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Month: April 2025

Hellenic Community of Monaco honours tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas

by: Niki Borisova
07/04/2025
Stefanos Tsitsipas Hellenic Community of Monaco

The Greek tennis star and three-time winner of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, Stefanos Tsitsipas, has been honoured by his compatriots at the Hellenic Community of Monaco (CHM) with a special dinner in Monaco. The event, which took place in the run-up to the tournament, paid tribute to his achievements, with CHM President Ekaterini Lanara lauding his “passion, dedication and unwavering spirit”.

On 3rd April, Monaco Life joined members and friends of the Hellenic Community of Monaco who had gathered at Marius in Port Hercule for an event honouring Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is currently ranked World No. 8 as a Singles player.

Tsitsipas, who was born in Athens in 1998, is one of tennis’ most recognisable figures, and the dinner was a celebration of his achievements, notably his three Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters titles from 2021, 2022 and 2024. He has enjoyed success already in 2025; he won the Dubai Tennis Championships in March, securing his first ATP 500 title by defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final.

Read a 2024 Monaco Life interview with the star: Road to Olympic glory: Stefanos Tsitsipas on training, determination and dreams

During the event, which was also supported by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and its figurehead, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, CHM President Ekaterini Lanara delivered a moving speech that spotlighted both Tsitsipas’ contributions to Greek sport and his connections to Monaco.

“[His] achievements are more than just a testament to skill and perseverance, they are a celebration of passion, dedication and an unwavering spirit,” said Lanara. “He began playing tennis at the age of six, driven by a deep love for the sport. With the support of his parents, he rose through the ranks, reaching World No. 1 in the junior circuit in 2016. Since then, he has firmly established himself in the Top 10 of the ATP rankings and holds three Monte-Carlo titles to his name.”

Tsitsipas then took to the floor himself, expressing his gratitude to the community, saying, “I always remember my roots, where I come from and my values. I promise you that I will represent those as best as I can, with some good tennis and good spirit during the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.”

He also took time to engage with attendees, signing rackets and tennis balls for members of the community.

Tsitsipas will open his Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2025 campaign in the first round against Australia’s Jordan Thompson on 8th April. He is already through to the Round of 16 in the Doubles, having defeated the USA pairing of Evan King and Christian Harrison with his younger brother, Petros, on 6th April.

To see more photographs of the Stefanos Tsitsipas event, click on the images below:

Check out Monaco Life’s reel of the evening too!

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. 

 

Pictured in the main photo: Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Ekaterini Lanara

All photos courtesy of the Hellenic Community of Monaco

Le Café Lacoste offers preview of summer pop-up at Le Méridien Beach Plaza

by: Niki Borisova
07/04/2025

Against the backdrop of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, Lacoste offered a preview of its upcoming summer pop-up café at Le Méridien Beach Plaza, attended by tennis stars Grigor Dimitrov and Daniil Medvedev.

A day before the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters tournament began, Monaco Life attended the pre-launch of Le Café Lacoste at Le Méridien Beach Plaza on 4th April.

The event marked the start of a new collaboration between Lacoste and the Monaco-based Giraudi Group, and provided its VIP guests with a preview of the Le Café Lacoste pop-up, which will open at the hotel in early summer.

Guests were introduced to a curated menu inspired by Lacoste’s sporting heritage, featuring classic club sandwiches, reimagined desserts and cocktails that nod to the legacy of the brand’s founder, René Lacoste.

The desserts at Le Café Lacoste, shaped like the brand’s iconic crocodile logo, reflect the playful yet refined spirit of the pop-up. Photo by Monaco Life

Among the drinks served was Le Chose, a cocktail based on a 1967 Lacoste creation enjoyed at the famous Chantaco Golf Club in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Signature lattes, featuring pistachio and vanilla, were also part of the offering.

Tennis players Grigor Dimitrov and Daniil Medvedev, who are taking part in the ongoing 2025 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, were both present for the occasion and were seen chatting on the red Lacoste swing installation by the sea.

Tennis icons Daniil Medvedev and Grigor Dimitrov share a moment at the launch of Le Café Lacoste. Photo courtesy of Lacoste

“Our aim with this collaboration was to offer a unique experience, combining freshness, balance, and bold flavours,” said Thierry Paludetto, Executive Chef for the Giraudi Group. “Each dish reflects the elegance and energy of the brand, that French flair, through exceptional ingredients and daring pairings.”

Le Café Lacoste will open as a pop-up at Le Méridien Beach Plaza in early summer, offering a seasonal experience that blends style, food and the brand’s distinctive sporting identity.

Check out more photos of the event below…: 

… And Monaco Life’s reel too!

