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Month: December 2023

Pink Ribbon Monaco to host charity gala at the Casino de Monte-Carlo in early 2024

by: Stephanie Horsman
22/12/2023
pink ribbon monaco gala

On 2nd February 2024, and in the highly exclusive Salle Médecin of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, Pink Ribbon Monaco will be throwing a glamourous black tie bash to raise funds for breast cancer research programmes being conducted by the Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace. 

Alongside a luxury auction of items from fashion houses such as Chanel and Versace as well as art and bespoke VIP sports experiences, the Golden Age of Hollywood-themed gala will feature live music from well-known classical violinist Zhang Zhang and her seven-piece orchestra.  

“From Mancini to Morricone, Sinatra to Peggy Lee, Dean Martin to Ella Fitzgerald, this talented performer and her band will transport you with renditions of timeless classics,” say the organisers. 

Guests will also be invited to hit the gaming tables of the Casino de Monte-Carlo for a bit of pre-dinner roulette or blackjack, with the first chip offered by the organisers. Fun prizes will be awarded to winners in lieu of money, and additional chips can be purchased for €100, with all the proceeds from the sales going to charity.  

RAISING FUNDS FOR LOBULAR CANCER RESEARCH 

This elegant evening, which is being held under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II, is the latest in Pink Ribbon Monaco founder Natasha Frost-Savio’s creative series of events dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer.

From the Pink Ribbon Walk to the Pink Lights of October that illuminate the Principality each autumn, Frost-Savio has worked tirelessly since 2011 to bring this sensitive issue to the forefront of public consciousness in Monaco and further afield.  

Natasha Frost-Savio launched Pink Ribbon Monaco back in 2011. Photo courtesy of Pink Ribbon Monaco

In the case of the upcoming charity gala, all of the money raised will go towards supporting the Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace’s own research efforts to eradicate lobular breast cancer, an insidious form of the disease that is notoriously difficult to detect and accounts for between 10% to 15% of all breast cancer diagnoses worldwide.  

Tickets to the event cost €600 per person or €5,400 per table of 10. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

 

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Photo credit: Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer

Photos: Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene host joyous Children’s Christmas Party at the Palais Princier

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/12/2023

Hundreds of children from across the Principality were invited to the Palais Princier de Monaco on Wednesday 20th December for the annual Christmas Party, a tradition that dates back to the 1960s and the time of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. 

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene were front and centre in the roles of Santa’s helpers at the Palace’s Christmas Party, but sadly, their nine-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, were forced to miss out on the joyous celebrations shared by their parents and friends as they are reportedly unwell.

Some 680 children are believed to have received an invitation to this year’s big event, which featured a winter wonderland theme with kiosks and stalls serving sweet treats and acrobats and magicians providing the entertainment.  

All who came along got the meet Father Christmas and were gifted with a present commemorating the event by the Princely couple. Although the twins couldn’t be there, other family members stepped in to help with the proceedings, including two of Princess Stéphanie’s children, Camille Gottlieb and Louis Ducruet, who is celebrating his first holiday season as dad this year. 

The final treat of the day came in the form of a cold weather classic: the Palace’s storied hot chocolate. The legend behind it goes that when Prince Albert and his siblings were small, Prince Rainier III decided to buy some cows of his own to supply his family with the finest fresh milk. Years later, using milk from this same herd, Palace Chef Christian Garcia concocted a thick and rich hot chocolate with a hint of cinnamon that has become a perennial favourite among Grimaldi children and locals alike. 

A tradition started by Prince Rainier and Princess Grace  

The annual Children’s Christmas Party is a tradition that goes back to the early 1960s, when Prince Rainier and Princess Grace first started the event as a way for the former actress to get to know the children of the Principality. Prince Albert and his sisters, Princess Caroline of Hanover and Princess Stéphanie, will have lovingly memories of these parties as all attended the festive get-togethers as children.  

Click on the images below to see more from the party:

 

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All photo credits: Eric Mathon / Palais Princier de Monaco

Two weeks before Paris Olympics, Herculis EBS Meeting to be an exciting decider

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/12/2023

The date is marked and the events have been revealed: the best athletes in the world will meet on the track at the Louis II stadium on 12th July, featuring a high-flying program, exciting duels and a final rehearsal before the Olympic Games.

