Around 70 people acquired Monegasque nationality in 2023. Last week, the Mairie welcomed its newest citizens at a special ceremony in the Town Hall.
On Thursday 14th March, the Mairie hosted the traditional reception honouring individuals who acquired Monegasque nationality during the past year, either by law or by Sovereign Order.
Camille Svara, Deputy Mayor, along with Chloé Boscagli Leclerq, Charles Maricic, Georges Gambarini, Nada Lorenzi, Nathalie Vaccarezza, and Jean-Luc Puyo, members of the Communal Council, welcomed around 30 new Monegasque citizens in the Wedding Hall. They were among 68 individuals who acquired Monegasque nationality in 2023.
Camille Svara extended a warm “welcome to the large Monegasque family” to the attendees before presenting them with symbolic gifts including a reproduction of the original document of the Monegasque national anthem, penned in 1931 by Monegasque poet Louis Notari.
The reception concluded with the rendition of the anthem by the Children’s Choir of the Rainier III Academy.
As of 31st December 2023, there were 9,790 Monegasque citizens recorded; 67% of them acquired Monegasque nationality through lineage, 19% through marriage, and 14% through Sovereign Order of Naturalisation.
Just over 20 exciting positions at the Musée Océanographique de Monaco will be up for grabs at the annual jobs fair next month, with each offering successful applicants a unique opportunity to get involved with a leading aquarium and conservation space.
The Musée Océanographique de Monaco has announced that its annual recruitment event will be taking place on Friday 12th April between 10am and 4pm.
In total, the establishment is looking for 22 new members of staff to help with the running of the museum and its many facilities during the upcoming summer season, and from reception staff and educators to accountants and technical support, there is a great range of opportunities on offer.
20 of the roles will be full-time postings spanning April to September, but there’s also a permanent Assistant Accountant position on the list as well as a 12-month contract for an Audiovisual Technician.
Jobseekers will be met and interviewed by managers at the museum, who will be able to share their insights into the workings of this popular tourism destination.
Prior registration is required and the form can be found here. Please note that candidates need to be at least 18 years old by their contract start date.
Starting with a St Patrick’s Day event this week, the Princess Grace Irish Library will be spotlighting the unique bond between Monaco and Ireland with a series of interesting and engaging events this spring. Here’s what to expect.
To celebrate St Patrick’s Day, the Princess Grace Irish Library has invited Irish author Flor MacCarthy, who is also the establishment’s current ‘Writer in Residence’, to give a talk on the fascinating correspondence between the Principality’s ruling Grimaldi family and the presidents of Ireland.
Set to take place on 19th March at 2.30pm, MacCarthy’s discourse will be delving into the historical connections established between Monaco’s royalty and Irish heads of state over the years, many of which she has previously explored in her book, The Presidents’ Letters – An Unexpected History of Ireland.
From Prince Rainier III’s first official visit to Ireland in 1961 to an exchange involving a Irish pony named Babbling Brook that was gifted to Princess Caroline in 1962, the stories will commemorate the enduring friendship between the Emerald Isle and the Principality that was inspired by Princess Grace’s Irish roots.
On 4th April, an Irish folk music concert featuring Zoë Conway and John McIntyre will be held at the library. Tickets to the event cost €15 and can be reserved here.
Then comes a gala dinner at the Yacht Club de Monaco on 19th April, which will champion the work of the Atlantic Youth Trust, an Irish charity dedicated to the development of life skills, resilience and cooperation among young Irish people through voyages on the Grace O’Malley tall ship. Tickets for this gala dinner can be booked here.
A lecture on Irish opera by Dr Maria McHale has also been scheduled for 24th April. Further information can be found here.
In the photo: Princess Caroline (centre) with Mark Armstrong, Peter K. Murphy and his wife Jacqueline, Flor MacCarthy, Anne-Marie Boisbouvier and Paula Farquharson. Photo credit: Michael Alesi / Palais Princier de Monaco
One of the world’s greatest private jewellery collections ever to come to auction is to go under the gavel at dual Sotheby’s sales in Geneva and Paris in May.
Over the course of two days, more than 250 exquisite 20th century pieces, including a vast number of René Boivin-signed accessories, will be sold by the acclaimed auction house of Sotheby’s.
