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Day: 16 April 2025

Monaco renews school garden scheme to teach kids about sustainable food

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/04/2025

A scheme that teaches children in Monaco how to grow fruit and vegetables in school gardens has been renewed for a fifth year, with officials saying it helps the next generation “reconnect with nature”.

On 16th April, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation confirmed the renewal of its partnership with the Department of Education, Youth and Sports, local urban farming company Terrae, and Monaco Telecom. The programme is already running in six schools and reaches nearly 1,500 pupils each year.

Children learn how to plant and care for seasonal produce, explore ecosystems, and visit Terrae’s mini farm at the foot of the Tour Odéon, where chickens and beehives add to the experience. The aim is to promote healthy, sustainable eating and environmental awareness through fun, hands-on activities.

“It is our collective responsibility to pass on a taste for responsible eating and respect for nature’s rhythms,” said Olivier Wenden, Vice-President of the Foundation. “By working the land, children rediscover essential values for a sustainable future.”

Monaco Telecom, a key partner since 2021, is funding the initiative through a paper billing surcharge for customers under 60. The system has raised more than €76,000 for the Foundation, including €10,658 for this year’s school programme.

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Photo source: Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

Monaco strengthens ties with Madagascar through impactful cooperation mission

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/04/2025

A Monegasque delegation has returned from a 10-day mission in Madagascar, reaffirming the Principality’s enduring commitment to development, health, and civil society partnerships in its top priority country for cooperation.

From the 24th March to 4th April, a delegation led by Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Department of External Relations and Cooperation, travelled to Madagascar to meet with local partners, beneficiaries, and national authorities. The visit served to strengthen Monaco’s two-decade-long development partnership with the island nation, which remains the primary beneficiary of Monegasque cooperation.

Over 40 active projects span the Malagasy territory, combining the efforts of public institutions and civil society organisations. Since 2016, cooperation in the health sector has been formalised through bilateral agreements, with a broader framework agreement signed in 2022. During this latest mission, the delegation met with Madagascar’s Minister of Public Health, Professor Zely Arivelo Randriamanantany, to discuss the ongoing expansion of universal health coverage — a key government strategy supported by Monaco and the World Health Organisation.

The delegation visited four regions across the country, where they witnessed both the daily challenges of poverty — affecting over 80% of the population — and the resilience of communities driving change. From Sainte-Marie to Fianarantsoa, Monaco’s representatives engaged with dozens of local and international stakeholders across sectors such as public health, food security, education, child protection, and entrepreneurship. “We are impressed by the diversity and quality of the initiatives we support, and by the commitment shown by our partners on the ground,” said a spokesperson for the delegation.

Highlights of the visit included exchanges with the agricultural transition consortium FERT/FEKAMA/FIFATA, discussions at the entrepreneurial hub of Miarakap, and on-site evaluations of long-standing collaborations with the IECD in hospitality training and the Sandrata child protection programme led by Apprentis d’Auteuil. The mission also reviewed progress on Monaco Collectif Humanitaire’s paediatric cardiac surgery programme and paid a visit to the Rainier III preventorium, warmly welcomed by the religious community managing the centre.

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

Photo source: Government Communications Department

Judith Light and Mireille Dumas to chair juries at Monte-carlo Television Festival 2025

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/04/2025

For the first time in its history, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival will see two women leading its major juries. Acclaimed American actress Judith Light and French journalist Mireille Dumas are set to bring their powerful vision and creative insight to the 64th edition of the festival this June in Monaco.

The Monte-Carlo Television Festival has revealed that Judith Light and Mireille Dumas will serve as the Presidents of the Fiction and News & Documentaries juries, respectively, at this year’s event, which will take place from the 13th to 17th June at the Grimaldi Forum. Their appointments mark a historic moment for the festival, with both major juries chaired by women for the first time in its six-decade legacy.

Judith Light, a multi-Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress, brings an extraordinary legacy of talent to the role. From her breakout role on One Life to Live, which earned her two Daytime Emmys, to her international fame in Who’s the Boss?, and more recent standout performances in Transparent, Poker Face, and The Politician, Light has proven herself to be one of the most versatile and respected actors in the industry. Her latest projects include the Apple TV+ series Before, the feature film The Menu, and an upcoming starring role in AMC’s The Terror: Devil in Silver.

Mireille Dumas, meanwhile, will head the News & Documentaries jury. A recipient of the Légion d’Honneur, Dumas is celebrated for her emotionally resonant storytelling and deep commitment to human-focused journalism. With her signature programmes Bas les masques and Vie privée, vie publique, she has become a central figure in shaping France’s documentary and investigative reporting landscape. Her appointment brings a wealth of journalistic integrity and cultural sensitivity to the festival’s documentary programming.

“We are honoured to welcome two exceptional figures as Jury Presidents this year,” said Cécile Menoni, Executive Director of the Festival. “Their talent, dedication, and unique perspective on audiovisual creation will undoubtedly enrich this edition. They embody the excellence and innovation that drive our industry.”

The 64th Monte-Carlo Television Festival is expected to continue its tradition of celebrating the very best in international television while embracing bold new directions.

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

Photos: Prince Albert pays tribute to Monaco adoptee Joséphine Baker

by: Elsa Carpenter
16/04/2025

Over the weekend, Prince Albert II of Monaco led the commemorations of the life and legacy of Joséphine Baker, the celebrated performer and activist who became a close friend of Princess Grace after moving to the Principality in her later years, on the 50th anniversary of her passing.

