For the first time ever, Monaco’s National Council has elected a woman to sit at the helm, voting unanimously for Brigitte Boccone-Pagès to step in as new President, replacing outgoing leader Stéphane Valeri.
History was made on Thursday 6th October as Monaco’s National Council elected their very first female President, Brigitte Boccone-Pagès. She was joined by the newly-elected Vice-President Balthazar Seydoux, who will take on double duty and remain the President of the Finance and National Economy Commission until the end of this term.
Madame President was humble in her acceptance and assured the elected officials that she will follow closely in the footsteps of her predecessor, Stéphane Valeri, who left the position on 3rd October to take up his new role as Deputy Chairman of the Board at Société des Bains de Mer (SBM).
“Dear colleagues, by electing me, you have chosen continuity. This is a strong political choice that leads to an unprecedented situation since I have the honour of being the first woman to chair the National Council since its creation. How not to have a thought, in the form of thanks, for the ones who will have marked the history of this assembly for the benefit of our national community and the Principality as a whole (…) It is a question of continuing on the path of the commitments which were made before the Monegasques in 2018 and all throughout this term,” said Brigitte Boccone-Pagès in her acceptance speech.
Vice-President Balthazar Seydoux, photo source: Monaco National Council
Though she honoured her former colleague Stéphane Valeri, she clearly has an agenda of her own to set forth and wasted little time getting down to business.
“I intend, dear colleagues, that we approach the important pages that remain to be written for the end of this term of office, starting, in a moment, with the examination of the Amending Budget Law 2022.”
She went on to speak of another hot topic in the Principality, that of housing, saying, “Thanks to the extensive delivery schedule of state housing announced in 2019, the first objective, which was to reduce the shortage of recent years, will be achieved in 2023. However, solving this critical situation was only the first part of the question, since we know that we must build enough new housing each year to avoid another shortage.”
Monaco is now amongst an elite group of nations whose National Assemblies are headed up by a woman, signalling Monaco’s progressive thinking and making a strong stand on the side of gender equality in politics.
Newly elected Vice-President Seydoux made clear his support for Boccone-Pagès in his acceptance speech, saying, “I must tell you, dear colleagues, how proud I am to become the vice-president of the first woman president of the National Council. This moment is historic and highly symbolic in the tradition of President Valeri who has done so much during his successive mandates for gender equality. What a beautiful symbol, and what an important moment for the evolution of our society.”
Photo source: Monaco National Council
Monaco celebrates International Day of the Girl by promoting women in politics
As part of the International Day of the Girl, over 20 Monaco high school students will visit the National Council on 11th October to meet the new president and other female members of parliament, and learn more about the role and importance of women in politics.
Monaco-based association SheCanHeCan has been collaborating with the National Council of Monaco since 2017 to raise awareness about the role of women in politics.
In visiting the Council on 11th October, the students will be encouraged to learn from elected female MPs about their experiences and specifically the challenges they face.
They will be welcomed by Brigitte Boccones-Pages, the first female President of the Conseil National, and Nathalie Amoratti-Blanc, President of the Commission for the Rights of Women and Family, as well as other key officials including Commissioner in charge of Education, Youth and Sports Isabelle Bonnal, and Interministerial Delegate in charge of Women’s Rights in Monaco Celine Cottalorda. Once again, several elected officials from the Mairie will also take part in the event.
The female students will have the unique opportunity to ask questions, and exchange and share their ideas about the role of women in politics. They will also learn more about the role and history of the National Council, as well as the history and challenges faced by female politicians globally.
The International Day of the Girl, declared by the United Nations in 2011, aims to raise awareness about the specific challenges faced by girls. Since 2014, SheCanHeCan has organised numerous events to mark the day, from movie screenings to art exhibitions and, since 2017, this collaboration with the Conseil National to bring students to visit their local parliament.
The 2022 international theme is ‘Our time is now: our rights, our future’ and, says Vibeke Thomsen, founder of SheCanHeCan, “it is crucial to call on elected officials to address factors which might still hold girls back in their countries and to call on all officials to make the targeted investments to tackle inequalities still experienced by girls”.
