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Ladies Poker Power: Fighting AIDS and stereotypes

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/01/2023

An all-female charity poker tournament was held last Saturday at the Casino de Monte Carlo, giving women a chance to show they can play this male-dominated game just as well as the big boys.  

Poker is one of those games where an overwhelming majority of competitors are men. Only 5% of professional players are women, though a growing interest is bringing a more diverse talent pool to tables worldwide.  

On 14th January, 20 Monaco-based women took on the stereotype that poker is a man’s game by staging a charity tournament at the Casino de Monte Carlo, which also raised funds for Fight AIDS Monaco, the association founded and championed by Princess Stephanie.  

Ladies Poker Power showcased players from all levels, where an unexpected bonus was the honing of valuable skills such as art of negotiation, patience and discipline as well as learning from mistakes, risk management, and attention to other players, as known as reading a “poker face”.  

The ladies didn’t walk into the tournament completely unprepared, though. There were two induction sessions put on by the Casino on 10th December and 7th January, giving them the opportunity to learn the ins and outs as well as some of the finer points of the game.  

The night, which raised €10,000, was certainly a night of fun for the participants.  

Martine Elena won the tournament, while Cécile Noguer came second, and Valérie Bothy third.

It ended with an award ceremony and a cocktail where Pascal Camia, the director of Casinos, Hotels and Restaurants of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, Rudy Tarditi, the director of Monaco Casinos, Hulya Biren, a special advisor to Monaco’s Deputy President, and a representative from Fight Aids Monaco offered the winners some additional prizes.  

The first place winner will enjoy lunch at the Louis XV-Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo for two people. The second place winner won a lunch at Yannick Alléno’s Pavyllon at the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo for two, and the third place contender received a lunch experience at Le Grill at the Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo, also for two.  

  

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Photo source: Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer

Arctic in crisis: Monaco receives world experts for scholarly talks

by: Elsa Carpenter
16/01/2023

The challenges facing the Arctic reach far beyond its icy shores, and a meeting of the world’s leading experts in Monaco has laid the groundworks to increase awareness and action at all levels of society.  

The University of the Arctic (UArctic), which unites a network of universities, colleges and research institutes from around the globe under the banner of addressing the challenges and opportunities arising in the Arctic, met at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco last week for a two-day session of talks and debates. 

Prince Albert II, who follows in the footsteps of his namesake, the Explorer Prince Albert I, as a champion of the Poles, was present to give a welcoming speech to participants of the event. The conference was jointly hosted by his eponymous foundation – the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) – and Monaco’s Oceanographic Institute as well as the Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation and the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.  

“Climate change increasingly impacts our planet, reflecting on the circumpolar regions and the Arctic nearly four times as much as the rest of the globe,” said the FPA2 ahead of the event. “We urgently need science to find the best ways to address the critical problems, not just in theory but also in practice. In order to act swiftly, we need collaboration across organisations and nations, and we need the combined expertise and knowledge of various actors.” 

Themes and topics covered included the impacts on the Arctic environment and its communities due to the “quest for natural resources”, the role of the oceans in the transition towards greener energy, and the need to develop and expand cooperation in higher education and research spheres. Key speakers were Sara Olsvig, the International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference in Greenland, Vladimir Ryabinin, the Executive Secretary and Assistant Director General of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission for UNESCO, and Sir Frederik Paulsen, the Chair of the Board of UArctic. 

One pertinent debate looked at whether or not the renewed interest in the Arctic is being welcomed by its populations.  

“Research in the Arctic must be rooted in equal partnerships with Indigenous Peoples,” Olsvig told the room, while calling on governments and research institutes to engage the Inuit in scientific efforts, recognise their expertise as people of the reigon, and build genuine partnerships with them. “It takes individual and collective efforts to ensure equity and ethical engagement.” 

“As creators and providers of knowledge, education and research institutions in the Arctic play an important role in developing those solutions,” concluded the FPA2. “By increasing and deepening academic collaboration and combining their expertise, institutions can contribute significantly to sustainability goals in a way that serves both the world and the Arctic.” 

 

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Photo source: UArctic/Twitter

Feel-good teddy bear auction this Friday

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/01/2023

Support a great cause and get plenty of cuddles in return with this one-of-a-kind charity event by celebrated Monaco florists Marco and Karelle Traverso. 

From their famous flower shop, Marco Traverso & Histoires d’Ours, on 3 Avenue Prince Pierre this Friday, the warm-hearted couple will auction off a special collection of teddy bears to raise money for the Monaco Disease Power association. 

They have been spreading smiles for nearly three decades from their namesake shop in Monaco, decorating homes and public venues with flowery creations that are “straight out of fairy tales”. This past holiday season, the couple took things one step farther, adorning locations all over the Principality with the world’s favourite cuddly toys, teddy bears, which found themselves at the foot of Christmas trees, behind the wheel of luxury cars, in a Michelin-star restaurant, strapped to the exteriors of buildings and filling their own shop to the brim.  