On 12th April, 50 years after her death at the age of 68, Prince Albert visited the Monaco Cemetery to honour this incredible artist and activist. Following moving renditions of the American, French and Monegasque anthems – Baker was born in Missouri but found fame in Paris in the 1920s – by the Prince’s Carabinieri Orchestra, Prince Albert laid a wreath on her grave before the musical tributes continued with a performance of several of Baker’s songs by soprano Nathalie Nicaud.

“A bold and committed figure, Joséphine Baker found in Monaco a refuge and unwavering support from Princess Grace. It was here that she spent her final years before passing away in 1975,” reads a statement published by the Palais Princier de Monaco. “Today, the Principality honours her memory and celebrates her legacy — that of a free and universal woman whose message of fraternity still resonates.”

Baker was born in St. Louis in 1906 but later moved to France as her career as a singer, dancer and actress progressed. Paris became her stage in the 1920s, where she was beloved for her charismatic stage presence and unique performances – her iconic banana skirt dance at the Folies Bergère is legendary.

She became a resistance fighter during World War II, helping gather intelligence and transport messages for the French Resistance. By the 1950s and 60s, she had become a leading voice in the US civil rights movement, speaking alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington.

In her later years, she moved to Monaco, where she found a new home, a new purpose and a close friendship with Princess Grace, the late mother of Prince Albert. When she passed away at the age of 68, she was buried in the Monaco Cemetery.

Monaco has paid numerous tributes to this great woman over the years, and there is currently an exhibition at the Hauser & Wirth gallery in Monte-Carlo, called The Josephines, that takes a fresh look at her legacy through the eyes of renowned sculptor and poet Barbara Chase-Riboud.

To see more photographs from the ceremony, click on the images below:

Read related:

Movement and legacy: Barbara Chase-Riboud’s tribute to Josephine Baker in Monaco

 

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

Photos credit: Michaël Alesi / Palais Princier de Monaco

Monaco joins France and Costa Rica in Washington D.C. for ‘Blue Talk’ on ocean action

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/04/2025

In a unified call for stronger international cooperation on ocean conservation, the Embassy of Monaco in the United States teamed up with the Embassies of France and Costa Rica to host the event ‘Blue Talk – Getting Ready for the Third UN Ocean Conference’ on 8th April at La Maison Française in Washington D.C. The gathering served as a pivotal moment in the countdown to two major upcoming events focused on marine sustainability.

The Blue Talk highlighted the importance of global engagement ahead of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, which will take place in Nice in June 2025, and the Blue Economy and Finance Forum set to be held in Monaco on the 7th and 8th June. In his opening remarks, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, co-founder of the Senate Ocean Caucus, spoke about the urgent need for coordinated global efforts to protect marine ecosystems and advance a sustainable blue economy.

Maguy Maccario Doyle, Ambassador of Monaco to the United States, reaffirmed the Principality’s long-standing commitment to the ocean and stressed the necessity of mobilising both public and private stakeholders to work collectively. She drew attention to two key initiatives launched by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The first is the ReOcean Fund, a private equity fund dedicated to Sustainable Development Goal 14, which supports innovative companies contributing to a regenerative blue economy. The second is the Blue Economy Index, a new financial tool designed to guide investment decisions toward companies that support sustainable ocean practices.

During the event, a video message from Prince Albert II was shared, in which he highlighted the crucial role of the upcoming conference and finance forum in driving momentum for a sustainable ocean economy. His message reinforced Monaco’s leadership in championing marine conservation and its commitment to supporting transformative solutions.

Two expert roundtable discussions followed, bringing together specialists in the law of the sea, ocean conservation, and representatives from the World Bank. The sessions focused on ocean governance and the financial mechanisms needed to support the growth of a resilient and inclusive blue economy, aligning with the broader goals of the upcoming international gatherings.

See also: 

Monaco to play key role in preparations for UN Ocean Conference in Nice

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

Photo source: Government Communication Department

Monaco appears before UN anti-torture committee in Geneva

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/04/2025

Monaco has presented its latest report on the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Torture during a two-day session at the UN headquarters in Geneva.

The review, which took place on 8th and 9th April, was led by Samuel Vuelta Simon, Secretary of State for Justice and Director of Judicial Services, who outlined Monaco’s legal framework and reaffirmed the independence of its judiciary. The presentation forms part of a periodic process in which states party to the convention must demonstrate progress in preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

In his remarks, Mr Vuelta Simon highlighted reforms made since Monaco’s last appearance before the Committee in 2016. These included efforts to strengthen legal and institutional structures designed to better protect individuals from violence and abuse. The delegation also pointed to improvements in detention conditions, the handling of prisoner transfers, and enhanced legal aid provisions.

The committee and the Monegasque representatives engaged in what was described as a frank and constructive dialogue. Topics under discussion ranged from fundamental human rights guarantees to the practical enforcement of international standards in Monaco’s justice system.

The Monegasque delegation included officials from several key institutions: the Directorate of Public Security, the Directorate of Legal Affairs, the Department of External Relations and Cooperation, the Directorate of Judicial Services, and Monaco’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.

Monaco ratified the Convention against Torture in 1991. Following the review, the UN Committee is expected to issue its concluding observations and recommendations, which will be subject to follow-up procedures.

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

Photo source: Gavin Li, Unsplash