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 courtesy of Lacoste

Local Entreparents group to host conference on screen use and digital dependency among minors

by: Niki Borisova
07/04/2025

How can parents navigate the minefield of screen time, social media and online influences? Following an alarming report on the rising rates of excessive screen use and digital dependency among Monaco’s teenagers, the Entreparents support group is set to host an engaging – and timely – conference exploring these pressing issues, offering expert advice and practical tools to help families raising children in a tech-saturated world.

In partnership with Action Innocence Monaco and the British School of Monaco, the Monaco Government-backed Entreparents network will be holding its inaugural Supporting Parents in the Era of Smartphones and Social Networks event at the Charles III College auditorium at 6.20pm on Thursday 24th April. The event will seek to address growing concerns about children and young people’s digital habits, as well as the challenges parents and families face in managing them.

The conference is being held in response to mounting data that points to the negative impact of screen time on young people. For example, a 2024 World Health Organization study found that the sleep and development of a shocking 75% of European children aged three to four are being affected by excessive screen time. Meanwhile, IMSEE, Monaco’s own statistical agency, published the results of its European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) in January. The report, which covered a variety of topics from cigarettes and alcohol to social patterns, flagged a worrying statistic: the vast majority of Principality students aged 15 and up are habitually spending more than two hours online each day. 30% said they spent six hours a day or more on social media on weekends and during the holidays.

Widespread public concerns about the influence of social platforms and digital algorithms have also been raised in the recent Netflix documentary series Adolescence, which was cited as part of the context for this upcoming event in Monaco.

The programme will begin with expert talks led by guest speakers including Agnès Guénin, a psychomotor therapist and parental coach, who will discuss early childhood attachment in a digital age; clinical psychologist Damien Scolari, who will speak about screen-related behavioural risks in children; and Georges Gambarini, Deputy Director of Monaco’s Digital Services Department, who will outline the legal framework and best practices related to social networks and new technologies.

The second part of the evening will highlight local initiatives that aim to support parents and promote healthier digital habits. These include the PhoneWall project, a joint initiative by the British School of Monaco and Monaco Telecom, as well as the ongoing work and campaigns from Action Innocence Monaco, the Mairie de Monaco’s Les Espaces Parents initiative, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation and the Théâtre des Muses. An open discussion with participants will follow, before the event concludes at 8pm.

Attendance is free, but registration is required due to limited seating. Interested participants are asked to reserve a seat via email at hello@entreparents.mc.

Read related:

Monaco’s teens are ditching cigarettes and alcohol but binge on screen time

 

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: Createasea, Unsplash

Prince Albert II welcomes students from more than 75 nations to MEDMUN 2025

by: Niki Borisova
07/04/2025

Prince Albert II of Monaco formally opened this year’s Mediterranean Model United Nations conference, also known as MEDMUN, welcoming some 500 students from 76 nations to the Grimaldi Forum at the end of last week. Following a Monaco-based first day, the international gathering unfolded over the weekend with a series of engaging talks and collaboration-focused diplomacy events at the Sciences Po Paris campus in Menton.

Monaco Life joined the crowds of students, who hailed from countries located in and near to the Mediterranean Basin, at the Grimaldi Forum on Friday 4th April to listen to Prince Albert’s opening MEDMUN 2025 speech.

The Prince described the three-day gathering, held under the theme Strategic alliances: new generations turn divides into dialogue to shape the Mediterranean’s future, as “a platform for dialogue and cooperation between the young generation” that is designed to evoke “passion for international relations and bring about solidarity that is durable”.

Noting the chosen focus of the 2025 event, Prince Albert added, “This year’s theme is not only an intellectual reflection but an imperative call to action.”

Reflecting on Monaco’s role within the United Nations, the Sovereign Prince noted, “I am attached to this organisation as my father, the late Prince Rainier III, established a Monegasque delegation that has been instrumental in the Principality’s international affairs. Since then, the delegation has been advocating for human rights, peace and the development of education and healthcare.”

Following the welcome day in Monaco on Friday 4th April, the delegates relocated to Menton and the local Sciences Po Paris campus for the diplomatic committee sessions on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April.

In all, the 2025 edition of MEDMUN featured 17 committees operating in six languages. Alongside those representing UN agencies such as the World Health Organization, the Disarmament and International Security First Committee, the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and the High Commissioner for Refugees, the conference also included region-specific forums including the Arab League and the Spanish Cabinet. The participants were invited to take part in the various discussions and roundtable events that were led by experts including François Gouyette, the former French Ambassador to Algeria, Libya and the UAE; Admiral Jean-Michel Martinet of the Mediterranean Foundation of Strategic Studies; Claude Fabbretti from the Monaco Red Cross; and Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean.

A number of fictional and crisis simulations were also held, including one based on Harry Potter, another on the United Arab States and a dramatic Operation Red Horizon, each offering students alternative formats for problem-solving under pressure.