The sight was so charming that a famous auctioneer, Monaco-based Simon de Pury, took a photo of the bears at one of the locations and shared it on social media, citing the positive energy he felt from seeing these soft toys.  

The photos brought a frenzy of attention to the Traversos, who were struck with an idea: to hold a charity bear auction led by de Pury to raise awareness for the disabled, a cause particularly close to the heart of Karelle, who lost a sister at the age of 20 to severe physical and mental disabilities.  

De Pury responded almost immediately that he was behind the idea and the partnership set about organising the event.  

The bears are currently being “fostered” around the city – by Amapei, CMB, Bentley Club Monaco, Louis XV, APM Jewellery, Aline Blanche’s Inituitive Coaching, Simon de Pury, La Môme de Monaco, Kômo, Joliès Maison de Beauté, MIMI and Cartier – before they go under the gavel at 3.30pm on 20th January. And to warm the belly as well as the heart, hot chocolate and marshmallow bears will be on offer from Sparkling Van as well as sweets made by Chef Axel Monaco from cake shop Carolina Cake. 

For more information, please click here. 

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

Get a box of Monaco oranges for free!

by: Stephanie Horsman
13/01/2023

The annual collection of fruit from the Principality’s bitter orange trees is set to start Monday, and they are all up for grabs so find a box and get ready to take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity! 

The gardeners from the Department of Urban Development (DAU) have the same task every year, with winter the ideal time to cut back Monaco’s nearly 1,000 citrus trees. But before they prune, they pick the fruit and offer it up to the public.  

Starting 16th January, the 566 bitter orange trees, known locally as bigarades, that grow along the various streets of the Condamine, Moneghetti and Monte Carlo neigbourhoods will be harvested and all anyone needs to do in order to take home some of these lovely fruits is to ask a gardener on site.  

In 2022, 1.3 tonnes of a 7.6-tonne yield were given away for free, including a nice delivery made to the Lycée Technique et Hôtelier de Monaco, whose students turned the raw fruit into delicious jams and fruit roll ups. Other ways to use bitter oranges are as a juice, tea, marmalade or marinade.  

The picking schedule runs from 8am to noon, then 2pm to 3.30pm. In the Condamine, they will start on Rue Princesse Caroline from 16th to 26th January, before moving onto Rue Grimaldi from 30th January to 10th February. From 16th to 27th January, the harvest will also be on in Moneghetti on the Boulevard de Belgique. Monte Carlo’s times will run from 16th to 20th January on Avenue de Grande Bretagne, and from 23rd to 27th January on Boulevard de Suisse and Boulevard d’Italie.  

Harvesting is subject to weather and the progress being made by the DAU. For more information, call +377 98 98 22 77. 

 

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Photo source: Jason Richard for Unsplash

Monaco’s biggest events centre looks ahead to 2023

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/01/2023

In revealing the results of a year still marked by Covid, the Grimaldi Forum’s General Director Sylvie Biancheri has presented an exciting schedule of events for Monaco’s largest culture and congress centre in 2023.

In front of 500 guests gathered for the annual Galette des Rois celebration in the entrance hall of the Grimaldi Forum Monaco on Tuesday evening, General Director Sylvie Biancheri presented the results of a “good, but not great” 2022 year, which was still notably impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The culture and congress centre hosted more than 100 events, compared to 82 in 2021, and noted the return of international clients and visitors. Some of its best performing events were Luxe Pack, which drew 9,500 visitors, an increase of 9% on the exceptional year of 2019, while Les Assises saw 3,000 participants and 9,400 B2B meetings.

According to Grimaldi Forum Chairman Henri Fissore, “2022 was overall very satisfactory and 2023 looks to be heading in the same direction, although we are never safe from a relapse,” he cautioned.

To return to the GF’s most successful years of 2018-2019, the Grimaldi Forum is aiming to reach 120 events this year. “We are not sure we will get there, but we’re working hard on it,” said Sylvie Biancheri. “Remote conferences will never replace face-to-face events.”

The main congresses this year include MAGIC in February, the Salon du Livre in April, Top Marques in June and the Festival de Television de Monte-Carlo also in June.

Humour features heavily on the GF’s 2023 schedule, with many French comedians taking to the stage, including Paul Mirabel who is first up this week with his sold-out performance. Others include Olivier de Benoist, Jérémy Ferrari, Baptiste Lecaplain, and Roman Frayssinet.

Thursday Live Sessions will continue with live music performances as well as a show by French singer Véronique Poupaud.