SheCanHeCan is a Monegasque association created in 2011 which aims to support girls to take up leadership roles and encourages all individuals to realise their full potential, independent of their gender and other social identities.
Photo source: National Council of Monaco
New funding initiative to channel donations to Pelagos Sanctuary
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has joined forces with UBS Optimus Foundation Europe and UBS Monaco to accelerate climate action and strengthen marine mammals’ protection in the Mediterranean.
On 30th September, in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, UBS Optimus Foundation Europe, UBS Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation signed a partnership agreement to increase climate mitigation and adaptation thanks to the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems in the Pelagos Sanctuary.
Projects supported through this alliance will be dedicated to promoting the reinforcement of marine protected areas and no take zones as well as the restoration of coastal ecosystems. Special attention will be given to the protection of marine mammals, conservation of biodiversity and resilience to climate change, but also to the engagement of coastal communities.
“Joining forces with UBS Optimus Foundation Europe and UBS Monaco, with whom we share the same vision of impactful philanthropy, is an honor for the Foundation,” said Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. “Accelerating collaborations and scaling-up solutions for a greater preservation of marine species and ecosystems is vital to tackle the issue of climate change. That is why this support is so meaningful for us in our mission to progress ocean and planetary health.”
The collaboration takes place in the framework of the Pelagos initiative launched in 2021 by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation alongside its partners WWF, IUCN and Medpan, with the aim to strengthen conservation projects within the Pelagos Sanctuary.
The Pelagos Sanctuary is a marine territory of 87,500 km2 in the waters of the Principality of Monaco, France and Italy. The Sanctuary is home to a remarkable biodiversity, with many species of marine mammals such as dolphins, cachalots, and fin whales.
To achieve the goal and create a dedicated funding window for climate-oriented projects, UBS Optimus Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation each commit to one million euros in support of projects conducted by civil society to protect marine mammals in the Pelagos Sanctuary and promote this iconic area of the Mediterranean – a conservation action that will also enter the portfolio of sustainable projects proposed by UBS Optimus Foundation Europe to their clients. UBS Monaco will top-up to match the donations that will be made by their clients or employees to UBS Optimus Foundation towards the Pelagos Initiative, with 10% or more.
“We are delighted to be partnering with the Prince Albert II Foundation to raise awareness of and funds for the Pelagos Initiative which is advancing credible, scalable solutions to protecting marine areas,” said Alejandro Velez, UBS Country Head Monaco and Head FIM Europe. “Together, we can make a bigger environmental impact and, in support of this important goal, UBS have committed to add a minimum 10% match to all client and employee donations.”
On 29th September, an exclusive event was organised for the launch of the partnership, at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort, addressing conservation issues in the Mediterranean Sea and better protection of marine mammals. The high-level panel event started with welcome remarks from Olivier Wenden and Alejandro Velez, followed by discussions with Suzanne Gallon, Scientific Manager at MedPan, Hannah Wood, Program Director Climate and Environment, USB Optimus Foundation, and Marco Lambertini, CEO of WWF.
Prince Albert visits Grimaldi Historic Site in southern Italy
As part of his regular travels to territories historically linked to the Grimaldi family, Prince Albert II this week visited Ripacandida, in Basilicate, southern Italy.
The Prince was welcomed at the entrance of the city by Mayor Giuseppe Sarcuno, where he unveiled a sign marking the city’s membership to the Grimaldi Historical Sites of Monaco network.
Guided by the mayor, the Prince then met with elected officials at City Hall before walking to the Place du Peuple to listen to speeches delivered by the mayor, region President Vito Bardi, and the Prefect Michele Belltier.
Photo credit: Axel Bastello, Prince’s Palace
The Prince expressed his gratitude to the municipality and local authorities for the warm welcome that was given to him, and recalled the secular links that exist between the Principality and Ripacandida. He then unveiled a plaque commemorating his visit and christened the Belvedere of the Princes of Monaco.
