On Friday 8 October, HSH Prince Albert II and HRH the Princess of Hanover attended the change of command for the Monaco Fire Brigade, which took place in the Cour d’Honneur of the Prince’s Palace. HE the Minister of State, high Monegasque authorities and military families were also in attendance.
At 21 years of age, Norbert Fassiaux joined the Monaco Fire Brigade on 1 January 1983 in the rank of Lieutenant. For 35 years, he climbed the ranks to become Chef de Corps in 2018. He is the first Monegasque to take up this post since the creation of the company by Prince Albert I in 1909. Commander Maxime Yvrard spent several years in the Battalion of marine firefighters in Marseille and joined the ranks of the Monegasque firefighters in November 2015. Commander Maxime Yvrard is now the 12th Chief of the Fire Brigade of Monaco.
The ceremony was carried out under the orders of Colonel Tony Varo, Senior Commander of the Police Force, to the rhythm of the Carabinieri Orchestra of the Prince. The ceremony ended with a cocktail in the Gardens of the Prince’s Palace in the presence of HSH the Prince and HRH the Princess of Hanover.
Expo Dubai: Prince Inaugurates Twin Pavilion in Monaco
While Expo Dubai officially kicked off last week, Prince Albert inaugurated a twin pavilion, right here in the Principality. Now visitors can communicate through the two pavilions, 5,000 km apart. The blue structure, located on the Quai Albert Ier, is a digital gateway between Monaco and Dubai and perfectly illustrates the theme of Expo Dubai: “Connecting minds, building the future”. All Monegasque residents can now sit on the interactive bench and chat with visitors of the Dubai pavilion, visit a 3D simulation of the Monegasque Pavilion and watch the actions carried out in Dubai on giant screens in real time.
Throughout the 182 days of Expo Dubai, each participating country has a dedicated day. (France had, for example, 2 October.) Monaco’s Day will be on 13 November and various activities will be offered, including performances by artists from the International Circus Festival and dancers from the Ballets de Monte-Carlo.
Prince Albert II Inaugurates the Albert Ier Insolite Exhibition
On Monday 4 October, HSH the Sovereign Prince inaugurated the Albert Ier insolite exhibition. Imagined and designed by the Albert I 2022 Commemoration Committee, the Palace Archives and the Audiovisual Institute of Monaco, the exhibition is being held at the Galerie des Pêcheurs until 10 November.
Twenty-eight photographs were chosen to commemorate the centenary of the passing of Prince Albert I (1848-1922). The exhibition explores the various facets of the Prince: scholarly, regal, human and intimate, through close-ups and far shots. The photographs were taken in Monaco, France, Norway and Portugal.
Unveiling of Empress Eugenie Statue in the gardens of the Rock
On Saturday 9 October, a bust statue of the Empress Eugenie was unveiled by HSH the Sovereign Prince, in the presence of Prince Jean-Christophe Napoléon, current head of Maison Bonaparte.
The location of the bust, in the Gardens above Fort Antoine, was chosen so that Empress Eugenie’s gaze is in the direction of Cap Martin, where Villa Cyrnos is located and where she liked to stay when she went to the French Riviera. The day of commemoration was an opportunity for the public to learn about Empress Eugenie and her links with the Principality.
Prince Albert II pays tribute to victims of storm Alex in Breil-sur-Roya
Prince Albert recently visited the village of Roya, which was hit hard by storm Alex, to pay tribute to the victims. The Sovereign threw a white rose into the lake and laid a wreath of flowers to the melody of “I follow rivers”, in front of an emotional crowd.
After a mass accompanied by the L’Escarène choir, politicians and residents attended the inauguration of the Maison du Souvenir, designed by a Nice artist from materials taken by the storm and the unveiling of a plaque on the facade of the town hall with the names of the three victims. Prince Albert II spoke a message of support, saying that Monaco is happy to provide human and material assistance to the region, a region which is so dear to everyone’s hearts.
Prince Albert II inaugurates CHPG Fitness Centre
Prince Albert II inaugurated a brand new fitness centre dedicated to CHPG professionals, open 7 am to 8 pm, 7 days a week, to allow them to unwind and exercise. The space offers various equipment for individuals and groups to stay healthy. A team from the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation service volunteered to support and motivate their colleagues in their first workouts. The new centre will soon be offering various free group lessons to professionals, including yoga, pilates, cardio training and more.
Prince Albert II attends CREM Cocktail Party at the Yacht Club
Over 200 guests attended one of CREM’s first public events in almost two years, due to the health crisis. Prince Albert II and several other personalities from the Principality were in attendance, including Robert Gelli, Director of Judicial Services, and Richard Marangoni, Police Commissioner.
The Sovereign greeted the assembly in ten languages, from English to Greek, from Spanish to Russian, as a nod to the very international audience. The gathering was a chance for Louisette Azzoaglio Levy-Soussan, president of CREM (Club des Résidents Etrangers de Monaco), to look back on the last 10 years of the club. The president declared that the number of members is constantly increasing and thanked the Prince for his support. The director of CREM, Chris Dhondt, spoke about the welcoming nature of Monaco where more than 130 different nationalities can co-exist in the most perfect harmony.
Monaco donates €1 Million to areas affected by Storm Alex
After having provided direct assistance to the inhabitants of the valleys affected by the destructive Storm Alex on 2 October 2020, the Prince’s Government will be providing assistance for the reconstruction of the heritage and infrastructure of the municipalities affected by the storm.
In the presence of Prince Albert II and many Monegasque and French personalities, Pierre Dartout, Minister of State and Guillaume Poitrinal, President of the Heritage Foundation, signed an agreement allowing, in accordance with the wishes of the Sovereign Prince, a budget of one million euros for reconstruction operations in the valleys of Roya, Vésubie and Tinée.
