Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene attend the Blessing of the Bells on Saint Honorat Island

23 September , 2024

109 5 minutes read

The Princely Palace — @depositphotos.com

Prince Albert II attends ‘The Flame of Peace’ documentary Premiere

Prince Albert II attended the premiere screening ‘The Flame of Peace’, a documentary about Peace and Sport, at the Princess Grace Theatre on 19 September. The 50-minute film highlights the beautiful work done by the international organization, founded and chaired by Joël Bouzou, who was also present at the screening.

The film travels from India to West Africa to Colombia and follows champions and ambassadors of peace. Young girls in India play football thanks to work by the Naandi Foundation, young people in Lomé bond through canoeing and South Americans are introduced to rugby. After the preview, the film was broadcast on 21 September at 9 p.m. on Monaco Info.

Princess Caroline presents Diplomas to Nursing Students

The Princess of Hanover presented 34 students from the Nursing Training Institute (IFSI) and the Nursing Assistant Training Institute (IFAS) with their diplomas and badges at the CHPG on 19 September.

The traditional ceremony took place in the presence of several personalities, including Christophe Robino, government advisor-Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Franck Lobono, representing the National Council and Benoîte Rousseau de Sevelinges, Director of the Princess Grace Hospital Centre. Princess Caroline is the president of the CHPG.

Princely Couple inaugurates the new SPA Animal Shelter in Peille

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene officially inaugurated the new SPA animal shelter, located in the commune of Peille, on Monday 16 September. Princess Charlene is the President of the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) of Monaco.

The ceremony took place in the presence of the Mayor of Peille, Cyril Piazza, as well as other Monegasque and French authorities and employees of the SPA of Monaco. The event marked a key step in the Principality’s commitment to abandoned and mistreated animals.

The new shelter was built in two years, after the Sovereign Prince and Princess Charlene laid the first stone on 12 September 2022. The building is in the heart of a natural area, at an altitude of 700 metres and is a true haven for animals. It can accommodate up to 40 dogs, including 6 in quarantine, and around 50 cats, including 7 in quarantine. People can also come in without an appointment, to adopt pets and birds.

Prince Albert II “raises the flag” on the Rooftop of the New CHPG

The Sovereign visited the new Princess Grace Hospital’s construction site and raised the flag on the roof during a ceremony on 17 September, in the presence of several government officials. The event marked the completion of the main work of the enormous new centre. Céline Caron-Dagioni, government advisor-Minister of Equipment, the Environment and Urban Planning, spoke about the importance of the New CHPG for patients in the Principality and its neighbouring regions.

After raising the flag, the Prince toured several floors of the new hospital, which has been in the works since 2015, with the construction the first two wings beginning in the fall of 2021. The first two blocks of the hospital are expected to be operational by mid-2026, with the whole hospital scheduled to be complete by 2032.

Prince Albert II welcomes the New Italian Ambassador to the Principality

Manuela Ruosi presented her credentials to Prince Albert II at the Palace on 16 September. The New Italian Ambassador to the Principality was then received by the Minister of State, Didier Guillaume, at his residence for a lunch with the Sovereign. Manuela Ruosi studied Political Science from the University of Naples before beginning her diplomatic career in 1992. In 2016 she was appointed Head of the Office of Diplomatic Protocol of Italy before becoming Embassy Counsellor in 2020. She is a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Dame Commander of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great and Dame with Crown of the Order of Merit Melitense.

Prince Albert II pays tribute to Princess Grace in Tuscany

Prince Albert II travelled to Tuscany, in the province of Arezzo, for an official visit full of tributes, commemorations and talks about world peace on 14 and 15 September. The Prince first visited La Verna sanctuary in the Casentino forest. The area is sacred to Christians as it is where St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of Italy, is said to have received stigmata on 17 September 1224. The Sovereign celebrated the 800th anniversary of this event, while also paying tribute to Princess Grace, who had visited the sanctuary in 1968 with Princess Caroline and the Scouts of Monaco. The Sovereign’s visit took place 42 years to the day after the tragic death of the Princess.

On Sunday, the Prince visited the medieval city of Rondine and the “Cittadella della Pace”. This structure, founded in 1998 by Italian psychologist Franco Vaccari, is dedicated to spreading a message of peace and welcomes students from countries in conflict and post-conflict. Monaco has supported the Rondine Cittadella della Pace association since 2015. Last year, Monaco joined the “Leaders for Peace” initiative launched at the United Nations by Rondine. The Prince’s trip to Tuscany ended with a lunch with the students and benefactors of the organization.

Princely Couple inaugurates Charles III College

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene officially visited the new Charles III school on 12 September with several government officials. The building, located on the Pasteur block, was designed by Monegasque architects Christian Curau and François Lallemand and boasts a 300 seat amphitheater, a 25 metre swimming pool, four playgrounds and over sixty classrooms to accommodate up to 1,500 students. Minister of State, Didier Guillaume, spoke about the construction of the school, which began in 2016 and used 1,300 tons of steel and 40,000 assembly bolts and was created under a ‘High Environmental Quality’ certification.

Princess Caroline inaugurates Michel Sima Photography Exhibition

Princess Caroline of Hanover attended the vernissage of the ‘From Workshops to Workshops’ (Des ateliers aux ateliers) exhibition at the Quai Antoine I Exhibition Hall. The exhibition features photographs by Michel Sima, who began his career as a portrait artist in the mid-1940s with photographs of Pablo Picasso in his studio. He went on to take portraits of numerous artists from the Paris art movement. His unique work provides precious documentation of 20th century art history. The exhibition, curated by Donatien Grau, Contemporary Programming Advisor at the Louvre Museum, brings together modern art and contemporary works. Along with guided tours for visitors, a series of workshops and learning opportunities will be offered to young people with a special focus on drawing and the fine arts. The exhibition runs until 24 November 2024.