Louis Vassy, Director of Sciences Po Paris’ Menton campus, shared his thoughts on the event, saying, “I have frequently attended sessions at the UN headquarters in New York and its various assemblies. What I can say is that events like MEDMUN bring hope to humanity. I am proud to see how students here are tackling pressing issues and working toward solutions.”

Read related:

Grimaldi Forum to host young leaders of tomorrow at Mediterranean Model UN 2025

 

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 by Monaco Life

Hands Off! Protest draws American expatriates to Nice Promenade

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
07/04/2025

American expatriates gathered at Nice’s Quai des Etats-Unis on Saturday afternoon, joining a global day of demonstrations as part of the ‘Hands Off!’ movement. The peaceful protest, which took place around the miniature Statue of Liberty on the Promenade, drew a notable turnout from the American community residing along the French Riviera. 

As previously reported by Monaco Life, the demonstration was organised in response to concerns about policies of the current U.S. administration, with similar events taking place across more than 50 U.S. states and in expatriate communities worldwide. 

‘’We are a group of Americans that are protesting against Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Hands off our democracy, hands off our freedom of expression. We want French people to know that we do not agree with him,’’ Ruth Lake, one of the organisers, told Monaco Life during the demonstration. 

Participants displayed a variety of signs with messages including ‘’No kings’,’ ‘’Hands off our history’’, and ‘’Congress, do your job. Hold them accountable’’. Some featured political caricatures, while others opted for humorous slogans such as ‘’Ikea has better cabinets’’.

Photo credit: Kyriaki Topalidou, Monaco Life

The gathering reflected concerns about various issues including voting rights, healthcare access, and social security benefits for Americans living abroad. 

“Many Americans want to preserve our rights and uphold the rule of law,” explained one participant. “Especially for Americans abroad, we want to maintain our right to vote, our access to Medicare, to social security, to free speech… and to get into the country after I make this statement.”

Another demonstrator, symbolically dressed as the Statue of Liberty, expressed gratitude towards France: “I’m thankful to be here in France, our oldest ally. We want them to know that we’re not like America, we are trying to save America.” Her sign read, “Deported from the USA, I came home to France.”

Throughout the afternoon, participants chanted various slogans expressing their concerns about the direction of American governance and policies.

The demonstration, which lasted from 4:00pm to approximately 5:30pm, concluded peacefully, with participants dispersing after the scheduled time. The event reflected how political movements in the United States continue to resonate within American communities abroad, even reaching the shores of the Mediterranean.

See more in Kyriaki Topalidou’s news video below… 

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.  

Main photo credit: Kyriaki Topalidou, Monaco Life

 

Flavien Foundation’s Pouce la Vie announces comedy and musical lineup for April concert

by: Niki Borisova
06/04/2025

At the end of April, the Flavien Foundation, a Monaco-based charity that raises funds for paediatric cancer research and the support of families affected by the disease, will host the seventh edition of Pouce la Vie. Topping the bill at this philanthropic evening are French actor and comedian François-Xavier Demaison and the 10-member Tarantino tribute band Call Me Winston.

On Friday 25th April, the Flavien Foundation will hold its annual charity concert, Pouce la Vie, at the Auditorium Rainier III in Monaco.

The initiative, which began in 2018 through a collaboration between Denis Maccario, the president of Fondation Flavien, and musician Frédéric Vitteaud, has grown to become one of the biggest events on the charity’s calendar, alongside Trott’n’Roll, Goûter des Étoiles and the Marche Symbolique.

The goal of the evening is to raise funds for paediatric cancer research in the Principality and beyond, as well as provide support for affected families. However, there is plenty of fun to be had too.

Each year, Pouce la Vie brings together professional musicians and guest artists for an evening that combines live music and entertainment with the core fundraising element. Previous editions have seen support from high-profile figures including Jean-Félix Lalanne, Louis Chedid and Greg Zlap, and in 2025, it is the turn of French actor and comedian François-Xavier Demaison. Known for his role in Coluche, L’Histoire d’un Mec, Demaison will perform his popular comedy routine and sketches for the Monaco crowd.

On the music side of things, the 10-member group Call Me Winston will present a selection of iconic 80s tracks with a ‘feel-good’ theme. The group, known for its Tarantino soundtrack tribute shows, will also be joined by singer Lady Mendy.

Journalist and former Top 50 presenter Marc Toesca is set to host the night, which will begin at 8pm. Doors will open at 7pm, and a small food stand will be available prior to the start of the show and during the intermission.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online, by phone, or from the Casino de Monte-Carlo’s Atrium between Tuesday and Saturday. Entry is also available at the door on the night of the event.

Proceeds from the evening will go towards the Flavien Foundation. For more information and ticketing, click here.

 

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. 

On photo: Call Me Winston, Fondation Flavien facebook