Last year, spectators were able to admire Faith Kipyegon flying around the track to capture the world record for the mile, already established in Monaco by Sifan Hassan, in 4’07”64.

This year, the Herculis EBS Meeting will be held on 12th July for an athletics evening at the Stade Louis II.

Voted the best meeting in the world seven times in its history, and with eight world records broken, the Herculis EBS meeting will be a highlight of the 2024 calendar.

As the ninth stage of the Wanda Diamond League circuit, the meeting is ideally located three weeks before the Paris Olympic Games, enough time to expect some exciting head-to-heads and high-level performances.

The 15th season of the Wanda Diamond League will bring together 15 meetings, from April to September.

For more information on the schedule, click here.

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RELATED ARTICLE:

Athletics: Records tumble at thrilling Herculis Meeting

 

Photo by Enrico Bottero for Monaco Life

 

 

Sailing into a sustainable future: OceanoScientific’s ‘Love the Ocean’ sets sail for next major expedition

by: Niki Borisova
21/12/2023

The OceanoScientific Explorer ‘Love the Ocean’ has just set sail during a ‘Grand Depart Ceremony’ at the Yacht Club de Monaco for the first of the OceanoScientific Coral Reefs Expeditions 2023-2030, marking a significant leap forward in ocean exploration.

‘Love the Ocean’, a Lagoon 570 catamaran, has undergone important enhancements so it can conduct oceanographic endeavours without any CO2 emissions. Docked at the Port Navy Service quay, the vessel received a solar panel surface upgrade designed to meet the demands of emission-free exploration.

Spearheaded by Olivier Mazeas (Prodinox) and Daniel Cailloux (Electro Boat), this upgrade has equipped ‘Love the Ocean’ with a substantial 2,000 watts of solar power. This clean energy source not only ensures the crew’s needs are met but also powers critical tasks, such as DNA sequencing by geneticist Christian Siatka (École de l’ADN) for samples collected from the ocean depths.

Inspiring the next generation

Beyond its technical upgrades, ‘Love the Ocean’ utilised its Yacht Club de Monaco ‘Grand Depart Ceremony’ on Thursday 21st December to engage with the local community. A group of local elementary school students was introduced to the OceanoScientific association’s activities. The session aimed to reinforce in the young minds a profound awareness of the ocean’s significance, beginning with the Mediterranean Sea.

Sustainable exploration

The Grand Départ ceremony marks the start of the OceanoScientific Coral Reefs Expeditions 2023-2030.

With its solar-powered capabilities, the catamaran is poised to navigate sanctuary sites, conducting vital research without leaving a carbon footprint. The vessel’s extensive solar panel coverage ensures energy self-sufficiency and serves as protection for vital equipment.

In an era where environmental consciousness is paramount, ‘Love the Ocean’ exemplifies the potential for sustainable exploration. With solar power as its main source of power, this vessel has pioneered a cleaner, greener future for oceanography.

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

EU calls plans for a Pact on Migration and Asylum a “major breakthrough”

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/12/2023

While France has been busy with its own controversial new law on immigration, the EU has been working on the Pact on Migration and Asylum to better “manage migration”. Here’s what it entails. 

The discussion on how to best manage the arrival, hosting, integration and, in some cases, deportation of migrants in the European Union has gone on for time immemorial.  

Now, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced a “major breakthrough” in policy with the unveiling of a new Pact on Migration and Asylum, which she says is “a crucial step in making sure that Europe has the tools to manage migration”.  

See more: France: Far right claims controversial new immigration law as an “ideological victory”

The contents of the Pact were revealed on 20th December, and there are five key elements: uniform screening regulations for non-EU nationals upon arrival; the development of a common database to better track unauthorised movements; a system to make asylum, return and border procedures faster and more effective; fairer ways of dispersing and managing newcomers to take the burden off the countries who are the most common points of entry; and stronger crisis management plans to face future situations.  

“Europe is a strong community and capable of finding great answers to great challenges,” said von der Leyen. “I welcome the timely political agreement reached by Parliament and Council on the key elements of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum. Our goal was to find a fair and pragmatic approach to managing migration together in the EU.” 

CHALLENGES 

The Pact is drawing a certain amount of criticism from some quarters, with groups like Amnesty International saying it “will set back European asylum law for decades” and that its “likely outcome is a surge in suffering on every step of a person’s journey to seek asylum in the EU”. 