The Geneva portion of the sales – 46 of these exceptional items – will be taking place during Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale on 12th May while the remaining pieces will be presented on 14th May in London as part of the ‘Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style’ event.
TOP NAMES
““When you come across a jewellery collection as consistently stunning and substantial as ‘Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style’, it’s a heart-stopping moment – the kind you know you’ll never forget,” says Marie-Cécile Cisamolo, a jewellery specialist at Sotheby’s Geneva. “This collection, with its many dazzling signed jewels from the most beloved and sought-after design periods in jewellery history, is truly one-of-a-kind and one of the most important private jewellery collections I’ve ever seen. It is an incredibly powerful and sophisticated love letter to jewellery from an enlightened private collector, which I know will inspire other collectors and connoisseurs all around the world.”
The pieces, which represent a range in styles as diverse as Art Nouveau, Belle Epoque, Art Deco and Modernism, come from some of the most prestigious jewellery houses in the world, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Boucheron, Chaumet, David Webb, Mauboussin, Marina B, Sterlé and Mellerio dits Meller.
The real draws in this collection, however, are from Parisian jewellery marque René Boivin. The sale will feature the largest selection of the house’s jewellery ever to come to auction.
STANDOUT PIECES
In a collection of exceptional pieces, there are nevertheless a few that really are very special. Among them: a Cartier Panthère bangle from 1969 that is estimated to sell for between €260,000 and €360,000; Bulgari earrings once owned by Baroness di Portanova that are set with two intense yellow diamonds each weighing just under 10 carats and are projected to sell for €416,000 to €623,000; and a gold, sapphire and diamond René Boivin necklace and earrings set from 1947, which is expected to fetch in the vicinity of €52,000.
For those who can’t attend the auctions in person, online bidding is taking place from 2nd to 16th May on www.sothebys.com.
The Brazilian E-Prix was full of twists and turns, not least of which was the remarkable comeback of Monaco-based Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Günther, who, despite starting in last due to a grid penalty, clawed his way up to a ninth-place finish.
The race, which was held in São Paolo’s Sambadrome on 16th March, was the fourth of the 2024 Formula E season.
The practice rounds held great promise for 26-year-old Maximilian Günther and his teammate, Jehan Daruvala, but the young German’s troubles began when he was docked for a gearbox and inverter change.
Although Maserati MSG Racing chiefs said that the move was “strategically made to unlock performance”, Günther was at a severe disadvantage when it caused him to be moved to the back of the grid with a 40-place grid penalty for the race.
This put him in 22nd position with a 10-second stop-go penalty attached to make up for the full 40-place penalty.
Despite this, Günther slowly manoeuvred his way past his opponents, aided by the need for a Safety Car on the seventh lap, to achieve an impressive ninth place.
“Today, we made the impossible possible,” he said post-race. “Starting from last with the grid penalty and then serving the 10-second stop-go was a big task, but we did the best job we could. To finish ninth with points from such a circumstance is just an amazing feeling. I think we can all be very proud. It was the best possible recovery and outcome from this strategic penalty, and this will put us in a good position for the rest of the season.”
Maximilian Günther clawed his way back from a P22 start and a 10-second stop-go penalty to earn some crucial points for his team, the Monaco-based Maserati MSG Racing, thanks to his P9 finish. Photo credit: Maserati MSG Racing Media Centre
Daruvala, who joined the Monaco-based team this season, finished the race in P15.
“Today’s race wasn’t easy at all,” said the 25-year-old Mumbai native. “It was my first experience of Formula E’s peloton style, and it isn’t what I expected, but it was good to get some more laps under my belt and I feel like I learned a lot. After four races, I feel quite confident in the car, especially in qualifying. My goal now is to improve my long-run pace. If I can do that, I think we could be in with a shot at points in Tokyo, which will be a new circuit for everybody.”
WINNER’S CIRCLE
Günther’s incredible comeback wasn’t the only success story to come out of the Brazil stage.
A last lap pass by McLaren’s Sam Bird, overtaking Jaguar’s Mitch Evans, gave the McLaren team their first-ever Formula E victory. The podium was rounded out by fellow McLaren driver Olivier Rowland, whose fancy footwork on the final bend saw him pass Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, who finished fourth, and Andretti’s fifth-placed Jake Dennis.
