Juan Sartori elected to European Football Club Association Board

by: Luke Entwistle
08/09/2023
Ekaterina Rybolovleva, Prince Albert II and Juan Sartori at the inauguration of AS Monaco's Performance Centre

AS Monaco vice-president Juan Sartori has been elected to the European Football Club Association (ECA) board. 

Sartori was elected during the ECA’s 30th General Assembly, held in Berlin on Thursday 7th September. Each of the subdivisions, representing the 339 clubs from UEFA’s 55 member federations, elected their subdivision representative to the board.

Subdivision 1, which brings together associate members from Europe’s top six national-level associations (England, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and France), elected vice-president Sartori to the role.

ECA visited AS Monaco’s Performance centre in February

The ECA was founded in 2008 with the objective of safeguarding and promoting the interests of European football clubs, and during the Berlin General Assembly, women’s clubs were welcomed as members for the first time.

Back in February, the ECA held a two-day event at AS Monaco’s Performance Centre in La Turbie, bringing together 80 club representatives to exchange expertise in the field of youth development. During the visit, Pouya Yaghoubinia, Football Development Manager of the ECA spoke highly of the Principality club’s facilities, stating, “AS Monaco can be placed as the top performance centre, not just in France, but in Europe.”

 

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Left to right: Ekaterina Rybolovleva, Prince Albert II, Juan Sartori. Photo source: AS Monaco

Host of changes to come into effect this school year in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
08/09/2023

As the new school year is officially set to begin on 11th September this year, some exciting new systems are being implemented in Monaco’s learning establishments.

The Principality’s General Commissioner in Charge of the Department of National Education, Youth and Sports (DENJS), Isabelle Bonnal, headed up a press conference on 5th September at the Lycée Rainier III and laid out what is to come this academic year.

The first change will be the actual school year and will affect everyone. The 2023-24 academic year will run from 11th September to 28th June, commencing a week later than previous years. Schools will close for four vacation periods and 10 bank holidays.

ASSESSMENTS FOR CE2

Next up is for kids in CE2. After a test programme carried out in two schools last year, the government has decided to implement national assessments at the end of CE2 and the deployment of mock examns in CE1 to prepare them.

As Bonnal explained, “This is an in-depth change in the vision that families, pupils and teachers may have of assessment, which does not reduce the child solely to the mark obtained but which is to help in understanding all the skills acquired or in progress that are one’s own.”

HIGH SCHOOLS

Just like in France, Monaco has opted to teach an hour and half of maths per week to high school students who are not taking mathematics as a core subject.

Additionally, higher accounting courses will now be available at the Ecole Rainer III rather than at Ecole Albert I.

First year high school students registered in the international section of school will now be following what is to be called the International French Baccalaureate system, and Albert I will offer physics and chemistry in English to students who wish to study them.

Physical Education, Sports Practices and Culture (EPPCS) has been added to options for high schoolers, with the minister calling it a way to “enable the acquisition of transversal skills such as self-confidence or stress management and the ability to address the many professional sectors of sport and sports practice.”

ONLINE AND ADMIN

School websites have all been revamped to be more “modern, with a more pleasant design, optimised navigation, harmonised content, easier searches, and important information more easily identifiable”.

Scholarship application deadlines have also been extended to the last Friday in September. Canteen allowance requests can be submitted until 15th November.

TRIBUTE TO PRINCE RAINIER III

This year, Monaco will continue to mark the centenery of the birth of Prince Rainier III in its education system.

On 1st July 2023, the Lycée Technique et Hôtelier de Monaco, founded by Prince Rainier III, became Lycée Rainier III.

Meanwhile, in tribute to the “visionary Prince”, funds collected during the 2023-2024 school year for the International Day of Children’s Rights will be entirely dedicated to the Preventorium of Madagascar and the sustainability of its operation, an institution founded by Prince Rainier III.