Since the start of 2023, an estimated 225,000 migrants have arrived in Europe. More than half of those have come via a dangerous Mediterranean crossing from North Africa. Italy, Greece, and Malta have recorded the majority of the arrivals, and their governments are frequently cited as being overwhelmed by the situation.  

Previous attempts to share responsibility for migrant populations have not been successful, as some EU countries were unwilling to take people in. This new plan is meant to change that with a move away from an ad-hoc approach to one that makes for “long-term and sustainable solutions” .  

“Today’s historical agreement is a proud testament to the fact that Europe can deliver solutions on the issues that matter most to citizens,” said Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, of the plans. “The Pact is a series of sensible and indispensable measures to manage migration in a predictable and more effective manner. All of these measures will reduce pressure on the EU and prevent loss of life.”

“We need to manage migration in an orderly way, and we have to do that in a European way,” added Ylva Johansson, Commissioner for Home Affairs. “It’s not about winners and losers. By agreeing on a common approach to managing migration in a humane way together, we will all be winners.”

Once formally ratified, the scheme could come into force in 2024.  

 

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Photo credit: Lukasz Kobus / European Union

Bulgari Hotel Roma takes top spot on list of the world’s finest luxury hotels

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/12/2023

A list of the world’s 15 ‘Most Luxurious Hotels’ in 2023 has been revealed by the members-only Luxury Travel Intelligence website, with the Top Three all being backed by designer brands. 

The list from Luxury Travel Intelligence is described as a guide for the “affluent traveller” and is a compilation of the swankiest and most glamourous hotels around the world.  

In the list, the Italian capital of Rome performs particularly well, with two of its address among the leaders, but there are also a good number of entries from the UK as well as two apiece for the Peninsula and Six Senses brands.  

The Peninsula Collection, with its Istanbul hotel pictured here and London’s Belgravia address, boasts two places on the LTI list. Photo supplied

THE LIST

The Bulgari Hotel Roma won first place on the list, with gushing reviews from LTI: “Having reported on luxury hotels and brands for over 12 years, we would never have envisaged that a renowned name in fine jewellery could surpass the world’s leading luxury hospitality operators to create the World’s Best New Luxury Hotel.”

The hotel only opened its doors in June, but immediately established a reputation for finesse. The brand is soon to open resort hotels in Los Angeles, Miami Beach and the Maldives. 

Next comes the Parisian 1, Place Vendôme, which is owned by Chopard and has just 15 rooms and suites. It is a true marvel in the heart of the City of Light for the traveller looking for privacy and exclusivity. 

Bulgari appears again in third with the Bulgari Hotel Tokyo. This opulent address opened in April to huge fanfare. Then comes the “elegantly appointed” Mandarin Oriental in Costa Narvino, Greece, followed by The Peninsula in Istanbul in fifth.  

The UK’s first entry is the Oxfordshire haven of Estelle Manor, which sits on a 60-acre country estate a stone’s throw from the Cotswolds. A 3,000m2 Roman-inspired bathhouse is soon to be built here! 

The glorious Estelle Manor estate. Photo supplied

The Six Senses in Rome takes seventh, ahead of The Raffles London at The OWO. The Raffles name is synonymous with exceptionality, and this one doesn’t disappoint. Located in the Old War Office (OWO), this historic building, with its grand staircase, transports visitors to a more elegant era whilst being entirely modern. The nine restaurants, three bars and Guerlain spa add to the heady mix. 

The Raffles London at The OWO makes its entry to the LTI list in eighth position. Photo supplied

Four Seasons The Pearl Qatar comes in ninth, followed by New York City’s The Fifth Avenue Hotel to round out the Top 10. One of the best-known streets in the world houses this “rich, romantic and colourful new property” that LTI’s reviewers say feels more like being in a home than a hotel. 

The remaining stunners on the list include COMO Metropolitan in Singapore, Six Senses Southern Dunes in Saudi Arabia, Sydney’s Capella, The Dolli in Athens and The Peninsula in London’s Belgravia neighbourhood.  

Fusing modern luxury with an Arabian aesthetic, Six Senses’ Southern Dunes has taken a worthy place on the LTI list. Photo supplied

 

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Photo credit: MEB / Landry Basile