2023 was an interesting year for Monaco’s real estate market. The number of properties sold was down 20%, but the type of dwellings that did find buyers helped to significantly cushion the blow in terms of value.
Not one single real estate development was completed in the Principality in 2023, making it the first year since IMSEE started tracking Monaco’s property market via the annual Real Estate Observatory report to record such a deficit.
In comparison, four projects were completed during 2022: Villa Trianon, L’Exotique EVOS, Villa Portofino and Villa Farniente II. The delivery of these homes helped boost the new-build sector of the market that year, whereas 2023’s figures have clearly suffered because of an “absence of transactions involving new properties”.
As confirmed by IMSEE’s Q4 2023 Real Estate report, over the course of the year, the new-build portion of the market in the Principality retracted by a colossal 68.2%. Just 28 new properties were sold last year compared to 88 in 2022.
Nevertheless, the type of new-build properties that did match with buyers in 2023, namely larger family-sized homes, helped to reduce the weight of the falling volume by demanding high prices. Overall, value in the new-build sector fell by a much less striking 12.7% to just over €1 billion.
The resale market also slowed, but less dramatically. Over the course of 2023, 388 resales were noted by Monaco’s Department of Tax Services, which is a 10.2% fall on 2022’s 432 transactions.
Again, the decrease in the overall value of these resales was more moderate than the dip in volume. 2023’s €2.19 billion resale market value puts it ahead of 2021 and 2020, but behind 2022.
When combined, the sales in the new-build and resales sectors generated €3.23 billion in 2023, which is a record after a stellar 2022.
The reasons behind the fall experienced by Monaco’s resale market last year are less obvious than in the new-build sector, but it would appear that even the well-off seeking to buy a place in the Principality may have struggled with the historically high mortgage rates felt across Europe and much of the wider world in 2023.
To read the Q4 Economic Bulletin for yourself, click here.
AS Monaco dropped more points at home after former player Tiémoué Bakayoko scored a last-gasp equaliser (2-2) to deny Adi Hütter’s men a point that would have lifted them to second in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
Monaco haven’t won at home since 3rd December 2023, however, off the back of three positive performances against Lens, PSG and Strasbourg, the conditions were perfect for the Principality club to break that duck against a struggling Lorient side.
However, Hütter’s men couldn’t have made a worse start to the encounter. Without even getting a foot on the ball, Les Merlus took a shock lead within the first 40 seconds. An intelligent reverse ball from Théo Le Bris was met by Mohamed Bamba, whose volley from a tight angle rocketed off the post and into the path of Wilfried Singo, who inadvertently diverted into his own net.
Monaco immediately set about reversing the deficit and had ample chances to do so. Wissam Ben Yedder and Aleksandr Golovin, usually so efficient in front of goal, missed one-on-one opportunities, whilst Takumi Minamino also struck the foot of the post within the space of just a few minutes. Les Monégasques were knocking at the door, but they couldn’t knock it down.
Ultimately, it was one of Lorient’s own who did the job for them. Formose Mendy, in an attempt to divert a harmless cross back to goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo, misread his goalkeeper’s positioning and instead chested the ball past the Swiss shot-stopper, who was completely taken out of the equation.
Mvogo’s “dream” performance enough for a point
The barrage on Lorient’s goal temporarily abated towards the end of the first half, but it ramped up again at the start of the second. Akliouche drew another save from Mvogo early in the second half before Ben Yedder saw another glorious chance go begging. It was Mvogo who was once again equal to the France international’s effort and there was an overwhelming feeling that this wouldn’t be Monaco’s day.
However, the Principality side’s efforts were finally rewarded when Youssouf Fofana rose highest to head Golovin’s tantalising cross past Mvogo. Lorient were down, but they weren’t out.
Mvogo, who in the words of Hütter had a “dream” performance, saved his most spectacular save until mid-way into the second half as he denied Maghnes Akliouche’s acrobatic volleyed effort with an equally impressive and instinctive stop that kept Lorient in the tie.
Monaco would come to rue their missed chances. “We have to take the right moments to kill the opponent and prevent them from coming back,” bemoaned Hütter post-match, but once again, his side failed to do so.
