Monaco’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Philippe Orengo, has been awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX, the highest honour granted by the Vatican to foreign diplomats.
The distinction, known as the Ordre Pian, was conferred by Pope Francis on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of his pontificate. The title recognises exceptional diplomatic service and is rarely bestowed. Ambassador Orengo was presented with the insignia during a ceremony in the Salle des Parements of the Apostolic Palace, led by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs at the Secretariat of State.
The Grand Cross is the most senior class of the Order of Pius IX and is traditionally reserved for heads of state, high-ranking officials and ambassadors accredited to the Holy See who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to their roles. With the authorisation of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, Ambassador Orengo accepted the award on behalf of the Principality.
Philippe Orengo has served as Monaco’s ambassador to both the Holy See and the Sovereign Order of Malta. Throughout his tenure, he has contributed to strengthening diplomatic ties and supporting shared humanitarian and interfaith goals. His recognition by the Vatican underscores the significance of Monaco’s longstanding relationship with the Holy See.
The Order of Pius IX was instituted in 1847 by Pope Pius IX and remains one of the oldest and most prestigious papal honours still in use. Ambassador Orengo now joins a select group of diplomats who have received this rare accolade.
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Main photo: Philippe Orengo, Monaco’s Ambassador to the Holy See and the Sovereign Order of Malta, receives the rank of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX from Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. Source: Vatican Media
Dubrovnik joins elite E1 race calendar as electric championship expands
Dubrovnik will host a round of the all-electric E1 World Championship next summer, marking Croatia’s debut in the innovative marine racing series that already includes Monaco, Jeddah and Miami on its calendar.
The E1 Dubrovnik GP 2025 is set to take place on 13th and 14th June. The race will unfold in the Adriatic Sea between the city’s ancient walls and Lokrum Island, providing a dramatic stage for the futuristic RaceBird vessels to compete against the backdrop of Dubrovnik’s UNESCO-listed Old Town.
The championship, which has attracted teams backed by global stars including Tom Brady, Will Smith and Rafael Nadal, features mixed-gender racing teams and aims to pair elite sport with environmental advocacy. Race weekends combine intense competition with community-driven efforts to promote ocean regeneration and sustainability.
Croatia’s Minister of Tourism and Sport, Tonči Glavina, welcomed the event’s arrival, describing it as an opportunity to raise the country’s international profile and underline its commitment to hosting world-class sporting spectacles. Adriatic Luxury Hotels Chairman Davor Luksic said the partnership was aligned with a broader strategy of positioning Dubrovnik as a destination that embraces both innovation and sustainability.
E1 Series founders Alejandro Agag and Rodi Basso both praised the addition of Dubrovnik to the championship’s growing roster, highlighting the city’s maritime legacy and natural appeal. The local organising team, led by Alen Bošković and Žarko Knego, said the race would blend heritage and cutting-edge sport in a way that celebrates both Dubrovnik’s past and its forward-facing ambitions.
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Monaco’s first Porsche driving school prepares students for supercar reality
In a place where Lamborghinis and Ferraris are commonplace, one local driving school in the Principality has taken driver education to new heights by introducing a Porsche 911 Carrera to its training fleet.
Monaco Bonne Conduite, founded by Paul Croesi, launched this innovative service on 31st March, becoming the first driving school in the Principality to offer lessons in a high-performance sports car.
“Over the nearly five years since we opened, I noticed that many young people who passed their driving test in the morning using our Volkswagen Polos would return in the afternoon driving much more powerful vehicles, like Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches,” Croesi explains during an exclusive interview with Monaco Life.
This observation inspired him to come up with a method that would better equip students with the skills they would need for the vehicles they might actually drive after passing their test.
“It’s about preparing students during their learning phase for driving powerful vehicles like a Porsche, which they might drive in the following weeks or months,” he continues.
Paul Croesi of Monaco Bonne Conduite added a Porsche 911 to his fleet of Volkswagen Polos after noticing that many students were getting behind the wheel of high-performance vehicles shortly after passing their tests. Photo by Monaco Life
At €159 per hour – approximately three times the cost of a standard lesson – the Porsche training isn’t about maximising profit, says Croesi.
“I didn’t really calculate the profitability before buying it. It was more of a pleasure purchase,” he admits. “I really wanted to maximise road safety and respond to a need. This has never been done before, so it’s a bit of an experiment.”
When asked why he chose the Porsche 911 specifically, Croesi notes its reliability and practicality.
“This Porsche model is very reliable mechanically. These are sturdy vehicles,” he explains, pointing to the importance of durability for a training car. “Also, I needed a four-seater so that during examinations, when the inspector sits in front, I can sit in the back. That’s a requirement for driving tests.”
The choice of car is having an impact on his students too.
“It’s really emotional for them,” he says. “They’re very happy and excited. There’s a little stress, which is normal.”
Croesi is also keen to stress that luxury doesn’t mean leniency.
“Just because we’re driving a Porsche doesn’t mean we’ll be driving at 200 km/h through Monaco,” he tells Monaco Life. “We respect speed limits.”
The school has attracted unique cases, such as a woman whose husband owns a similar car: “They’re coming from Marseille to have her take lessons with us in the Porsche because he knows that as soon as she gets her licence, she’ll be driving their Porsche!”
Risks when transitioning to luxury cars
Perhaps most importantly, Croesi highlights the critical errors new drivers make when transitioning to high-performance vehicles.
