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Prince Albert I honoured as Constitution turns 110

by: Stephanie Horsman
27/01/2022

This year marks the 110th anniversary of the adoption of the Monegasque constitution and the subsequent creation of the National Council, the Principality’s elected legislative body. To mark the occasion, Prince Albert II, Stéphane Valeri and Professor Dominique Chagnollaud spoke at an assembled event to honour the institution and its founder, Prince Albert I.

The year was 1911 and Prince Albert I, at that time the Sovereign Prince, created the modern constitution of Monaco. As part of that historic text, he included the creation of an elected parliamentary body to give the people a voice in making laws and getting important issues heard, thus making Monaco a constitutional monarchy.

Constitutional monarchies were still something of a rarity in those days, and the progressive move was made even more so by the fact that Monaco’s sovereign was the head of an active and powerful political and social institution in its own right, though clearly not looking to be an absolute power.

This may seem normal in today’s parlance, but at the turn of the 20th century, it was quite remarkable.

It was not Monaco’s first stab at a constitution. In February 1848, an elective assembly was formed but was made invalid less than a week later when, on 2nd March, Roquebrune and Menton seceded from Monaco. This cut the territory of Monaco down from 25m2 to 1.5m2 and lowered the population to a manageable 1,200. This seemed, at the time, to eliminate a need for a formal elected body and was not revisited again until Prince Albert I.

In marking the National Council’s 110th anniversary on Tuesday 25th January, Council President Stéphane Valeri reminded the assembled council members that they share a special bond with the Princely family, and Prince Albert I specifically.

“Through this event, what will hold our attention today is the contribution of Prince Albert I to the Institutions of our country, through the granting of our first Constitution and therefore through the foundation of the National Council,” said the National Council president. “The attachment that we mentioned between Monegasques and their Princes was not born, as if by magic, from a constitutional text. Indeed, the symbiosis between Monegasques and their Sovereign has always been and will always be the strength of our country.”

Photo of National Council President Stéphane Valeri and Prince Albert I by Gaetan Luci, Prince’s Palace

 The Prince expanded on this theme, saying, “We celebrate, in effect, in a way, a common ancestor. In fact, and as everyone knows, Prince Albert I is my great-grandfather, but he is also, as you have just recalled, Mr. President, the founding father of your institution.”

This sentiment was given more credence by the words of Professor Dominique Chagnollaud, President of the Cercle des Constitutionnalistes and Professor at the University Panthéon-Assas in Paris, who said, “This monarchy, instituted by the free will of the Prince, is unlike any other as its principles are so inherent in what I call the Monegasque constitutional identity, in a country, as the national anthem reminds us, where Monegasques are always linked to their Princes by a personal union.”

Prince Albert then unveiled a large photographic portrait of his great-grandfather at the newly-named Prince Albert I Library, saying, “I am very touched by your proposal – for which I thank you – to baptise the library of the National Council with the name of my great-grandfather, he who had founded the municipal library and reorganised that of the Palace.”

 

 

Photo by Gaetan Luci, Prince’s Palace 

 

 

 

Weekend ski report: 28th – 30th January

by: Luke Entwistle
27/01/2022

Still no snow forecast this weekend at the region’s resorts, but there will be plenty of sunshine and no shortage of events on offer, including a festival at Les Deux Alpes.

Isola 2000 – There are currently 20 ski slopes and 13 ski lifts open at Isola with around 70cm of hard snow. There’s no fresh snowfall expected over the weekend and, given the fact no snow has fallen at the resort since Christmas Day, the snow canons are working overtime. The forecast is for sunny skies, with a little more cloud expected on Saturday. There will be highs of 11°C and lows of -3°C. The col de la Bonette and la Lombarde roads are closed until the end of the winter season.

Auron – There are currently 22 ski slopes and 14 ski lifts open at the resort, with around 30cm of standing snow. It is expected to be largely sunny over the weekend with highs of 10°C and lows of 2°C. There will also be winds of up to 27 km/h on Friday. In terms of access, Route de la Tinée, Route de la Bonette, Piste de la Moustière, Piste de Demandols all remain closed. The resort will be hosting a range of family-oriented events over the weekend, ranging from treasure hunts to snowshoe hikes with stunning panoramic views.

Les Deux Alpes – There is a large choice of runs at the resort with 80 ski slopes and 38 ski lifts currently open. There is 50cm of soft standing snow. It is expected to be largely sunny throughout the weekend, with slightly cooler temperatures compared to last weekend with lows of -2°C and highs of 6°C. The snow festival ‘Snowattack’ will be taking place in the resort until Saturday featuring a whole host of different DJ sets.

La Colmiane – There are 11 ski slopes and five ski lifts open at the resort, together with between 40 and 30cm of standing snow. As it is throughout the region, conditions are expected to be sunny over the weekend with winds of up to 33 km/h on Friday. There will be highs of 9°C and lows of 0°C. The resort hosts a market on Saturdays, and will continue to do so until the end of March.

Greolieres les Neiges – There are five ski lifts open and 40cm of hard standing snow at the resort. It will be sunny throughout the weekend with highs of 12°C and lows of -2°C. The resort isn’t reporting any road closures..