With Denis Zakaria being sent off late in the match for an “unprofessional” foul, which earned him a second yellow, Lorient were handed the momentum in the final minutes. However, Aiyegun Tosin’s clumsy challenge on Singo also earned him a red in the 89th minute, levelling the playing field.
“It feels like a nightmare” – Hütter
Monaco looked set to see out the match and secure their first victory at the Stade Louis II in 2024, however, it was not to be with Bakayoko, who played 115 times for Les Monégasques across two spells, nodding home in almost the last kick of the game.
As a sign of respect for his former side, Bakayoko didn’t celebrate, but his teammates certainly did, with the technical staff also bursting onto the field. For Les Merlus, mired in a battle for survival at the bottom of Ligue 1, that point could be crucial come the end of the season.
Monaco have now dropped four points against Lorient this season, both times ceding their advantage in the dying seconds. That could prove costly come the end of the season with Monaco missing a “big, big chance” to leapfrog Brest into second.
“The team that was much much better did not win. We had five big, big chances to score and then we could have been talking about a fantastic victory […] Today, yes, it was a big, big chance and we missed it. But we keep working in the last eight games to get the best result. It’s in our hands and that’s important. To not win this game, it feels like a nightmare,” reacted Hütter, who will be looking for a reaction from his players when they face Metz in a fortnight.
The Monaco Government has announced it will be standing as a civil party in “recently opened criminal proceedings” linked to the €136 million settlement it was ordered to pay the Caroli Immo group following the collapse of the Esplanade des Pêcheurs project.
A decade on from the start of the Esplanade des Pêcheurs saga, which began back in 2014, and over a month since lawyers for Caroli Immo announced that they would be taking their case for financial retribution to the European Court of Human Rights, the Monegasque government has released a statement identifying itself as a victim of the complex affair.
“In June 2020, the State was ordered to pay €136 million, increased with interest, to a developer as part of a real estate and cultural operation project on the Esplanade des Pêcheurs,” reads the statement, which was released on the evening of Prince Albert II’s 66th birthday on 14th March. “Recent publications on the internet and various press articles relating to the legal proceedings initiated before the courts of the Principality have led the State to question the conditions in which this conviction was pronounced, and to become a civil party today in a recently opened criminal proceedings.”
The stop-start project would have seen a vast mixed-use development be built at the foot of the Rock in Port Hercule. Within a year of signing an agreement with Caroli Immo, the group leading the development, the Monaco Government backed out of the scheme in 2015, citing “strong reservations” about the feasibility of the project as well as its potential negative impacts on flagship events such as the Monaco Grand Prix.
Caroli Immo, one of the Principality’s largest developers, was unhappy with the termination of the plans and sought financial retribution. In 2020, the Supreme Court of Monaco ruled in Caroli Immo’s favour and ordered the government to pay €136 plus interest.
Prince Albert II stepped in to demand that both sides find a more amicable way forwards and eventually a new-look version of the project seemed to be going ahead. As reported by Monaco Life, it was agreed that the project would be restarted and that Caroli Immo would waive its court-ordered compensation package in exchange for being given a timetable to commence the works.
Next came a case involving another Monaco-based developer, Patrice Pastor of SCI Esperanza, who sought to overturn the decommissioning of the controversial Esplanade des Pêcheurs plot by claiming there had been a “lack of competition” in the awarding of the project. It was dismissed.
However, the Caroli Immo group would soon terminate its agreement with the government in October 2023, thereby reversing its waiver of compensation, according to lawyers for the group.
When Caroli Immo proceeded to request the pre-agreed sum from the Monaco Government, the State reportedly failed to respond. The group took this as a “desire not to pay”.
A case seeking to enforce the financial payout was lodged with the European Court of Human Rights in February 2024, and now the government has responded with its own statement, which brings to light apparent doubts by State about the “partiality” of the original decision of the €136 million plus interest fee.
The Pelagos Sanctuary has collaborated with Monaco-based Metaverse specialist DWorld to create a new digital tool to get the word out on marine protections.
The Pelagos Sanctuary, created through the Pelagos Agreement, a tri-country pact between Monaco, France and Italy to protect marine mammals in this part of the Mediterranean Sea, has long sought to educate the wider public on its missions and initiatives. Now, a new immersive and interactive experience that is being rolled out just in time for Monaco Ocean Week is making that goal ever more possible.
