Monaco will mark World Maritime Day on 26th September by lighting up two of its most iconic landmarks, the Prince’s Palace and the Yacht Club of Monaco, in blue.
This year’s theme, ‘Navigating towards the Future: Safety First!’, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), a pivotal maritime safety treaty. Organised annually by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), World Maritime Day aims to raise awareness of maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
A series of events will take place globally to highlight the importance of maritime transport. Monaco, a proud member of the IMO, will be represented at a special symposium on extreme maritime weather conditions, hosted in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
In a tradition started by the IMO in 2021, member states and organisations have been encouraged to illuminate key landmarks in blue to draw attention to the theme and the essential role of maritime transport. In a gesture of solidarity, Monaco will light up both the Prince’s Palace and the Yacht Club of Monaco, reaffirming its dedication to the sea and the maritime community.
The annual Latin America Charity Ball, this year focusing Panamanian culture, was unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday, where Daniela Spanier, founder of MeConnect, shared details of the event aimed at raising funds for efforts against child abuse.
The annual Latin America Charity Ball, organised by MeConnect, will take place at the Monaco Yacht Club on 3rd October at 7pm. Each year, the Latin America Charity Ball spotlights a different Latin American country, with this year’s focus on Panama. Two years ago, it was Bolivia. The event will bring together prominent Panamanian and international personalities, including the First Lady of Panama, to support efforts against child abuse. All proceeds will benefit the World Association of Children’s Friends (AMADE) and the Fundacion Unidos Por la Niñez (FUN) organisation.
The charity gala is spearheaded by MeConnect’s founder Daniela Spanier, whose organisation has promoted Latin American culture in Monaco while advocating for important humanitarian causes.
The event will focus on philanthropy with a gala dinner that aims to blend cultural aspects and charity. The evening will offer attendees an immersive experience of Panamanian culture, presenting the country’s flavours, music, and traditions. Two of the country’s most celebrated chefs will fly in and bring their own ingredients to create an authentic experience. “This will be a real Latin party,” Spanier told Monaco Life at the press conference.
Entertainment will include a fusion of salsa, jazz, and electro-Caribbean music. The evening will also feature a fashion and dance show and a masterclass promoting Panamanian personalities and culture.
The event aims to raise awareness and funds for AMADE’s and FUN’s ongoing efforts against child abuse, focusing on Panama’s role in these charity’s networks.
Mimosa Matters, a Riviera-based charity that supports cancer sufferers and their families, is looking for more runners to join their Run for Hope Team in the upcoming Nice-Cannes Marathon in November.
The Nice-Cannes Marathon, one of the biggest sporting events on the Côte d’Azur, will be taking place on 3rd November. Since launching in 2008, the marathon has attracted upwards of 175,000 participants from countries all around the world who have used the stunning backdrop of the French Riviera as inspiration to take on the race.
This year, two local associations, Mimosa – A Community Against Cancer and Cancer Support Group 06, are joining forces to build a special team to run – and raise funds – for cancer charities in the region. Though many recruits have already signed up to take part and fly the flag for cancer research and support, the charities have put out a call for more runners with the promise to “motivate and train” anyone who joins them.
There are a variety of race options, from the full 42 kilometres to shorter stints starting at just three kilometres, making it possible for runners of all levels to take part.
“We are delighted to be participating in our sixth Nice-Cannes Marathon event,” says Juliette Clarkin, the president of Mimosa Matters. “It’s always a wonderful occasion that brings our community together, and we truly enjoy the build-up and training sessions that embody Mimosa’s core values of health and wellness.”
She adds, “These activities not only prepare us for the race, but also drive home the critical message of cancer prevention and awareness. This year, we are thrilled to be partnering with Cancer Support Group 06. By joining forces, we can extend support to even more patients in the region and make a greater impact in the fight against cancer.”
The organisers will take care of all admin for runners so that the focus can remain on the race, and a fun after-party at Ma Nolan’s in Cannes will add a bit more motivation to cross the finish line.
A goal of raising €30,000 has been set for the Run for Hope Team, who will benefit from comprehensive training with the team at Fun Fit for Life, as well as nutrition advice from Christine Kjeldbjerg, ensuring they are well-prepared for the event.
The deadline for registrations has been set for 28th September. All details can be found here.
Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, was the star guest at a Stelios Foundation charity dinner in Monaco on Tuesday night that successfully raised €102,000 for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
On 24th September, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou hosted the exclusive event at the Stelios Foundation Conference Hall in Monaco, welcoming 60 distinguished guests, including Prince Edward. The charity dinner was aimed at raising funds and awareness for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, an international charity that supports youth development for people aged 14 to 24 in over 120 countries, including Monaco.
The Duke of Edinburgh (right) and Sir Stelios at Monday night’s charity dinner
The evening featured heartfelt speeches, including an inspiring address from Prince Edward, who highlighted the transformative impact of the Award on young lives worldwide. Sir Stelios, founder of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and creator of the easy family of brands, generously covered the event’s costs and matched all donations made throughout the evening.
By the end of the night, attendees had donated €51,000, which was matched by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, bringing the total to €102,000. These funds will help expand the reach of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Monaco and internationally, empowering more young people to develop essential life skills such as resilience, problem-solving, and leadership through personal development activities, community service, and adventurous journeys. The Award is currently available at the International School of Monaco and The British School of Monaco.
From left to right: Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Stuart Bryan Head of International School of Monaco, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, Olena Sullivan-Prykhodko co-founder British School of Monaco and Luke Sullivan co-founder British School of Monaco.
