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Month: November 2024

Monaco expands National Day decorations to new streets and landmarks

by: Stephanie Horsman
11/11/2024

Monaco’s signature red and white colors will soon be visible everywhere as the Principality finalises its National Day decorations, extending this proud tradition to new locations across the city.

Monaco’s streets are being readied for the annual National Day celebrations, coming on 19th November. Led by the Events Division of the Municipal Technical Services, teams have been working tirelessly since 4th November to set up pavilions, banners and Monegasque flags ensuring the national colours of red and white are on display everywhere to mark this important event. 

Every year, the Mairie makes efforts to extend the patriotic reach to all districts. In 2024, there will be approximately 600 pennants, 550 flags and 90 pavilions city-wide spread across 150 installations. A set-up of this scale requires both a day and a night crew, with the day team putting up flags and the night shift taking on the larger installations. 

Which new areas are being “dressed” for National Day? 

New locations will feature decorations for National Day this year, including the Boulevard de Belgique and its roundabout near Parc Princesse Antoinette, the Monte-Carlo Bay entrance, Allée Lazare Sauvaigo, and Promenade Honoré II, adding fresh touches to the city’s celebratory landscape.

National Day has traditionally coincided with the Saint Day of each reigning Prince, in this case the 15th of November, but Prince Albert II bucked the trend and instead chose to honour his late father’s day by continuing to celebrate on 19th November.

Events this year include a festive drone show, a mass held in the Cathedral, concerts and appearances by the Prince and his family. 

How to get involved

The Mairie encourages residents to join the festivities by adorning their homes with Monegasque flags and banners, underscoring their attachment to the Princely Family and the Principality. To ensure the flags are displayed correctly, they remind residents that the red section should always be above the white, and when viewed from outside, the red should appear on the left.

The flags will remain up until 10th December, marking the end of the celebrations and a return to Monaco’s everyday charm.

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok. 

Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

 

The revival of Moods: Monaco’s legendary venue to swing open its doors this December

by: Niki Borisova
11/11/2024

SBM has announced the official opening date of the New Moods, as the iconic venue makes its long-awaited return to the Principality.

Monaco’s well-loved Moods venue is being rebranded as ‘New Moods’ and will officially reopen on the 5th December, with Prince Albert II attending a special pre-opening event on the 30th November. Led by Stéphane Lobono, director of New Moods, and Alfonso Ciulla, Artistic Director for Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), the reopening marks a highly anticipated revival for a venue that last illuminated Monaco’s nightlife from 2009 to 2011.

The reopening has been driven by public demand and a push from SBM’s Deputy Chairman Stéphane Valeri, who prioritised the project after taking office in 2023. “It’s a big, bold and demanding challenge,” said Ciulla in an interview for SBM, “and we’re going to do everything we can to rise to it.”

Located near Café de Paris Monte-Carlo, New Moods, reveals SBM, will retain its basement setting, a design that reflects the intimate, club-like feel of New York and English music venues. The space has been updated with cabaret-inspired decor featuring a warm colour palette, velvet armchairs, and red carpets, creating an inviting retreat for live music performances. 

Guests enter down a flight of stairs into a vast reception hall, with brass fixtures hanging above and large wooden doors leading to the main performance space. The layout of the new moods apparently remains mostly unchanged, though a new side stage has been added.

Programming will centre on live music, with tribute bands remaining a staple in the lineup, now joined by unique signature acts. The venue is designed to offer an authentic music experience, prioritising live performances over the typical dinner-and-show format. Another critical element is accessible entertainment. New Moods aims to attract a broad audience, staying true to its founding vision as a place for all music lovers to enjoy live performances. 

If you’re feeling nostalgic for the old days of classic discos, New Moods will also host post-concert sessions filled with handpicked vinyl tracks. Offering a ‘Selecta’ experience rather than a traditional DJ set, these sessions aim to bring back the spirit of classic disco nights.

See more: ‘New’ Restaurant: The metamorphosis of Blue Bay Marcel Ravin

Entrance to New Moods will be free from 6pm to 8pm, with a €50 charge applied for the show portion afterward, subject to availability and a minimum spend. The menu will feature finger food by the renowned two Michelin-starred Chef Marcel Ravin, with more details coming soon.