“The biggest issue is losing the sense of speed, which happens easily in these types of cars,” he explains. “Drivers might overestimate curves and accelerate too early, losing control of the vehicle. With less powerful cars, even if you accelerate hard, the vehicle takes time to respond. With a car like this, if you accelerate hard, the car responds immediately. So, if you’re in a curve, you can lose control – that’s when accidents happen.”
Looking to the future, Croesi’s ambitions extend beyond the Porsche.
“Of course, we’re in Monaco. If there’s one place in the world where this concept could work, it’s here – and perhaps a few other destinations like Dubai,” he says. “It’s already quite surprising that this has never been done in the Principality before. If this succeeds and we could one day have a Ferrari or a Lamborghini as training vehicles, that would be fabulous, that would be fantastic.”
In a nation where luxury is the norm, Monaco Bonne Conduite is ensuring that with great horsepower comes great responsibility, preparing the next generation of drivers for the realities of the Principality’s supercar-lined streets.
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All photos by Monaco Life
Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur receives EcoVadis Gold Medal for sustainability excellence
In a milestone achievement, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, which includes Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, has been awarded the coveted EcoVadis Gold Medal for the first time, an honour shared by only one other airport globally in 2025. This recognition, which is based on the strength of a company’s sustainability managements systems, places the group amongst the top 5% of over 150,000 companies assessed worldwide and within the elite 1% of businesses in the airport and aviation sector to have attained this accolade.
Since 2007, EcoVadis has been a trusted, worldwide provider of business sustainability ratings with a network of more than 150,000 companies participating. Eligibility requirements are stringent, with medals only being awarded to companies who achieve minimum scores in four themes, namely environment, ethics, labour and Human rights and sustainable procurement.
Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur has, for the first time ever, been award a gold medal, reflecting efforts made in recent years to improve their environmental footprint as well as implementing sustainable practices and transparency into their business model.
The accolade was granted following a rigorous evaluation by EcoVadis, which relates on 21 sustainability criteria, assigning a score out of 100. This year, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur earned an impressive overall score of 77, an increase of 10 points from 2024.
The airport operator achieved significant gains in every category.
Environmental performance rose by eight points to 78, thanks to clearer updates in environmental policy and greater transparency in disclosing greenhouse gas emissions across all scopes. In the social domain, a 10-point increase brought the score to 80, driven by a revised policy and comprehensive reporting of social initiatives.
Ethical practices saw progress as well, improving by 12 points to reach 72. This was largely the result of new risk assessments and awareness campaigns focused on anti-corruption and information security. Meanwhile, the sustainable procurement score climbed an impressive 17 points to 67, due to the integration of CSR principles into procurement policies, better tracking of Scope 3 emissions, and more robust data collection.
EcoVadis praised the company’s progress, stating, “The company has a solid foundation, particularly in the environmental and social sectors. Recent work on ethics and sustainable procurement has led to a significant improvement in the rating.”
The Gold Medal not only cements the group’s leadership in sustainability but also marks a significant milestone on its intended path toward long-term responsible growth.
Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, said of the achievement, “This medal rewards the efforts of all the teams at Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur and validates the ambitious approach of our new Strategic Plan, Azur 2030, which sets us precise, quantified, measured and time-sequenced objectives. Based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, they cover the environment, social issues, governance, ethics and the region.”
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Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
AnimaWings launches new direct flights from Nice to Bucharest
Starting 17th April, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is rolling out a direct flight to Bucharest courtesy of AnimaWings. Whether you’re off for a weekend getaway or a business trip, this new route offers a speedy, no-fuss connection between the French Riviera and Romania’s lively capital.
AnimaWings, an airline established just five years ago, will operate the route using an Airbus A220 aircraft, with the inaugural flight departing at noon on 17th April. The seasonal service is scheduled to run until 23rd October, providing a direct connection between the Côte d’Azur and the Romanian capital throughout the summer period and into autumn.
During April, flights will operate exclusively on Thursdays, while from May to October, the service will expand to include both Thursdays and Sundays. This twice-weekly frequency aims to provide flexibility for travellers planning weekend getaways to Romania – and vice versa.
Ticket prices for the direct route range from €85 to €165 depending on the travel date, with bookings available through the AnimaWings website.
Travellers will also benefit from simplified entry requirements following Romania’s recent integration into the Schengen Area. Since 1st January, Romania has been an official part of the Schengen zone, along with Bulgaria, eliminating the need for passports when travelling between member states.
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 credit: Tal Peanu, Unsplash
Monaco launches online FAQ to support business community
A new digital tool has been launched by Monaco’s government to help entrepreneurs and professionals navigate the administrative processes of starting and running a business in the Principality.
The government announced on Wednesday that, as part of the Monaco Business Office (MBO) initiative and ongoing efforts to modernise the business creation journey, the Direction du Développement Économique has introduced a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resource on the official MonEntreprise portal.
Available at www.monentreprise.gouv.mc under the ‘Création et gestion d’activité’ section, the online FAQ is designed to provide clear, accessible answers to the most common questions raised by business founders and operators. It reflects feedback collected from the field and aims to clarify procedures that often lead to delays or confusion.
The tool is intended to streamline access to information, boost user autonomy, and reduce wait times at reception desks by offering instant answers to frequently addressed topics.
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
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