This year’s European Heritage Day will celebrate the largely unsung heroes of the past, putting women firmly in the spotlight and simultaneously launching the Principality’s first ever Women’s Heritage Day.
The 26^th annual European Heritage Day in Monaco is, as ever, celebrating the past, but this year, the Principality is specially highlighting women’s contributions to the legacy of the country by also launching the first edition of Women’s Heritage Day.
Monaco’s cultural heritage has been shaped by both men and women, but the latter have been far less visible. In an effort to rectify this, the focus this year is squarely on ladies who have made their marks.
Heritage Day is even themed ‘Women and Heritage’ to show appreciation for the significant contributions women have made.
First celebrated in Monaco in 1996, European Heritage Days were created so that European nations could celebrate the things that make them unique. Initiated by the Council of Europe in 1985, thousands of monuments and sites, some which are otherwise not accessible to the public, open their doors to allow free visits to learn about and protect shared cultural heritage. The events now take place in 50 signatory countries during the month of September.
The European Council explains, “We strive towards a Europe where the diversity of cultures, the arts, and cultural heritage are essential to the development of a genuine openness of mind and basic rights, and where open and interactive processes and practices of culture that combine to help us deal with the complexities of living with ourselves and one another.”
In Monaco, the event is organised by the Cultural Affairs Department in collaboration with the Institut du Patrimoine and this year will be held on 26^th September at 40 different and diverse sites, ranging from the Naval Museum to the Sainte-Dévote Church and the Salons of the Monte-Carlo Casino.
The government is using the event as an opportunity for visitors to consider using eco-friendly modes of transport to move around, combining a bit of the new with the old. Special parking rates for the day are being offered at a handful of garages, with a day costing only €4, plus buses are free. The participating parking facilities include the Jardin Exotique, Condamine, Pêcheurs, Stade Louis II, Boulingrins, Grimaldi Forum and La Colle.
Additionally, they are holding the event in strict compliance with health protocols, including mandatory mask wearing, hydroalcoholic gels on the premises and social distancing rules.
To get a full listing of all the events and for more information, visit the event site at https://journeepatrimoinemonaco.com/
 
Photo: Casino La Fortune, L.Hodebert, Monte-Carlo SBM