Limone Piemonte – The Italian resort is reporting 16 open runs and 11 ski-lifts, while snow levels vary from 10cm to 45cm. Visibility should be good throughout the weekend, with sunny skies and lows of -1°C, highs of 11°C. Passage through the Roya valley currently isn’t possible due to the collapsed bridge at Tende. Drivers must instead pass through Ventimiglia and the journey from Monaco is currently approximately three hours. On Saturday, there will be a guided snowshoe hike to the Colle di Tenda forts.

Valberg – There are 18 ski slopes and 11 ski lifts open. The resort currently has 40cm of standing snow, but – like the rest of the resorts – there has been no snowfall since Christmas. Conditions are beautiful, however, with plenty of sunshine and highs of 10°C and lows of 4°C. The resort is hosting a range of events on Sunday including the Dragon Cup u8, u10 and u12 races, whilst there will also be an Escape game.

 

Note: Snow tyres must be worn on the roads up to the ski resorts.

 

Photo: Webcam footage from Les Deux Alpes

 

 

Rose Ball 2022: new date

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/01/2022

This year’s Rose Ball has been pushed back a few months to July to increase the chances of it going ahead, after the high-profile event was cancelled last year due to Covid.

The Salle des Etoiles at the Sporting Monte-Carlo will again set the scene for one of the year’s most anticipated social events, the Rose Ball (Bal de la Rose). Created in 1954 by Princess Grace, it is usually held in March, but due to ongoing problems associated with the pandemic, organisers decided to postpone the event until 8th July to ensure guests will be in total comfort and safety. Due to Covid, last year’s Rose Ball was cancelled completely.

Each year, the Rose Ball brings together the social elite for a night of splendour and is currently presided by Prince Albert II and Princess Caroline of Hanover, but at the heart of the event is an internationally accepted charity event.

The auction prizes are legendary and include paintings and sculptures from renowned artists with all proceeds going to the Princess Grace Foundation, of whom Princess Caroline is president. Since 1964, the Foundation has taken steps to help children in need through philanthropic and humanitarian projects.

The theme of the Rose Ball changes every year and is decided upon by a big-name personage. This year, the chosen one is none other than high-end footwear maker Christian Louboutin, whose theme of “The Twenties, The Return” is sure to be one for the history books.

Guests will be asked to step back in time to the oh-so chic 1920’s, so expect intricately beaded dresses, smart black-tie suits and people dancing the Charleston. No doubt, many fashionista guests will also be sporting his gorgeously crafted shoes, made notable by their distinguishing red lacquered soles.

Louboutin has other reasons to be in Monaco in July, as his summer retrospective, L’Exhibition(niste), opens its doors the day after the ball on 9th July at the Grimaldi Forum. The exhibit will run through to 28th August.

The Rose Ball is already a sell-out, but there is a waiting list for those who are willing to attend last minute. For more information or to get on the wait list, call +377 98 06 63 41. 

 

Photo of 2019 Rose Ball by Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace

 

 

 

ASM transfer round-up: Pellegri, Badiashile, Eriksen

by: Luke Entwistle
26/01/2022
AS Monaco's Performance Centre, La Turbie

It has been far from a revolving door at Monaco in this January window with only one incoming and one outgoing. With just days left, the focus is seemingly on player retention.

Vanderson’s arrival on the opening day of the window has not been built upon. Instead, Paul Mitchell, in collaboration with new manager Philippe Clement, have decided to trust in their current squad. Wilson Isidor has been the only player to depart thus far, but with vultures hovering, the Principality club will be looking to avoid losing their star assets in the closing stages.

Benoit Badiashile – linked by L’Equipe to Monaco. Since the Geordie club’s takeover, they have been looking to splash the cash, already bringing in Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood. They are, however, still looking for defensive reinforcements and have been in intense discussions with the Principality club about bringing Badiashile to Tyneside. L’Equipe, amongst others, reported that Monaco rejected a €40 million offer from Newcastle for their promising young centre-back earlier in the window. They remain undeterred. Discussions have continued and the centre-back’s future at the club will likely remain in-limbo until the window shuts.

Pietro Pellegri – linked by Gianluca Di Marzio to Torino. Pellegri’s departure is more planned and would prove much less disruptive than if Badiashile were to leave. The Italian striker is in the middle of a not so fruitful spell on loan to AC Milan. He has yet to score since his arrival in the summer, yet talks initially revolved around the Italian side securing a permanent deal for the Italian before loaning him out. Those talks seemingly broke down.

The most likely scenario is now a severance of ties with AC Milan, and another loan to Italian rivals Torino. It is currently unclear as to whether there will be a purchase option in the contract. This is one of the more likely deals to be concluded before the end of the window.

Christian Eriksen – linked by Nicolo Schiara to AS Monaco. In terms of incomings at the Principality club, it has been a quiet window. They got an excellent bit of business wrapped up early with the purchase of Vanderson, but have been seemingly reluctant to delve back into the market. Very few players have even been linked with a move to Monaco, and it remains the case that Monaco’s policy regarding incomings is likely to be based on outgoings. One spectacular rumour that has emerged is the potential arrival of Christian Eriksen.

