Namira Salim all set for takeoff ahead of “chance of a lifetime” spaceflight

05/10/2023

With less than 24 hours to go until Namira Salim boards the Galactic 04, this ground-breaking adventurer and resident of the Principality shares her story with Monaco Life.

At 5pm local Monaco time on Friday 6th October, Namira Salim, a former Ambassador of Pakistan to the Principality of Monaco, will make history as the first person from either country to journey into space.

There has been a bit of a delay to Salim’s epic voyage – the window for the spaceflight was moved back by a day due to some “additional technical checks” – but the countdown is now well and truly on.

Training has been ramping up over the last few days, and when Monaco Life contacted the 48-year-old seasoned adventurer, she was heading out to “Spaceport America” to complete her last full day of training prior to the much-awaited launch.

Amongst her personal highlights from the lead-up was the acrobatic test flight with Commander Kelly Latimer, a former US Air Force combat pilot who will fly the VSS Unity spaceplane on the Galactic 04 voyage.

It was an “amazing” experience, says Salim, who was able to experience all the G profiles of her upcoming flight for the first time, and an “honour” to fly with Latimer ahead of their official expedition.

*Namira Salim with Commander Kelly Latimer ahead of the launch*

“Another part of day two training was that we experienced the full flight in a spaceship mock-up, from launch to boost to release to rocket motor ignition to zero-gravity to re-entry into the atmosphere to landing,” says Salim.

She also shared a photograph of herself in front of a recognisable landmark for aspiring astronauts with Monaco Life, explaining that she had enjoyed taking “a moment at the Genesis sculpture, which inspires spaceflight and connects the Earth with the sky”.

A “collector of firsts”

Salim describes herself as a “collector of firsts”, and it’s a fair self-assessment.

She was the first Pakistani and the first female resident of Monaco, where she has resided since being a teenager, to reach the North Pole in 2007 and then the South Pole in 2008, as well as becoming the first Asian, Pakistani and Monaco resident to skydive over Mount Everest in 2008 in the historic inaugural Everest Skydive.

*Namira Salim will be flying the flag for both Monaco and her native Pakistan during the voyage*

But when questioned on her feelings ahead of this entirely next-level experience, Salim says, “I have done more dangerous adventures.”

She is clearly feeling confident ahead of this new chapter in her story, a challenge and a dream she has held since childhood, but also incredibly self-assured.

“I believe life and death is destined,” she tells Monaco Life. “There is a time for it and it can happen anywhere, anytime.”

Read related:

Countdown till lift-off for Namira Salim, Monaco’s first space traveller

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Photos supplied by Namira Salim

Discover the greenhouses of the Saint Laurent d’Eze nursery and the International Flower Competition

by: Niki Borisova

05/10/2023

Embrace the great outdoors by joining in the third consecutive ‘Nature Weekend’, organised by the Urban Planning Department’s Garden section, and enjoy floral masterpieces at the 54^th International Flower Competition.

Throughout the weekend of 14^th and 15^th October, the organisation team will be welcoming visitors to the Peiniere de Saint-Laurent d’Eze for a series of workshops, suitable for all ages.

Your Nature Weekend program

Visitors will have an opportunity to learn new gardening skills and insights through workshops on plant composition, repotting plants, and engaging in drawing and bookmarking sessions to unlock land art.

Participants will be able to take part in a guided tour and discover the ‘experimental and educational vegetable garden’, and ‘the operation during a guided tour’, experiences that offer a deeper understanding of sustainable agriculture and empower visitors towards healthy choices.

During the event, Le Camion Valentin food truck will be on-site.

Can’t have nature without flowers

The month of Octobere will also see the 54^th international Bouquet Competition, organised by the Garden Club, which will take on the theme of ‘Le Festival du Cirque’, in honour of Prince Rainier III.

Participants from across Europe will showcase their creativity through floral compositions, creating true artistic masterpieces.

There will be seven categories that participants can choose from to base their masterpieces on. These include ‘trapeze artists’, ‘contortionists’, ‘balancing act’, ‘magic’, ‘acrobatic and porcelain’, ‘circus animals’, and, of course, a circus will not be complete without a ‘clown’ category.