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Photo credit: Stéphane Dana, Government Communication Department

 

 

Honoria Crèche opens for parents in Moneghetti and Jardin Exotique districts

by: Cassandra Tanti
08/09/2023

On the morning of Monday 4th September, Monaco’s newest childcare facility, the Honoria Crèche, opened its doors to children aged up to three years.

Located on the ground floor of the Palais Honoria residence building, the new crèche replaces the Escorial structure and has 30 places available, primarily for Monegasque children and residents of the Moneghetti and Jardin Exotique districts.

The Honoria Crèche is part of a commitment made by the Municipal Council to offer more creche places to families in their geographical area.

Building family services

The Mairie de Monaco now manages a total of eight collective crèches, one family crèche, three micro-crèches and an activity garden as well as a Mini-Club open during the summer period.

It has a capacity of nearly 450 places in early childhood structures and 50 places at the Mini-Club.

Reception within municipal structures is reserved, as a priority, for children of Monegasque nationality and/or residents of the Principality.

 

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Photo source: Mairie de Monaco

 

Photos: Princess of Monaco Cup returns and takes over Casino Square

by: Luke Entwistle
07/09/2023

The gardens of Monte-Carlo were transformed into a putting green for the 19th hole of the Princess of Monaco Cup on Wednesday, with Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II joined by celebrities to raise funds for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. 

19 teams, each consisting of three players, including one celebrity, took part in the charitable golf tournament at the Monte-Carlo Golf Club, situated on the cliffs overlooking the Principality.

Stars from the world of sport got involved in the event, which raises funds for the educational projects of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, for drowning prevention and education through the values of sport.

As well as Princess Charlene herself, and her husband Prince Albert II, sports stars such a professional golfer Lee Westwood, Rugby World Cup winner Bryan Habana, Formula One world champion Mika Häkkinen, Formula E racer Max Günther and Olympic high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim all participated.

Following a day of golf up at the club, perched on Mont-Agel, the invitees and participants enjoyed a soirée at the ceremonial 19th tee, which sees the competitors attempt to get a hole-in-one in Casino Square.

Princess Charlene taking first shot at the 19th whole in Casino Square. Photo credit: Eric Mathon, Palais Princier

Princess Charlene struck first on the tee placed at the Jardins des Boulingrins, 64 meters from the flag located in the centre of the Place du Casino. 

Then, each tournament participant tried to win the ‘Hole in one’ prize – a Verge TS Pro electric motorbike branded with the Foundation logo.

The bullets were made of cotton to prevent breakage which increased the difficulty, but a ‘Nearest to the pin’ award was won with a ball landing 22 centimeters from the flag. 

See more in Monaco Life’s Instagram video below, and scroll down for more of our photos…

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Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

EU to streamline cross-border social security

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/09/2023

The EU is taking aim at improving and streamlining social security benefits, such as health care, pensions, and family allocations, for people who live and work outside their home nations.

The European Union (EU) turns 30 this year, marking three decades of citizens in the bloc having the right to move between borders to live and work without constraint. This freedom allows people to gain valuable experience, learn about new cultures, take advantage of wider educational opportunities, and acquire new skills.

CROSS BORDER CONFUSION

Whilst the many benefits are well-documented, there are still areas where improvements can be made. One is in the realm of cross border social security coordination. The rules state that people are eligible to receive any benefits, including pensions, health care and family support, even if they travel or take jobs in other EU countries.

The reality is that red tape and difficulties accessing and sharing data between different countries’ national institutions, healthcare providers and labour inspectorates is complicated due to the inability to coordinate between national systems. Workers find themselves mired in paperwork, losing out on their benefits without an easy way to solve the problem.

FIXING THE GLITCHES

To address this ongoing issue, the European Union has been taking steps to fully coordinate online systems to simplify the process with a few key proposals.

The first is the request to speed up the national implementation of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) so that it is fully operational by the end of 2024 across Europe.

As explained by the EU, the “EESSI digitalises the exchanges among national social security institutions, to move away from paper-based, time-consuming and cumbersome procedures.”