The educational experience designed by DWorld hopes to “inspire people of all ages” and share the Sanctuary’s ethos on the importance of marine conservation with people around the world.
It combines interactive storytelling with a strong message about the challenges and difficulties of managing the 87,500sqkm protected zone on a daily basis.
“The Pelagos Agreement is particularly attentive on communication and awareness-raising actions,” says Viola Cattani, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Pelagos Agreement. “The ambitious Metaverse project fits in perfectly with the objective of raising awareness, particularly among the younger generations, for the conservation of the Pelagos Sanctuary and the protection of its inhabitants. This area, in fact, belongs to all and as such everyone can and must do their part to preserve it. But to protect it, you have to know it!”
SOON AVAILABLE ONLINE
The content will soon be available on the Pelagos Agreement’s website and will also be circulated in schools near and far from the Pelagos area.
“The Monaco Metaverse offers a unique opportunity to transcend geographical boundaries, create new collaborative opportunities between local Monegasque entities and engage audiences in meaningful ways,” says CEO of DWorld Manila Di Giovanni. “Through this collaboration, we aspire to ignite a sense of stewardship for our oceans and inspire future generations to become advocates for marine conservation.”
The Monaco born and bred Beefbar brand has expanded its international presence with the opening of the group’s 40th eatery. After taking the name to destinations such as London, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong and New York, this latest restaurant is to be found in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.
Beefbar was an instant hit when it opened in the port of Fontvieille in Monaco back in 2005. The now global brand describes itself as a “reference for meat lovers” and has gone from strength to strength since that first address, with this new location in Tbilisi representing its 40th venture.
Found in the five-star hotel complex of Central Park Towers in the Georgian capital, the restaurant is also the seventh Le Petit Beefbar-styled locale. Other branches of the concept, the brainchild of Riccardo Giraudi, include Beefbar Asia, Beefbar Deli and the soon-to-come Leafbar, a vegan offshoot.
Like with all Beefbar-signed restaurants, specialty meats, such as Wagyu, Black Angus and Kobe beef are the stars of the show in Tbilisi, but the menu is also complemented by “recipes inspired by brasseries”.
Central Park Towers caters to a clientele that chooses the hotel as a “lifestyle destination” – it boats a variety of international restaurants, a casino, its own shopping centre, a spa and even a concert hall – and the developers of the complex, the Orbi Group and Block, are said to have hand-picked Le Petit Beefbar to join the prestigious ranks of the hotel’s offerings.
From Sophie Lacaze’s ‘The Boundless Stuff of Dreams’ to Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado’s ‘The Salt of the Earth’, this weekend’s Printemps des Arts programme will blend theatre with film and the traditional with the modern.
Following on from our coverage of the opening days of the Printemps des Arts festival, which officially began on 13th March, here are this weekend’s highlights.
On Saturday 16th March, a series of masterclasses will be hosted by renowned cellist Henri Demarquette at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Nice. Later, a conference entitled ‘The Earth According to Gustav Mahler’ and led by musicologist Jean Castellini will unravel at the Auditorium Rainier III.
The concert that follows will feature musicians Lucile Richardot, Stefan Cifolelli and Het Collectief under the baton of Gregor Mayrhofer. They will present a rendition of Mahler’s ‘Das Lied von der Erde’ in a chamber version transcribed by Reinbert de Leeuw alongside Mahler’s ‘Quartet for Piano and Strings in A Minor’.
The evening continues at the Théâtre des Variétés with the world premiere of ‘L’Etoffe Inépuisable du Rêve’ – The Boundless Stuff of Dreams in English – by Sophie Lacaze. This chamber opera, brought to life by the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain under Bruno Mantovani’s musical direction, will delve into the dreamtime of Australian Aboriginal culture in an ode to nature and our planet’s fragility.
Transitioning into Sunday 17th March, the festival will be screening ‘The Salt of the Earth,’ a documentary directed by Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado. This event explores the profound work of photographer Sebastião Salgado.
The day will conclude with a concert by Henri Demarquette at the Galerie Hauser & Wirth, where the cellist will embark on a solo journey through the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Benjamin Britten.