Two juries will decide on the awards, the ‘special’ jury, and the ‘official’ jury.

Either as a competitor or a spectator, come join the floral circus at the Rival Tunnel on Saturday 7^th October, from 6pm to 7:30pm, and on Sunday 8^th October, from 9:30am to 6pm, with free admission.

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Photo credit: Jonathan Kemper, Unsplash

Discover 60 cultures through 60 sculptures in Amade’s 60th anniversary exhibition

by: Niki Borisova

05/10/2023

Dive into the ancient world and its civilizations at the Casino de Monte-Carlo with an exhibition of 60 sculptures presented in honour of AMADE’s 60th anniversary.

The unique exhibition is curated by the Donnadieu Foundation, a newly established foundation that organises cultural events around France, founded by Ludovic Donnadieu. It is taking place at the Atrium of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, a location full of history and fit for an exhibition of ancient treasures.

The exhibition is in honour of Amade’s 60th anniversary. Amade, ‘The World Association for Children’s Friends’ (Association Mondiale des Amis de l’Enfance), is an organisation founded in 1963 by Princess Grace of Monaco, and has been chaired by Princess Caroline of Hanover since 1993.

According to Amade’s vision statement, it aims to “build a world where children, regardless of their social, religious or cultural origins, can live safely and with dignity and respect for their fundamental rights”.

A unique look at cultures across the globe

Such a world vision is also shared by Ludovic Donnadieu, with the central statement surrounding the Donnadieu foundation being “culture gives youth hope for a better future”. With a shared vision, both organisations came together to bring it into reality.

60 sculptures, spanning from five continents and covering 8,000 years of history, sourced from Ludovic’s own private collection, are on display. The sculptures have been “meticulously selected from around the world to form a harmonious work depicting the diversity of the world’s cultures”. A unique feature of the exhibition is that the works are displayed in circles, symbolising ‘equality, fraternity, and eternity’.

Visitors are left to wonder about ancient mysteries and a desire to explore them. “It’s a very inspiring exhibition that makes me think of how much we don’t know about ancient times,” a long-term resident visiting the exhibition told Monaco life.

At the end of the exhibition, a guestbook is displayed, where visitors can write their thoughts and feelings, leaving a mark in time of their own.

The exhibition is open to the public every day from 12pm until 17^th October, at the Atrium in Casino de Monte-Carlo with free admission.

See more in our Instagram video below…

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Main photo by Monaco Life

Monaco expertise at heart of Saudi Arabia’s luxe Amaala Yacht Club development

by: Stephanie Horsman

05/10/2023

The Yacht Club de Monaco and Monaco Marine Management have offered their knowledge, assistance and expertise to the new Amaala Yacht Club development in Saudi Arabia.

After a series of meetings between Monaco and Saudi representatives, the two highly sought-after coastal nations have a new project: the futuristic Amaala Yacht Club in the Triple Bay Marina.

WORKING TOGETHER

Monaco Marine Management (M3) and the Yacht Club de Monaco (MYC) are now set to lend their knowledge and expertise in running and operating a high-end marina and club to Saudi Arabia’s futuristic yacht club, the Amaala.

M3 has been enlisted to help run the club, whilst the MYC has been entrusted to start a sailing school, create events and assist with training and recruitment. This comes after the MYC signed a deal in August with Amaala’s regulatory body to be give permission to host events in Saudi.

WHAT IS AMAALA?

The 7,900m2 club, designed by architecture firm HSK, is four storeys of pure luxury and graceful beauty.

“Set within the Triple Bay Marina of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nature Reserve, Amaala’s new Yacht Club is a keystone development with a captivating free-flowing structure that aims to create a one-of-a-kind meeting point between land and sea,” reads the club’s website.

SUSTAINABILITY A CORE FOCUS

Monaco’s strong sustainability credentials also attracted the eye of Amaala CEO John Pagano, who says, “We anticipate that Amaala will become an international hub for luxury yachting, and as such, the Yacht Club required a world-class design, influenced by the surrounding natural elements and Arabic heritage, and underpinned by our commitment to sustainability.”

This is part of a bigger picture plan by the Crown Prince, who formed the Saudi Green Initiative as a way of promoting environmentalism and green energy, thus changing the image of Saudi Arabia as nothing more than one of the world’s biggest oil exporting nations to that of a forward-thinking destination.

