On Thursday, January 22, 2015, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco participated in the 45th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting debate session entitled, Ocean Matters, held at the Congress Center in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
During Thursday’s session, with the theme focusing on the protection of the marine environment, the sovereign prince noted to attendees that:
“….ocean conservation also involves combating climate change which will be one of the key challenges for 2015. The Paris Conference in December will, I believe, be a “last chance” event in which we all need to become involved. The fight against climate change is now a vital objective for our Planet. We need to create a new development model together as quickly as possible, the only way of ensuring the future of Planet Earth and its oceans…”
Recently, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco attended the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Département des Relations Extérieures et de la Coopération held at the Hôtel Hermitage in Monte-Carlo.
On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco along with members of the Carabiniers du Prince celebrated Mass at the Cathédrale de Monaco in honor of the Feast Day of Saint Sébastien. The former Roman soldier who died around 288 A.D. is the patron saint of the Carabiniers du Prince.
On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline of Hanover arrived at the Villa Paloma at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco (NMNM) in Monaco to view the special exhibition, Construire une Collection.
According to the official website for the NMNM, the exhibition, which runs until March 21 at the Villa Paloma then moves to the Villa Sauber, displays a:
“…selection of works purchased over the past ten years. The exhibition at the Villa Paloma will therefore feature works by William Anastasi, Richard Artschwager, Michel Blazy, Pascal Broccolichi, Daniel Gustav Cramer, Alain Declercq, Jean Dubuffet, Hubert Duprat, Jan Fabre, Jean-Pascal Flavien, Geert Goiris, Gary Hill, Rebecca Horn, Anish Kapoor, Jochen Lempert, Yinka Shonibare MBE, Daniel Steegmann Mangrané, Su‑Mei Tseand Cerith Wyn Evans. These artists offer a revisiting of form and nature through narrative and form-related ideas, with the aim of re‑appropriating Nature in their own way to give it a new symbolic meaning, opening up a broad area of discussion on redefining landscape while highlighting the relationship between art and science.
The second part of the exhibition will open to the public on March 21 at the Villa Sauber, which has housed the Madeleine de Galéa Collection of Dolls and Automata for the past 35 years until 2009. It will bring together works by Arman, Robert Barry, Christian Boltanski, Lourdes Castro, César, Mark Dion, Erró, Hans‑Peter Feldmann, Claire Fontaine, Lucio Fontana, Loïe Fuller, Jeppe Hein, Claude Monet, Linda Fregni Nagler, Camille Henrot, Bertrand Lavier, Anne and Patrick Poirier, Hans Schabus and William Turner. Most of the works presented here were either inspired by collections or the collections themselves have become works of art or have inspired works of art; in other words, a collection of collections.”
On January 14, 2015, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco was named the 2014 International Sports Figure of the Year during the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award Ceremony held at the Dubai World Trade Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Unfortunately, the sovereign prince was unable to attend the ceremony due to prior commitments thus the reason for the pre-recorded acceptance speech message.
On Wednesday, January 7, 2015, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco — from the balcony of the Palais Princier — officially presented their precious newborn twins, Their Serene Highnesses Hereditary Prince Jacques Honoré Rainier, Marquis des Baux and Princess Gabriella Thérèse Marie, Comtesse de Carladès, to the Monégasque citizens for the first time. The princely twins were born on December 10, 2015 at the Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace in Monaco.
Thereafter, Their Serene Highnesses stepped out to the courtyard in front of the Palais Princier where they mingled with hundreds of well-wishers from Monaco and aboard.
The past year has been exceptional for Princess Charlene and myself with the arrival in our home Gabriella and Jacques.
Births Jacques Crown Prince and Princess Gabriella highlight the strong and indissoluble union between the Monégasque community and our family.
These shared moments of happiness is a privilege and we measure its value.
While the future is uncertain for many countries and populations, the Principality prospers because we have been able to be rigorous and careful, creative and responsive in times of instability in the international context.
Many challenges lie ahead. We will meet them successfully, relying on the strength that has always been ours for centuries: our unity.
Also, I have to rely on the wisdom of each and everyone to continue on this path must prevail because the requirement on ease, consensus on sterile quarrels, the public interest over private interests.
You know my determination to work for the good of the Principality and its people. Whatever the obstacles, I shall take the necessary decisions.
European horizons may seem disturbing. Rest assured that I will be vigilant about preserving our specificities to protect our way of development and our social model. But let us beware of the temptation to withdraw and fear.
Soon we will engage in negotiations with the European Union. Not doing so would be irresponsible. These discussions will be long. At completion, we will be free of our decisions will be knowingly and after qu’auront carried out all the “weighed” required.
May this time of Christmas and New Year bring hope and comfort to those of you affected by adversity and we can express the support and solidarity values.
For our youth, my hope of an open future that meets their expectations and allow them to flourish, especially in the work: human labor.
In this time of skepticism and doubt, I believe in the ability of man to transform the way we do. This is what also base my environmental commitment to sustainable development for which there is still time to act.
Dear Compatriots, Dear Residents, Dear Friends,
Princess Charlene and I are happy with our children, to bring with you a confident look on the year that will open.
The Royal Correspondent 