Operating six months of the year, from October to March, New Moods will open its doors from Thursday to Saturday each week. New Mood’s musical programme from December 2024 to March 2025 is available here: https://www.montecarlosbm.com/fr/editorial/place-au-show-au-new-moods.

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Photo credit: Niki Borisova, Monaco Life

Seven French families suing TikTok after teenagers’ deaths

by: Elsa Carpenter
11/11/2024

Seven French families are suing the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok over its alleged failure to remove content featuring themes of suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. Two 15-year-olds linked to the group took their own lives after reportedly being influenced by such videos.

The seven families have united under the name Algos Victima, or Victims of the Algorithm in English, to file a lawsuit against TikTok, a global social media platform where users create, share and view short videos, after two teenagers from the south of France died by suicide.

They submitted their claim, which is the first of its kind against the platform in Europe, to a court in Créteil on 4th November.

In a statement to the French media, the group’s lawyer, Laure Boutron-Marmion, said, “TikTok, like other industry giants, must be held accountable for its actions and negligence. The families involved in this lawsuit denounce the devastating effects of the app on the mental and physical health of their children, two of whom sadly took their own lives.”

Among the claimants are the parents of 15-year-old Marie from Cassis, who died in September 2021, and Charlize from Nice, also 15, who died in November 2023. Their stories share tragic similarities: both reportedly suffered from bullying at school and became increasingly withdrawn in the lead-up to their deaths. Both died by suicide, hanging themselves in their bedrooms.

Other parents in the Algos Victima group allege that their children were bombarded with negative and harmful messages via TikTok’s “killing machine” algorithm.

One mother told France 3, “My goal is to stop bombarding our children with harmful content. It’s time we act, as parents and as adults, to protect our children and demand TikTok enforce regulations to secure its network, which is destroying our children physically and psychologically.”

She also criticised the lack of action from French public authorities and the government in tackling the issue.

In a statement, TikTok said: “Over 40,000 trust and safety experts worldwide ensure user safety and data protection, including more than 6,000 focused on Europe, with 637 handling French-language content—significantly more than on other comparable platforms.”

According to data published by the platform, TikTok removes all content related to suicide and/or self-harm. TikTok further asserts that, between April and June 2024, 91% of such videos removed were deleted before being viewed by app users.

TikTok has not publicly commented on the Algos Victima lawsuit.

Read related:

France releases guide for parents after report highlights the dangers of excessive screen use

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

 

Photo credit: Solen Feyissa, Unsplash

Monaco’s GDP doubles in a decade: which industries are fuelling the Principality’s growth?

by: Cassandra Tanti
11/11/2024

Monaco’s economy has almost doubled in size over the past decade, with GDP soaring from €4.94 billion in 2013 to €9.24 billion in 2023, according to the latest IMSEE data. This rapid growth, in stark contrast to slower recoveries across Europe, positions the Principality as an economic powerhouse driven by high-value industries.

Key sectors such as scientific and technical activities, finance, and real estate have been instrumental in fuelling this expansion. In 2013, Scientific and Technical Activities and Financial Services collectively contributed around a third of Monaco’s GDP, with each sector accounting for roughly 16.7%. These two industries were cornerstones of Monaco’s economy, setting the stage for the broader, diversified growth that followed.

By 2023, the combined economic contributions of Scientific and Technical Activities, Finance, and Wholesale Trade surpassed 50% of the Principality’s GDP, reflecting Monaco’s continued investment in high-growth areas. This strategic focus on specialised, high-impact sectors has allowed the Principality to create resilience even amid global economic uncertainties.

Real estate has also been a major contributor to Monaco’s economy. Back in 2013, the Real Estate sector saw significant gains, posting a 21.3% growth rate attributed to high-value transactions and favourable market conditions. The past decade has seen a steady flow of high-end real estate investments and infrastructure developments, supporting further economic growth. In 2023, Construction showed consistent expansion, growing by 7%, as new projects moved forward.

Monaco’s workforce remains a crucial asset as well. The proportion of GDP derived from employee compensation has stayed high, indicating the Principality’s focus on sustaining and attracting talent. From 2013 to 2023, compensation and social charges grew by around 10%, underlining Monaco’s role as a sought-after employment market.

The decade-long increase in GDP per capita – from €64,082 in 2013 to nearly €100,000 in 2023 – also points to the economic resilience and prosperity fuelling Monaco’s growth strategy.

