Monaco’s leading heart specialists are highlighting a critical healthcare inequality that continues to cost women’s lives: the gender gap in cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment.
The Monaco Women Network has organised a panel discussion on January 22nd bringing together four doctors from the Centre Cardio-Thoracique de Monaco to talk about an unfortunate reality – heart disease is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, yet female patients are routinely misdiagnosed or receive inadequate care.
The problem derives from decades of medical research focused primarily on men. As a result, doctors have been trained to recognise male symptoms and treatment protocols are designed around male physiology. For women, this can prove fatal.
The panel will explore why female heart attack symptoms often differ from those seen in men, making them harder to spot. Experts will also discuss how hormonal changes throughout women’s lives affect cardiovascular risk.
Conditions that often affect women, such as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, commonly known as “broken heart syndrome”, will also be examined.
The event will take place on Thursday January 22nd at 6pm on the 10th floor of the Centre Cardio-Thoracique de Monaco, 11 bis Avenue d’Ostende. The discussion will be conducted in French with live English subtitles, followed by a networking cocktail reception
The youth setup has been equally impressive, with both the U16 and U19 sides securing victories against RC Le Beausset. Particularly important was the U19’s win as it keeps them top of their championship table, rewarding their collective work.
The club’s École de Rugby (youth academy) has also resumed activities, with youngsters returning to training filled with enthusiasm. The sessions focused on preparing for upcoming weekend fixtures while reinforcing rugby’s core values amongst the youngest players.
The youth academy, photo credit: AS Monaco Rugby
In an attempt to grow participation AS Monaco Rugby has also launched ‘En 2026, j’essaie le rugby – In 2026, I’m trying rugby’, offering free trial sessions throughout January for children born between 2012 and 2022. Special surprises are planned for those born in 2015.
What’s next
The senior team now faces its next challenge away at Saint-Marcellin on January 18th as it looks to extend its winning run to five matches.
The club will also host a partners’ evening on February 12th in collaboration with Les Carabiniers du Prince, featuring rugby legends including Jean-Pierre Rives, Philippe Spanghero, RaphaĂ«l Poulain and Rodrigo Capo Ortega
The Grimaldi Forum has unveiled a packed cultural and events programme for 2026, ranging from major international exhibitions to landmark exhibitions and performances, following a year of strong financial and operational results.Â
The new season was unveiled on January 13th during the venue’s annual Review & Outlook which attracted more than 700 guests, held ahead of its traditional Galette des Rois gathering. Despite the extraordinary 2025 growth, said Director General Sylvie Biancheri, attention lies solely on the new season ahead.
Biancheri confirmed that the Grimaldi Forum closed 2025 with €28 million in turnover, an increase of 17% compared to the previous year, driven largely by the opening of its 6,000 m² extension and the focus on large-scale professional events.
“We are clearly on a very good path,” she said. “We have already reached our objectives for 2026 and are now exceeding them. If the current context remains stable, 2026, will be a historic year for us.”
Focus on fewer but larger events
In 2025, the venue hosted 64 professional events and 43 cultural performances. While the total number has decreased from previous years, their scale has increased, resulting in higher overall revenue.
“What we are seeing is fewer events, but much bigger ones,” Biancheri explained. “That is exactly what the extension was designed for.”
International events such as AMWC, Luxe Pack, Sportel, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival and Art Monte-Carlo continued to attract record attendance, while newer additions like the Blue Economy and Finance Forum and the Forbes Travel Guide Summit expanded Monaco’s international visibility.
The year will close with Shrek the Musical in December.
Henri Fissore, President of the Grimaldi Forum and Sylvie Biancheri Director General during their speech, photo by Monaco Life.
Exhibitions and international projects
The biggest project for 2026 is the major exhibition ‘Monaco and the Automobile: From 1893 to the Present’, running from July to September. Supported by the Automobile Club of Monaco, the exhibition traces the Principality’s long relationship with automotive history.
“It’s an emotional and historical exhibition, not just for motorsport fans,” said Biancheri.
The Grimaldi Forum is also resuming the international circulation of its exhibitions. Colours!, one of its most visited shows with 75,000 visitors in Monaco, is opening in Beijing in January at the Mingzheng Art Museum, in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou.