Next up is the creation of a Single Digital Gateway to make a completely synchronised online system that handles many administrative procedures no matter where people live or work. They hope to have this up and running by 12th December of this year.

They also plan to incorporate a European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) pilot, which explores how to “simplify the issuance and verification of citizens’ social security entitlements across borders”.

And finally, they are working toward introducing EU Digital Identity (EUDI) wallets that give EU citizens a digital version of pertinent documents, such as their EU health cards, to make it easier for social security offices, labour inspectorates and healthcare providers to instantly verify a person’s status.

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Photo credit: Christin Hume

 

Rugby World Cup predictions with former England international Dan Luger

by: Luke Entwistle
07/09/2023
England Rugby World Cup winner Dan Luger in Monaco

Ahead of the Rugby World Cup, which gets underway when hosts France play New Zealand on Friday, Monaco Life spoke with former England international Dan Luger to get his predictions for the upcoming tournament.

Luger, a Rugby World Cup winner with England in 2003, spoke with Monaco Life on the eve of the tournament to discuss the potential favourites and flops in the 10th edition of the tournament.

The favourite

It’s a tough one, but I’d say South Africa, and that was before they smashed New Zealand (35-7), because of their physicality. However, my heart says France because they’re playing at home, but that’s always tricky… Taking my heart out of it, I’d say South Africa.

France’s chances

France have been building. For the past 10 years, we’ve been saying that if they got the right coach, they would be one of the best teams in the world. They have the best league in the world, and that’s always been there, and they have the biggest strength-in-depth. They had to get things in order, and they have under Fabien Galthié. It was a matter of time and I think it’s a great thing for rugby. People said they peaked too early and then they were fantastic against Australia (41-17).

They’re a very professional team, they know what they’re doing and they’re trying to peak at the World Cup. I think France are there, even with the injuries. Romain Ntamack has been unbelievable, but Matthieu Jalibert is a fantastic player as well. He can make the difference. It really shows France’s depth.

Out of the home nations, who will go furthest?

I think Ireland and Scotland are fantastic, but they’re in the hard part of the draw. They’re in the “pool of death” and they don’t deserve to be playing against each other. I think Scotland look amazing, I love the way they play rugby. They both look fantastic.

You look at England and Wales, they’re both looking relatively poor but the players are good enough, the coaches are good enough. They just need a couple of little tweaks. We will know much more after Week One, and if England have a decent performance against Argentina, even if they don’t win, and look like the real England again, suddenly you’re on the good side of the draw and you can make the quarter-finals. At that point, they have a great chance of being in the semi-finals.

I think Wales either don’t make it out of the pool because they lose to Fiji, or they make the semi-finals. It’s a toss-up and it’s very open, which is why I love this tournament, anyone can get to the semi-final. Purely on form, Ireland should go the furthest and then Scotland are the wildcard and could cause an upset, knocking one of those big teams out.

Who will be the surprise package?

I would say Fiji. When you look at what they did against England… England aren’t playing well, but you have to give Fiji more credit. As much as I want to see Wales do well, Fiji would deserve to be in the quarter-finals.

Which team won’t live up to expectations?

It’s all about that pool of death. It’s one of those teams that won’t live up to expectations (South Africa, Ireland, Scotland). Ultimately, if there’s one [that will fall short], it’ll be Ireland. Scotland could do a job on them somehow, which I don’t see happening, but it could, then that’d be a travesty for Ireland. It’s just because of the quality of that group.

Who will be the player of the tournament?

I’ll go with Jilabert, who could win the final for them [France].

And who will be the top try-scorer?

I’ll go with Gabin Villière. I love the way he plays rugby: passionate, strong, fast, powerful, small. For me, he’s what rugby is about. Antoine Dupont, Cheslin Kolbe and Villière, they’re not big, but batter people. For me, Villière is what rugby’s about: guys punching above their weight.

 

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Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life