But the highlight of the year is the summer exhibition, which in 2023 is titled ‘Monet: In Full Light’. After the very unique Christian Louboutin: L’exhibition(iste) in 2022 featuring the extraordinary designs and wild imagination of the famous shoe designer Christian Louboutin, ‘Monet: In Full Light’ marks a return to the Masters for the Grimaldi Forum.

In looking ahead at the exciting expansion of the Grimaldi Forum as part of the new Maraterra district, Sylvie Biancheri also revealed that the marketing of the Grimaldi Forum’s new spaces has begun, for events to commence in 2025. The extpansion, mostly underground, is part of the new Mareterra district under development and will add an extra 50% exhibition space, equivalent to 6,000 sqm, which guests on Tuesday evening were able to experience in 3D.

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SEE ALSO:

CMB RENEWS GRIMALDI FORUM SPONSORSHIP, PAVING WAY FOR ‘MONET IN FULL LIGHT’ EXHIBITION

Photo credit: C Vinaj for the Grimaldi Forum

 

CMB renews Grimaldi Forum sponsorship, paving way for ‘Monet in Full Light’ exhibition

by: Cassandra Tanti
11/01/2023

CMB Monaco has renewed for the 19th year as principal sponsor of the Grimaldi Forum, guaranteeing another 12 months of world-class cultural events including the highly anticipated summer exhibition and a new Social Responsibility pilot project.

The sponsorship agreement was signed during a special ceremony on Tuesday 10th January by CMB Monaco Chairman Etienne Franzi and CEO Francesco Grosoli, together with Grimaldi Forum Chairman Henri Fissore and Managing Director Sylvie Biancheri. The agreement covers the Grimaldi Forum’s cultural program in the Principality as well as all its business tourism activities, and marks the 19thpartnership between the two entities.

“This commitment to the Grimaldi Forum, which dates back to 2005, symbolises the confidence we have in this company and our desire to promote culture in the Principality and beyond,” said Etienne Franzi.

Primarily, the sponsorship allows for the Grimaldi Forum’s major summer exhibition, which this year is titled ‘Monet in Full Light’ (Monet en Pleine Lumière), marking the 140th anniversary of Claude Monet’s first stopover in Monaco and the Riviera. It will feature works of the local landscape, some from private collections never before seen by the public.

CMB Monaco and the Grimaldi Forum have also joined forces to promote Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) values, announcing the launch of a joint pilot project for 2023 for the benefit of the association Les Enfants de Frankie. Led by CMB Monaco and Les Enfants de Frankie, groups of underprivileged children will be invited this summer to discover the Grimaldi Forum’s major exhibition through guided tours and a special welcome.

In its commitment to CSR, CMB Monaco follows a program called ToDEI, which encourages diversity, equity and inclusion, and fights against discrimination in remuneration and career development. Recently certified by the global quality control body SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance), CMB Monaco, which has 51% female employees, has obtained the Fair On Pay certificate, which distinguishes the private bank as a fair employer and underlines its sustainable commitment to equal pay. As Francesco Grosoli explained, “the banking industry has two main elements: technological capital on the one hand, but also and above all human capital”.

Galette des Rois at the Grimaldi Forum, photo by Monaco Life

Following the official signing, the Grimaldi Forum hosted its annual Galette des Rois celebration in the entrance hall, the first time in two-years, welcoming partners and guests to enjoy this traditional dessert with champagne. It was accompanied by a presentation on the GF’s schedule of events for the year ahead, its 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals and a presentation on the future expansion of the Grimaldi Forum, which guests could experience for the first time in 3D.

The Grimaldi Forum’s CSR goals for 2023 include the achievement of further ISO certifications, to realise its pilot project for the eco-design of major summer exhibitions, to encourage remote work one day a week for employees whose functions allow it, and encourage one day of work time per employee who wishes to support a local association that benefits the community.

Monaco Life Editor in Chief Cassandra Tanti trying the 3D tour of the Grimaldi Forum extension, photo credit JC Vinaj for the Grimaldi Forum

The 3D tour of the new Grimaldi Forum extensions was well received by guests. The technology allows a person to position themselves within the new exhibition and outdoor spaces, which will increase the size of Monaco’s main exhibition centre by 50% and allow the Grimaldi Forum to cater to a much larger audience, host a greater number of events simultaneously, and facilitate more original and creative events.

The 3D technology was first presented at the recent IBTM business travel expo in Barcelona. It is now being taken to various cities across the globe to show potential exhibitors what the Grimaldi Forum has to offer, without having to step a foot in the Principality.

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Photo above: CMB Monaco CEO Francesco Grosoli and Chairman Etienne Franzi, with Grimaldi Forum Chairman Henri Fissore and Managing Director Sylvie Biancheri. Credit: JC Vinaj for the Grimaldi Forum