The Danish midfielder, who suffered an on-pitch cardiac arrest in this summer’s European Championships, has been without a club since Serie A regulation meant it wouldn’t be possible to honour his contract with Inter Milan. He is therefore available on a free, and so the transfer is not obliged to go through before the deadline. A deal, although a possibility, does seem unlikely. The Athletic have recently reported that English club Brentford have offered the Dane a contract, and an agreement could be wrapped up in the coming days.

Monaco will be hoping for a quiet end to the window, in which retaining their young talents has been the priority. The retention of Badiashile, as well as the much coveted Aurelien Tchouameni, would therefore likely constitute a successful window.

 

Photo of AS Monaco training stadium in La Turbie by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

Prince’s photo competition returns for 2nd edition

by: Stephanie Horsman
25/01/2022

The Prince Albert II Foundation Environmental Photography Award contest is back and inviting photographers to reflect on the human relationship with nature as well as on the link between human and planetary health.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Prince Albert II Foundation in 2021, a photo contest was launched and the response was nothing short of astounding. More than 5,700 images were submitted, resulting in an exhibition that has travelled from Monaco to Rome and is continuing its journey into this year.

Now for 2022, professional and amateur photographers are being called on to put forward their most splendid nature photos for the 2nd edition of the Environmental Photography Award.

Entries will be accepted until 20th March and this year there are five categories to choose from, including Polar Wonders, Beneath the Canopy, Life Under the Surface, Humanity Versus Nature, and Toward a Sustainable Future.

The contest, a collective effort put on by the Prince Albert II Foundation, Barclays Private Bank and SEK International University, is a way for creative talent to put their skills to good use by raising environmental protection awareness.

The best of the best will be presented at an exhibition that will start in the Principality and be exported to cities around the globe. Additionally, the shots will be elegantly portrayed in a book which will be distributed to the Foundation’s partners and benefactors.

The jury is made up of professional photographers and include President of the Jury Daisy Gilardini, Ragnar Axelsson, Laurent Ballesta, Nick Danziger, Frederick Dharshie Wissah, Sergio Pitamitz, Kathleen Ricker, and Ami Vitale.

The grand prize will go to the PA2F Environmental Photographer of the Year 2022 and will include a €5,000 grant, an expenses paid invite to visit the Amazon Research Station of the University of Ecuador to do a photo documentary in the heart of the Ecuadorian jungle, and invitation to the 2022 award exhibit in Monaco and public relations support from the Foundation via its numerous communications channels.

Each of the five category winners will receive a €1,000 grant and public relations support equal to that of the grand prize winner.

Additionally, there will be a Public Award, which is selected by the world community from the shortlisted photographs, giving the winner a €1,000 grant.  

Last year’s winner was 2022 jurist Kathleen Ricker, whose incredible image of a young male gorilla in Uganda stole the show.

The Prince Albert II Foundation has been vocally advocating the protection of the environment for over a decade and a half and has become a well-regarded NGO touting sustainable development education and nature preservation. The foundation has contributed to nearly 700 projects whose focus has been climate change, biodiversity and water in three priority areas: the Mediterranean basin, the Polar regions and in the world’s least development countries.

Entry is free by going to the website and registering at https://www.photocrowd.com/photo-competitions/photography-awards/pa2faward-2022/#section-1893

 

 

Photo of 2021 winner by Kathleen Ricker 

 

 

 

Chanel celebrated in exceptional ballet

by: Stephanie Horsman
24/01/2022

Modanse, starring prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova and members of the Bolshoi Ballet, will present two exceptional performances dedicated to dance, music and beautiful costumes this April.

As far as spectacles go, this one rates high on the charts. Acclaimed Bolshoi prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova will be on stage two nights at the Grimaldi Forum in April, for not just one, but two strikingly different dances in one single performance.

Zakharova, who is notable for being the first and only Russian Etoile at La Scala, will be dancing in a double bill by MuzArts entitled Modanse. The show commences with Come un Respiro (Like a Breath), a celebration of George Frideric Handel’s Baroque style music complemented by a dance choreographed by Mauro Bigonzetti and elegant costumes designed by Helena de Medeiros.

The second part of the performance will be the ballet Gabrielle Chanel, a tribute to the fashion icon and legend. The show takes the audience through Coco Chanel’s journey from an obscure provincial singer to becoming an enduring household name in the world of fashion and design. Her connection to the ballet was cemented over the years through her collaborations with great artists and choreographers including Serge Diaghilev, founder of Ballets Russes.

The show will feature over 80 costumes that were specially designed by Chanel Creative Studio Creative Director Virginie Viard and will use archived photos and videos to further enhance the beauty of the event.

Svetlana Zakharova will be joined on stage by a star-studded cast of dancers from the Bolshoi ballet, including Jacopo Tissi, Vyacheslav Lopatin, Mikhail Lobukhin, Denis Savin, Anastasia Stashkevich and Ana Turazashvili.

Modanse, organised by Luxpro and Valna Management Muzarts Production, is coming to the Grimaldi Forum’s Salle des Princes on the 7th and 8th April.