A little later, the Prince walked to the Palazzo Lioy, a residence that used to belong to a noble family who served the lords of Monaco. The Lioy Lui family presented to Prince Albert the original doctoral degree from the University of Naples, emblazoned with the Grimaldi coat of arms, that was awarded to one of their ancestors in 1609 when the rulers of Monaco were lords ofRipacandida.
The original doctoral degree from the University of Naples, photo credit: Axel Bastello, Prince’s Palace
The Prince went on to visit the sanctuary of San Donato, a former Franciscan convent dating back to the 15th century and classified as a national monument since December 2010, where he and his delegation enjoyed lunch.
The day ended with a dinner in the presence of the Monaco delegation and the mayors of Ripacandida, Monteverde, Canosa and Terlizzi.
In 1524, the Grimaldis of Monaco placed themselves under the protection of Habsburg Spain. In 1532, to consolidate the alliance, Emperor Charles V, who also dominated the south of the Italian peninsula as King of Naples, granted the lords of Monaco a certain number of fiefs.
Photo above credit: Axel Bastello, Prince’s Palace
Stelios Philanthropy raises record sum for Prince Albert Foundation and WWF
An impressive €340,000 has been raised by philanthropists and the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation at a charity dinner in Monaco, with funds to go towards efforts to save the Mediterranean monk seal from extinction.
The annual dinner, now in it’s 10th edition, is organised by Monaco resident and entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou who, through his philanthropic foundation, matches euro-for-euro the money raised .
This year, the collective donations came to €170,000. After being matched by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, the total money raised reached €340,000 – an all-time high. It will be equally shared between the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the WWF in their efforts to save the monk seal from extinction.
Monaco Life Publisher Eric Brundage and Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, photo source: Stelios Philanthropic Foundation
Roughly half of the monk seal’s global population, 250 to 300 individuals, lives and breeds in Greece. This unique species today faces an extremely high risk of extinction and is classified as critically endangered.
Since 2010, WWF Greece has backed local awareness campaigns, while the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has been involved in monk seal conservation since 2011. In 2019, the foundation spearheaded the Monk Seal Alliance (MSA) to fund conservation projects.
The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation charity dinner has raised close to €1.6 million for the environment since 2013.
Photo above source: Stelios Philanthropic Foundation
Monaco Life, in partnership with the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, is proud to present a monthly series highlighting the lives and artistic work of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA’s illustrious Award winners. In this month’s exclusive interview, Princess Grace Foundation-USA’s Director of Programming Diana Kemppainen catches up with Princess Grace Award winner James Udom (Theater 2017).
James is a classically trained actor known for his roles in Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Sandman, Judas and the Black Messiah. On stage, he was most recently seen in The Taming of the Shrew, opposite Deborah Ann Wolf, directed by Shana Cooper (2010 Princess Grace Award). He received his Princess Grace Award in 2017 while he was at the Yale School of Drama (now David Geffen School of Drama).
A rising star on both the stage and screen, James shares his love of Shakespeare, what it was like to work with Denzel Washington, and his choice to take a pause on a successful acting career to attend Yale School of Drama.
Let’s start at the beginning. What inspired you to become an actor?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be an actor. Growing up as an only child, I used my imagination a lot. I wasn’t the best at sports, but I was really good at using my imagination – and often to get out of things.
I remember the first time I realised acting was a thing; I was seven-years-old and I went to see Titanic in theatres with my aunt. I was devastated when Jack died, actually inconsolable, and my aunt had to sit me down and explain that was acting. When she explained it to me, it unlocked my world and I knew I needed to do that.
When I did my first show, there was a sense of community and belonging. It felt like home and it was so addictive.
I come from a strict Nigerian family; being an actor is not a reality unless you get to a certain level. I was their worst nightmare because I dropped out of undergrad to pursue acting and it wasn’t until I got into Yale School of Drama (they have a non-degree program) that they felt like I made it.