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Photo source: Amaala Yacht Club

Could a new underground route into Monaco be ready by the end of 2026?

by: Stephanie Horsman

05/10/2023

More details are emerging on the controversial underground “hopper” system between the Moyenne Corniche and Monaco, including a provisional completion date of the end of 2026.

We don’t quite know how it will be achieved or when work will begin, but information regarding the cost and the timeframe of the underground funnel system between Chemin des Cyclamens and Avenue du Général de Gaulle has slowly begun to be released by the authorities involved.

With a complicated system involving traffic lights, a sharp turn and an ineffective roundabout-esque set up, the current intersection is just the start of what becomes a line of traffic that snakes back for kilometres during rush hours. Accidents are commonplace, but even if the road is navigated safely, the jams can still add massive delays to travel times.

In short, the 15,000 commuters who make the daily trek in and out of Monaco via this famous “malfunction junction” on its western edge know all too well that a solution to the localised traffic problem must be found – and quickly.

MOVING AHEAD

A meeting of technicians and engineers from the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis was held on 3rd October, whereafter the proposed plans to build an underground artery to alleviate the current situation was presented to Mayor of Cap d’Ail Xavier Beck, who earlier this year moved against the project, and local residents.

“The objective is to create a two-way hopper,” confirmed Richard Henry, Director of Infrastructure and Public Spaces at the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis. “We are still working on principles. The technical studies have not started, so the finalised images have not been made.”

The creation of an underground section will eliminate the traffic lights at Avenue du Général de Gaulle and Chemin des Cyclamens, allowing light vehicles to pass freely without the need to stop. Heavy goods vehicles (HGV) will continue to use the surface street.

MONACO FINANCING LION’S SHARE

The Principality has reportedly agreed to pay €8.8 million of the €11 million project. Monaco is also believed to be financing €15.5 million of the €20.5 million required to increase the size of the road between the Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grasse and the Boulevard de Jardin Exotique roundabout at the entrance into the Principality, which is another section of the round that causes excessive build-ups of traffic.

The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis also has a provisional schedule in mind: the project could be finished by the end of 2026, barring any significant administrative, geological or political delays.

READ RELATED:

Work continues on plan to ease traffic jams in Cap d’Ail despite appeal

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Photo source: Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis

Nice trams to be disinfected as bedbug scourge spreads down south

by: Stephanie Horsman

05/10/2023

Bedbug mania has gripped France, with rampant reports of these aggravating little creatures finding their way into homes, schools, cinemas and even onto public transport networks across the country.

Though Paris would appear to have been hardest hit by the outbreak of bedbugs in public spaces – sniffer dogs have been drafted in in recent days in an attempt to get to the bottom of the problem – the Alpes-Maritimes has not been spared.

According to the local press, multiple private properties across the region are said to be tackling infestations, but there are no reports as yet of bedbug sightings on public transport networks.

The city of Nice would obviously like to keep it that way and, in an effort to stay ahead of the biting menaces, has instigated the “disinfection and treatment with high temperature water vapor of [Nice’s] tram trains on a regular basis”.

The longtime mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has explained his stance on the matter, saying, “It is time to take a further step. If we are lucky that our public transport is not affected by the presence of these insects, they are unanimously recognised as a potential [and] significant vector of transmission.”

The disinfection treatments will take place when trams are in the central depot. Similar treatments for the city’s buses have not been announced, but it is believed they will soon be added to the public hygiene plans.

FINANCIAL AID FOR SUFFERERS

Despite public concerns hitting fever pitch now, this problem is certainly not a new one.

For the past two years, residents of Nice have been able to request financial assistance to the tune of €175 to rid themselves of bedbugs. The sum can go towards the purchase of equipment to handle the situation or to a specialist fumigation company. More than 70 households in Nice are believed to have taken advantage of this service since the start of the year.

A special unit dedicated to dealing with the outbreak has also been in operation since the start of October. It can be found at the Maison de l’Habitant housing authority on Allée Philippe Seguin. Concerned citizens can go there in person or contact the team here.

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Photo source: Chris Curry, Unsplash

Day: 5 October 2023