The venue has also renewed its ISO 14001 and ISO 20121 certifications and continues its CSR initiatives, including the redistribution of 26 tonnes of materials in 2025, among them 1.3 tonnes of food, and one solidarity day per employee per year.
Monaco’s deputy mayor Marjorie Crovetto and sports delegate Jacques Pastor welcomed representatives from the principality’s associations on Monday evening for the traditional Galette des Rois celebration at A Casa d’i Soci.
The annual gathering, held on January 12th, brought together members from numerous local groups to mark the start of 2026. During the celebration, attendees shared several galettes with the customary crowning of a king and a queen for the evening.
“The associative world constitutes an essential pillar of social cohesion and more broadly of the human community,” Crovetto told those gathered. “It is based on the personal commitment, passion and generosity of women and men invested in associations whose diversity of actions creates richness.”
She added that the occasion provided an opportunity to acknowledge the close ties that unite the municipal administration with local associations.
A Casa d’i Soci, which has served as the primary meeting point of the community since 2014, continues to see growing use. The facility, run by Monaco’s Sports and Associations Service, now supports 337 registered associations – up from 307 the previous year.
In 2025 the venue recorded 1,105 bookings, a notable increase from 826 in 2024, with nearly 15,685 people using the facilities.
The informal reception allowed association representatives to network among themselves and with municipal officials.
Young photographers in Monaco aged 11 to 25 are being invited to capture images of cultural heritage at risk for a competition organised by the Direction of Cultural Affairs.Â
The contest, which runs until March 15th, asks participants to explore the theme ‘Heritage in Danger’. Photographers are encourages to think about what Monaco’s cultural legacy means to them and how it can be protected for future generations.
Organisers want young people to consider the various threats facing both tangible heritage such as historic buildings, archaeological sites, gardens and works of art, and intangible traditions including local customs, performing arts, craftsmanship, and culinary practices.
Climate change, natural disasters, urban development, mass tourism and social changes are among the challenges highlighted by the competition, now in its second year.
Fifteen photographs will be selected for exhibition on the railings of the Saint-Martin Gardens from April to October. Three winners will be announced across age categories: 11-14, 15-18, and 19-25.
More than 5,000 jobseekers are expected to gather at the Grimaldi Forum next month as Monaco pour l’Emploi returns for its fourth edition on February 6th in the venue’s Diaghilev and Nijinski spaces.
The event brings together businesses from across Monaco’s economic landscape and while all sectors will be represented, from hospitality and luxury to construction and yachting, this year’s forum is putting technology and artificial intelligence on the spotlight with a dedicated space for digital careers.
It’s a notable shift for an event that previously focused heavily on Monaco’s luxury and service industries. The attention on tech roles derives from the Principality’s desire to diversify its economy and position itself as a hub of innovation beyond its traditional strengths in banking, real estate and high-end hospitality.
The forum, organised by the Princely Government, offers something unique: a chance for face-to-face meetings with managers and the opportunity to make an impression beyond a CV. For cross border workers from France and Italy, it’s also a rare opportunity to navigate Monaco’s complex job market and understand what employers are actually looking for.
“One day, a thousand opportunities. Direct exchanges, spontaneous meetings, unexpected discoveries…The forum is where professional projects come to life,” said Christophe Robino, Government Councillor and Minister of Social Affairs and Health.
Navigating Monaco’s employment system
However, beyond the company stands, the forum provides another rare opportunity. Monaco’s key employment institutions will gather under one roof and attendees will be able to speak directly with representatives from the Employment Service, the government’s Human Resources department, and the social security officers.
For anyone unfamiliar with how Monaco’s employment system works, particularly around residency and social contributions, this access to official guidance can be as valuable as the job opportunities themselves.
Industries participating include accounting and legal services, banking and insurance, commerce, construction and public works, education and training, energy, healthcare and personal services, hospitality and restaurants, industry, interim and security services, logistics, luxury goods, and yachting.
How to attend
The forum is free and open to all visitors. However, while walk-ins are welcome, advance registration is recommended through the official website at www.monacopourlemploi.com.
For businesses interested in participating who have not yet reserved their space, can contact the organising agency Lena Corporation (Denise Davide or Marie Barresi) at +377 97 97 35 55 or by email at info@monacopourlemploi.mc