With high-value sectors driving this economic trajectory, Monaco has carved out its position not just as a luxury destination but as a compelling model for high-growth economies.

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

France takes steps toward affordable dental care with push to cover implants

by: Stephanie Horsman
11/11/2024

France’s High Authority for Health, the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS), has ruled in favour of reimbursing dental implants, a move that could help many people who struggle to pay for costly dental work. Currently, only dentures, bridges and crowns are covered by public health insurance.

In a promising step forward for modern dental care, France’s High Authority for Health ruled on 6th November that dental implants should be reimbursed under the nation’s social security system.

In a press statement, HAS affirmed that it “is now in favour of reimbursing these procedures for the general population,” having completed a thorough assessment of “implant-prosthetic coverage” in cases of missing teeth.

This move will be welcome news to many; HAS estimates that nearly a million implant procedures, currently paid for by patients, were carried out in 2023.

Dental implants are a type of prosthetic treatment used to replace missing teeth by surgically placing them into the jawbone, penetrating the gum line. They are popular among both dentists and patients alike due to the benefits of the procedure. Implants have a high 97% success rate and typically last more than a decade. Additionally, they maintain bone in the jaw and don’t decay like natural teeth.

France’s social security system has traditionally only reimbursed other prostheses, such as dentures, where all teeth must be removed, or bridges and crowns, which replace or cover damaged individual teeth by resting on the surrounding teeth. It does not currently cover implants in any form.

In the statement released earlier this month, HAS authorities said they were motivated to expand coverage to improve the nation’s overall dental care, as “the number of people affected by the loss of one or even all of their teeth is set to increase.” The health authority added that many will be unable to pay for the work.

The expense of dental implants has led individuals in need of treatment to frequent low-cost dental centres, several of which have been closed in recent years due to questionable medical practices, poor-quality work and misdiagnoses that have led to ongoing dental problems, costing patients thousands of euros to fix.

The government is not obliged to follow HAS’s recommendation, but it often does. It will now be up to government officials to decide the exact extent of care coverage, as well as the amount to be reimbursed.

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

 

Photo credit: Kari Bjorn, Unsplash

Grace and precision to take centre stage at Monaco Dance Forum

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/11/2024

This December, the Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s annual Monaco Dance Forum showcase will once again captivate audiences with its curated lineup of world-renowned dance companies and choreographers. Attendees can look forward to a series of breathtaking performances and engaging events that celebrate the artistry and diversity of the dance world.

The Monaco Dance Forum, the yearly extravaganza presented by the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, will take place this year at the Grimaldi Forum and Théâtre des Variétés from 11th to 18th December. It will feature acts from around the world, as well as an inspiring series of workshops, film screenings, and educational activities.

The festival kicks off on 11th December with the Peeping Tom Company’s performance of Diptych, a ballet exploring time, memory, and portents, revolving around the illusions, utopias, and lost loves of characters who act out their own deeply flawed personal narratives.

Flamenco master Israel Galván is up next on 12th December with La Edad de Oro. He will perform pieces from flamenco’s golden age in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Filled with passion, the singing and guitar playing are as integral as the dance, and this dramatic piece will highlight the emotional depth of this Spanish genre.

The Staatsballet Wiesbaden will team up with legendary choreographer Ohad Naharin for Last Work on 13th December. This unique creation sees a principal dancer running in place as the world swirls around them, as if caught in a hurricane. Intense and symbolic, this is a can’t-miss event on the schedule.

For a change of pace, the event on 15th December offers a cinematic reprieve with a screening of the 1956 Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse classic, Silk Stockings. Directed by Rouben Mamoulian with music by Cole Porter, this film is considered one of the era’s greats.

Exotic and surreal, the Akram Khan Company will bring Chotto Desh to the Monaco stage on 16th December, sharing a tale of a boy’s memories spanning from Britain to Bangladesh. This performance is perfect for the whole family.

Then, La Compagnie Eugénie Andrin will present Dance Marathon on 17th December. This tribute to the dance marathons popular in the United States during the Great Depression of the 1930s demonstrates resilience and positivity in the face of extreme poverty.

Finally, on 18th December, Jo Strømgren Kompani, formerly of the Oslo Dance Ensemble, will showcase Made in Oslo, a contemporary work comprising three different pieces that portray various facets of modern life.

For the complete Monaco Dance Forum schedule and to buy tickets, click here.

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

 

Photo source: Akram Khan Company