I remember your letter of nomination from James Bundy (Director of Yale School of Drama). He said you were the most obvious choice to nominate for the Princess Grace Award in almost 20 years, and he also noted that you had already seen success as an actor. What made you choose to go to Yale?
First and foremost, it was the longing to just be really good at this. I love storytelling and transformation, and I just want to be really good at it. That was the catalyst underneath, and there were a few things that put me on the path.
I was doing a show in Massachusetts, and Lupita (Nyong’o) had just won her Oscar. Watching an African woman win an Oscar for going to a school that I didn’t even know had an acting program was incredible. I was working in Massachusetts at the same place where Yale’s Head of Acting was working. He saw the show I was in and encouraged me to audition. But my career was picking up, and I was already working with some amazing talent.
I went to see a show that John Douglas Thompson was in (Obie and Drama Desk Award winner, Tony Nominee), and – he transformed in this way I’d never seen a black man transform on stage. I waited 45 minutes in the cold to meet him and we chatted for a bit. Two weeks later, I received a call that he submitted my name to be in his show and I joined the cast. One day we went out for lunch and I offhandedly mentioned Yale. I mentioned my hesitancy because my career was picking up, and he stopped me in my tracks and said – “if you have the opportunity to go to Yale, go to Yale. You’ll sacrifice three years, but you’ll jump 10 years ahead because of the experience.”
And my dad said the same thing. It was a combination of those three things that made me choose to go to Yale.
Do you feel like your choice paid off?
Yes! It’s hard to know what my other multi-versal self would be doing. The opportunity with Princess Grace was life changing if I’m honest.
James Udom in The Taming of the Shrew at The Old Globe
What draws you to a role?
First and foremost, it’s the question, “Do I love the story?” It has a lot to do with the message of the story; do I believe in it and what is it saying? Even if the character I’m playing is a bad person, can I shine a light that shifts a pendulum? Also is it different than what I’ve done before?
Once you’ve landed the role, what is your process to develop the character?
I’m a huge empath, so as soon as I sign on to a role, that person is me. While I’m not a method actor, the character holds a place in my heart. I constantly think about them non-stop; about how they would handle an experience, and how they would navigate the world.
If I’m on the street and I get a pebble in my shoe, I think about how my character would handle a pebble in their shoe. Would it change the way the character walks, and can I sustain that in my performance?
A lot of it also comes through rehearsing and what I get from my scene partner.
You’ve been seen in The Tragedy of Macbeth, Judas and the Black Messiah, and now The Sandman – those are very different genres of storytelling – classic Shakespeare, historical crime drama, fantasy. How does your approach shift when working in different in those different genres?
I did have a different approach for all three but I don’t know if it was a different approach based on the type of drama; it was more based on the character and the people I was working with.
For Judas and the Black Messiah, I did a lot of research. I wanted to honour Chairman Fred and the people I was working with. I didn’t know much at the start and getting to dive in and embody a gentleman who was there, I needed to do justice to this person.
The Sandman was the height of Covid; it was one of the first productions that went back to work. You had to fly and quarantine in a hotel room. It was psychologically taxing but also fantastic because I had two weeks alone in a hotel room with the characters. I struggle portraying questionable gentleman. Thankfully I had amazing co-stars and there was trust. Jamie, the director, was fantastic and watching that episode was the first experience where I was watching the art itself. I was able to separate myself and not critique my performance.
Both Macbeth and The Sandman draw on texts – and while Shakespeare may be more well known, Neil Gaiman has a huge cult following. Can you talk a little about how familiar you were with both works?
I wasn’t familiar with The Sandman at all. When I auditioned, it had a fake name. Once I learned the name, I did research. Neil Gaiman is a great world builder – he’s up there with J.R.R. Tolkien.
I’m a nerd for Shakespeare. Understanding the way he dances with the language, mocking the times, how intelligent the writing is. I was very familiar with Macbeth, as I had done it onstage two times prior.
What was it like to translate Macbeth to film, especially in that beautiful but stark adaptation?