JCEM President Clément Maréchal speaks with Monaco Life about the “transitional and challenging” year ahead for this organisation of young leaders as well as the ambitions he strives to accomplish during his mandate.
Clément Maréchal is the elected Junior Economic Chamber of Monaco (JCEM) National President for 2024. He had previously been Vice-President of Business Development. His vision for the current year is AIM — Ambition, Impact, Members; a roadmap to expand their aspirations, influence, and members benefits.
Maréchal sees JCEM Monaco’s affiliation with the flagship JCI (Junior Chamber International) as an exceptional opportunity for members to connect to a centenary old global organisation of around 200,000 young active citizens representing more than a hundred countries worldwide.
He explains how JCEM helps develop young people’s leadership and entrepreneurial skills, helping them connect within Monaco and internationally by giving them access to a rich global network through JCI, empowering them to grow and create positive change.
Maréchal believes their program for business creation motivates members to think outside the box, challenging them to go beyond their limits and learn by association. Their active collaboration with JCEM’s sponsors and the Monaco Economic Board (MEB) further exposes members to accomplished business people from all industry sectors and nationalities.
Monaco Life: Can you briefly tell us about yourself?
Clément Maréchal: I am a 28-year-old resident, born and raised in the Principality. After spending a few years in various countries, notably France and England to pursue my studies, I moved back home to put my experience and skills to good use. After a long absence, I joined JCEM to reconnect with my country’s economic base and benefit from their local and international network.
I work in sales, rentals, and marketing as a real estate broker at a well-established family agency.
What does it mean to you to have been elected president of JCEM?
It is a great honour to represent this global movement at the Monaco level during this exciting year. I am grateful and satisfied that the members believe the program we have worked on with the team is the right move for the future of our association. This year is transitional and full of challenges, but I am confident we can tackle them all with my Board of accomplished men and women.
Prince Albert II with, from left to right, Juan Larrauri, Eloise Marshall, Pierre-Alexandre ROUSSELOT, Hanna DERRIEN, Marie-Gisèle FRINGANT PEDROZO, Clément MARECHAL, Lucas DUBOIS, Mathilde LABAUNE, Valentine BROUARD TILLIER, Cédric CAVAS. Source: JCEM
What is your ambition for JCEM during your mandate?
The goal is to raise our impact level on Monaco’s economy, plain and simple. We want to expand our aspirations, influence, and members’ benefits. To that effect, we have implemented the ‘AIM’ roadmap—Ambition-Impact-Members, with multiple specific actions and levers to reach our objectives.
Do you think a year is enough to plan and execute your goals?
I would love to have additional time to implement the program entirely. Still, we only get 12 months to accomplish our objectives and impact the future generation positively.
On the bright side, I firmly believe that our action plan is marking a new JCEM cycle and will be helpful for the next three to five years. I am also very confident that having the next leader on my Board, who shares the same ideas and values, will guarantee the program’s continuity beyond my mandate.
Who are the people on your team?
The 2024 National Board comprises 10 members responsible for managing a specific association section. I have selected them for their experience, ambition, desire to improve, and willingness to make a positive impact. The team combines experienced JCEM members working alongside new ones, blending expertise and creativity and ensuring continuity.
The Members of the Board are Valentine Brouard Tillier, General Secretary; Marion Soler, Treasurer; Marie Gisèle Fringant, Immediate Past President; Eloise Marshall, VP Personnel Development; Cedric Cavassino, VP Entrepreneurship; Hanna Derrien, VP of Economic Attractiveness; Lucas Dubois, VP International; Pierre-Alexandre Rousselot, VP Internal Strategy and Development; Mathilde Labaune, VP Communication & Media; and Juan Larrauri, Head of Sponsorships
Additionally, eleven Project Managers report to the respective board members. They are responsible for planning, organising, and managing the completion of each project while ensuring that it delivers the expected results on time and budget.
“JCEM enables access to an extended network of professionals from all sectors within the Principality.”
What are the benefits of being a JCEM member?
One of the main advantages is that it enables access to an extended network of professionals from all sectors within the Principality. At the international level, JCI allows excellent connections with like-minded young managers and entrepreneurs worldwide.