For nearly 70 years, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has been helping young people find purpose and passion in their lives, with more than 1.1 million participants since its inception by the late Prince Philip in 1956. The funds raised at this event will help further the mission of this global charity.
For more information about The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, visit www.intaward.org.
The Monaco Yacht Show 2024 opened on Wednesday with a sustainability conference, where leading industry experts explored carbon footprint reduction, eco-friendly innovations, and the challenges facing the yachting sector.
The Monaco Yacht Show 2024, held from the 25th to the 28th September, is in full swing, with exclusive VIP access marking the first day of the event. Kicking off the proceedings was the opening conference, which focused on concrete actions for sustainability in the yachting industry. Monaco Life’s Niki Borisova attended the session, held at the Virage Louis Chiron Conference Hall, where key figures in the sector discussed the challenges and solutions related to reducing environmental impacts.
Sustainable Monaco Yacht Show 2024
Sustainability has become a staple aspect of the Monaco Yacht Show. Gaelle Tallarida, the event’s managing director, started the conference by addressing how this year’s event focuses on sustainability.
“We always try to continually improve over the years, even during the setup, the event, and the cleanup stages. Every year, we try to find new ways of making the yacht show more sustainably responsible,” Tallarida remarked.
The sustainability hub at the Monaco Yacht Show 2024. Photo by Monaco Life.
This year’s show features a free electric shuttle bus for pass holders, a dedicated on-site waste management system, reusable water bottles, exclusive use of green energy and electricity, the implementation of brand new, low energy-consuming AC units, and a sustainability hub. Conferences concerning various aspects of sustainability will also occur over the three days.
Jean-Marc Bolinger, CEO of MB92 Group, addressed the pressing issue of reducing the carbon footprint of older yachts. This topic is increasingly relevant as the industry seeks ways to retrofit and upgrade existing vessels to meet modern sustainability standards.
Bolinger’s approach to tackling this issue is structured and tailored into three fundamental phases: a short-term improvement plan, a medium-term optimisation plan, and a feasibility study and long-term conversion plan. Depending on the targeted sustainability goals and usage profile, each part of the yacht would be retrofitted into one of these plans.
“The feasibility study is a high-impact and high-value measure, and it is manageable, so we highly recommend it at the start of the sustainability journey,” stated Bolinger.
Regarding reducing the carbon footprint, Bolinger disclosed that the most crucial measure here would be to find fuel alternatives, such as methanol and HB2 (hydrogen and biofuel).
This discussion was complemented by insights from Robert Van Tol, Executive Director of the Water Revolution Foundation, who pointed out the importance of eco-responsible onboard practices to minimise the ecological footprint of yachts in operation today.
Van Tol proposes to look beyond carbon emissions by avoiding the carbon tunnel vision. “We need to understand where climate change comes from and what can be done about it; this goes beyond yachting,” stressed Van Tol. “We also need to take more environmental indicators into account.”
The approach that Van Tol proposes to avoid ‘carbon tunnel vision’ is the 3-R Model (reduce, remove, repair). As part of this approach, the Water Revolution Foundation, with the support of the Monaco Yacht Show, is personally handing out the reports of each of the yachts being exhibited to show their environmental transparency index so they can see how much they score in comparison with each other. “This way we inform and educate the market,” states Van Tol.
Further contributions came from Giedo Loeff, Head of Research and Development at Feadship, who delved into how technological advancements in superyachts drive sustainability within the sector and influence other industries, with examples of the solar energy industry, decking industry, and fuel cells.
“The decking material used on a yacht plays a critical role in sustainability because, if non-eco-friendly materials are used, it can significantly increase the vessel’s environmental footprint through high energy consumption during production and disposal and contribute to pollution over time.”
Challenges
The biggest challenge in the sustainability of the yachting industry is data, says Van Tol. “The industry has immense data, but it’s not organised. There is a lot of mismatched communications between the parties involved, which makes central data availability necessary to overcome this.”
Another challenge presented by Loeff is greenwashing. Sustainability is a broad concept, making distinguishing sustainable practices and greenwashing challenging. “One thing I can tell you that indicates greenwashing is data,” disclosed Loeff. “If there is no fuel reporting, for example, then that yacht is most likely greenwashing as they have not committed to a regulatory framework.”
This year’s Luxe Pack Monaco trade fair, which will take place at the Grimaldi Forum next week, will be markedly different from previous editions, as its organisers react to the changing demands of the customers and put sustainability, rather than abundance, in the spotlight.
Once, it was desirable – fashionable even – to use layer upon layer of packaging, particularly luxury products, in an effort to prove that the treasures inside were upscale. Many customers appreciated the gesture, enjoying the suspense and build-up created by the unwrapping experience. But as today’s consumers become increasingly aware of the sustainability issues linked to the reams of paper and plastic used in packing, Luxe Pack has decided to rethink its concept and instead promote the eco-friendly innovations that will shape the look and feel of packaging in the future.
The show will be returning to the Grimaldi Forum for three days between 30th September and 2nd October. It will be a showcase of the latest designs, products and initiatives of the packaging industry, with a strong focus on sustainability, eco-awareness and recycling. As such, one of the main highlights of the trade fair will be Luxe Pack in Green Awards for exhibitors with the best environmentally-conscious concepts and products.
Visitors will also be able to explore the sensory and interactive Luxe Pack Formulation experience, featuring surprising textures and formulas, and Luxe Home, which is entirely dedicated to the fast-growing home fragrance and accessories market.
With more than 450 exhibitors on the floor, there will be no shortage of creative ideas for buyers, who will also benefit from a series of roundtables, workshops, networking occasions and keynote talks aimed at helping brands keep their edge in an increasingly competitive market.