It was really fun. For film, you have to think as the character otherwise it comes off as ingenuine. When you’re acting on stage, you’re aware of different things at the same time; your staging, the audience, etc.
In the film, my character, Seyton, has to go up Macbeth who is now the most powerful person in the nation. He’s a person that characters far above me in station are running from in fear. I took Shakespeare’s language; what’s the subtext and what’s motivating? I thought it was done in a nice way, and the director [Joel Coen] threw me a bone.
James Udom
What was it like to work with Denzel and be on set?
It was Moses [Ingram] (2018 Princess Grace Award) and me. That was surreal because we did a lot of shows together at school and then we were on a Coen set together with Denzel Washington, and it was nice to have a comrade.
That first rehearsal – I’ve never been starstruck before but I was seeing him [Denzel]. He was the first person in the room, and he asked my name and where I was from, and I just blanked.
I relaxed and I got to see the greats [Denzel, Frances McDormand] at the table read. Afterward, Moses and I approached him and he sat with us for 30 minutes. He’s a man of God, and he offered us sermons and how to be a vessel for humanity. Several times throughout the process, between his takes, he would pull us aside and chat with us.
It empowered us as artists in the room, it gave me permission to think of him as my scene partner. It was so generous of him.
You mentioned working with Moses, and your co-star in Sandman was Emma Duncan (2014 Princess Grace Award). What’s it like when you work with Princess Grace Award winners?
It’s pretty amazing. You always know the talent is going to be there. And they’re just good people. I love Moses, the way she carries herself and her approach. Same with Emma. It was a difficult time going through Covid. We were the only Americans in our episode and we shared a hotel room wall. By the end we were sharing face products; Emma is so kind and so talented. I’d met her before and it was incredible to get to work with her. Through the Princess Grace Foundation, it’s great to mingle with other talent.
What’s next? IMDB lists Echo 3 with Michiel Huisman and Luke Evans as your next project – anything you can share about that series?
I can’t tell you much. It will be on Apple TV. They’re doing amazing shows, and I hope our show will be up there. It comes out later this year, and it has some incredible talent. Mark Boal is the writer; he wrote The Hurt Locker for which he won the Oscar. He’s written this incredible show, it’s very gritty and aligned with his other work. I think it will be phenomenal.
I also did Murder City with Mike Colter (Luke Cage, The Good Wife). It’s a revenge cop drama and very action based. Between that and Echo 3, I’m living out experiences I never thought I would get to do.
You just came back from a road trip across the United States; what inspired you to embark on a road trip and was there a place that surprised you?
A few years ago, I read the book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, and it changed my life. I started having a lot more compassion. It allowed me to really love humans and appreciate us as a collective without dividing. We’re a young species trying to figure it out. I became obsessed with our place in the universe and expanding myself as a human being. I had always wanted to do a road trip; and I had just finished a gig, and I thought why not now? I wanted to be more interesting as a person and not pass judgement on places I’ve never been. I feel like I became more intelligent both intellectually and spiritually.
A few places took my breath away – the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. The Grand Canyon is famous and as soon as I saw the Canyon – it blew my mind. That we exist in a world where this place exists. And same with Yellowstone, we went to the rim of the volcano, and honestly, I fell to my knees at the beauty.
I travelled with my partner who is a daredevil; she brings me out of my shell in the best possible ways. We were traveling in a small town in Arizona, and she saw that you could kayak through the Canyon. I have a huge fear of being surrounded by massive things, but she booked us the trip, and we ended up kayaking through these massive canyons. At one point she hopped into the water and went for a swim, and I joined her. Kayaking through the canyons and the swim – that was my favourite experience through the trip.
Any last words for the members of our Monaco community?
I hope everyone is safe and happy, and I wish blessings. I could not be more appreciative of everything the Princess Grace Foundation has provided for me. I wear it as a badge of honour to know I’m a member of this community.
Follow James @mr-wungati
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is dedicated to upholding the legacy of Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco (neé Grace Kelly), and elevating extraordinary emerging artists in theatre, dance and film through career-advancing grants. Follow along at @princessgraceus.
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