Another significant benefit is being part of a larger organisation that enriches our professional lives by participating in impactful events on the Monaco economic stage and abroad. It is all about getting out of our comfort zones to gain new experiences and skills while amplifying our network with bright individuals from diverse nationalities and horizons.
Board members and project heads 2024, from left to right: Mathilde Labaune, Sarah Assayag-Edery, Lucas Dubois, Anya Kozlova, Morgan Teissier, Camille Lopez, Pierre-Alexandre Rousselot, Valentine Brouard Tillier, Clément Marechal, Marion Soler, Cédric Cavassino, Madina Ibrahimkhel, Arnaud Pujalté, Marie-Gisèle Fringant Pedrozo, Juan Larrauri , Eloise Roux, Alex Mattelon, Clara Rosso, Audrey Trueba. Source: JCEM
Can you please tell us about the Business Creation training cycle offered to JCEM members?
One of the main events of the JCEM is the Start-Up Challenge (Concours de Creation d’Entreprise), giving access to a total cash prize of over €60.000. For candidates to reach their full potential for the Challenge, JCEM provides a cycle of training throughout the year, with diverse subjects to learn every skill needed to present a solid business plan to the jury.
These training sessions are conducted with local experts, offering insights and exclusive information to participants. We have speakers from multiple government services and our sponsoring companies.
What is JCE-Connect?
The JCE Connect is our new concept for 2024, highly inspired by our famous event, ‘Success Drink’, developed and carried out in previous years. This after-work gathering enhances networking between our members and guest participants. The goal is to organise it monthly in different exceptional locations to offer a quality networking experience.
We open it to the public, aiming to create as many connections as possible for the participants. Our next event will be organised in an exclusive undisclosed location at the end of March. Stay tuned; our website and social networks will announce more details soon.
Please explain the concept behind the new event called the Start-Up Meeting.
The idea behind our new project, ‘Start-up Meeting’, is relatively straightforward. Public speaking and pitching an idea are critical in project construction and presentation. It is one of the most essential professional skills in nearly every industry. But it is also something people commonly fear but can master.
The Start-up Challenge is the pinnacle of our year, and we want to get every candidate ready for it. Therefore, we will organise monthly meetings for participants to practice their skills and exchange ideas with their peers in an informal atmosphere to reduce unnecessary pressure.
The objective is to allow anyone to come and present an idea and then let other participants and experts challenge it. The goal is to develop new synergies and connections by offering opportunities to get instant constructive feedback from individuals going through the same experience.
“JCEM offers an extended local and international network of bright young minds wishing to impact the Principality positively.”
In which ways does JCEM assist young entrepreneurs?
The objective of the events we propose is to help young entrepreneurs is threefold: The first is personal development, achieved through our training and networking meetings, to offer the occasion to develop new skills and create valuable connections within the financial sector in Monaco.
The second is the economic attractiveness division, offering conferences to get access to exclusive information and expertise from highly ranked successful executives. The third is our entrepreneurship program, offering many opportunities to present a project, get challenged, meet with peers, get inspired by successful individuals, and finally participate in our national Start-up Challenge, supported by the Government and Athos Partners, our historical event partner.
Furthermore, JCEM offers an extended local and international network of bright young minds wishing to impact the Principality positively.
How does JCEM collaborate with the Monaco Economic Board (MEB)?
JCEM and MEB have been collaborating closely for many years, and JCEM has a representative on the Board of the MEB, and vice versa; MEB has a representative among our members.
We collaborate often, as our vision and goals for a better Monaco align well, giving the synergies an edge for contributing to developing the Monegasque economy.
Why do you encourage young entrepreneurs to join JCEM?
I firmly believe that entrepreneurship is a collective adventure. Being part of the JCEM network opens many doors, helps develop many skills, and shares the road with our 90+ members who bring different competencies.
Our strong links with the Institutions in the Principality and the JCI affiliates worldwide, plus our exciting programs and events, constitute the perfect combination for success!
AS Monaco have emerged victorious from a challenging EuroLeague game against Alba Berlin, but only just.
During the away fixture on 14th March, Alba Berlin initially took the lead, but AS Monaco’s players staged an impressive comeback through a 12-32 second-quarter surge. This pivotal moment ensured that the Roca Team could withstand Alba’s later push and ultimately clinched their 19th season win. The game ended 82-90.
Key to AS Monaco’s triumph were standout performances from Elie Okobo and Mike James, who together contributed 41 points.
Following the action on court, Sasa Obradovic, the Roca Team coach, remarked, “It wasn’t an easy game, and we didn’t play the way we wanted to, with a few mistakes. We have to stay focused for the future. To use this game to realise that we can’t let our opponents come back like we did tonight.”
This latest triumph extends AS Monaco’s winning streak to eight games and elevates their position in the EuroLeague. Their next challenge in the EuroLeague will be a home game slated for 20th March against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan.
Back in December, the French government announced that it was preparing to take a “major leap” by introducing the Singapore Method into the teaching of mathematics in schools around the country. Now, that transition has begun.
Maths can be daunting for many students. Unlike other subjects, where shades of grey filter in, answers are either wrong or right in this field, and children who don’t fully grasp the concepts being taught often get left behind.
The Singapore Method, which is now gradually being introduced to French classrooms, is an alternative way of teaching the subject. It teaches step-by-step processes to ensure children not only understand but also make connections between different mathematical practices in a fun and engaging way.
HOW IT WORKS
According to Monica Neagoy, who holds a doctorate in mathematics education and is the Director of the Singapore Method collection for the Librairie des Écoles scholastic manuals, the approach “places the child at the centre, taking into account maturity, curiosity and, above all, pleasure”.
France has adopted a three-headed approach – manipulate, represent, abstract – to ease children into complicated concepts by using visuals to assist in learning.
The manipulation phase allows students to physically handle objects in staged situations and emphasises the use of maths in day-to-day life. The representation phase adds in diagrams, drawings and charts that use the mathematical symbols mastered in the manipulation stage. Students then move into the abstraction phase, where they break down maths problems into easy-to-manage sections.
Active participation is encouraged between instructor and pupils in a bid to give students the confidence to ask questions and indeed to ask for help.
ATTITUDE COUNTS
Perhaps the biggest departure from the old way of teaching maths is the Singapore Method’s positive spirit: mistakes are all part of the journey.
“When mathematics becomes a litany of formulas, definitions, procedures and ‘how to do it’ without any ‘why’, then it is the beginning of the end of the love for mathematics,” says Neagoy. “That is an intellectual crime. The child has not yet even tasted real mathematics. When you understand, when you see a connection – regardless of finding the result – there is jubilation, absolute joy.”
Ahead of this Sunday’s Monaco Cycling Criterium, the government has announced a series of road closures and parking restrictions in and around Port Hercule for the duration of the weekend.
The 49th edition of the Monaco Cycling Criterium is set to take place on Sunday 17th March and the layout of the course, which is just over a kilometre in length and encompasses the Route de la Piscine, Avenue J. F. Kenndey and Boulevard Albert I, will require the closure of roads in the Port Hercule area as well as limitations on street parking.
Between 6.30am and 6.30pm on the day of the sporting event, the Quai des États-Unis, Route de la Piscine, Avenue J. F. Kenndey and the Darse Sud will be out of bounds to motorists.
Local residents with vehicles parked between Boulevard Louis II and the Quai des Études will still have access, but a diversion towards the Carrefour du Portier will be put in place during these hours.
From Saturday at 11pm until Sunday at 6.30pm, only the service access on Boulevard Albert I will be open to road users, while two-way traffic will be permitted between the Rocher-Noghès tunnel and the port car park. It should be noted that all traffic will be banned from turning towards Boulevard Albert I from the Quai Antoine I.
Some bus routes will also be affected by the event. The Stade Nautique and Princesse Antoinette pick-ups and drop-offs will be roadside stops while Ligne 1 will be rerouted via Avenue d’Ostende between 6.30am and 6.30pm on the Sunday.
Parking restrictions
During these same hours, parking will be forbidden on the section of the Quai des États-Unis that runs from the restricted access area to the intersection with the Route de la Piscine. Vehicles will also be unable to park on the Route de la Piscine, the Louis Chiron bend, the Jules Soccal wharf, the Darse Sud, Boulevard Albert I and the Quai Antoine I between the Rocher-Noghès tunnel and the Quai Antoine I car park.
