MonacoUSA, cheerleaders of the Principality’s social scene for 50 years
MonacoUSA organised a carnival, among other events - © Mike Colquhoun
The non-profit organizes events where people can meet up in a relaxed setting.
In 1973, almost twenty years after her marriage to Prince Rainier III, Princess Grace set things in motion to create a non-profit organization inspired by her American roots: MonacoUSA.
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Annette Anderson, a former journalist in Maine and director of the non-profit, tells the story: “The Princess was American before she was Monegasque, and she wanted to share the American spirit with the Principality, while promoting good relations between the two countries.”
And so MonacoUSA came about, fifty years ago: a networking organization that aims to put people who live or work in Monaco in touch with each other, whatever their nationality. “There are only 300 Americans in the Principality,” says Annette. “So it’s not really a club, where members are chosen according to where they come from. We welcome everybody who loves Monaco.”
Events are organized every two months, on Tuesday evenings, from 6pm to 8pm. Each evening has its own theme, something to do with the Principality. “For example, we’ve had Fight Aids Monaco, the Princess Charlene Foundation, the Princess Grace Foundation, Peace & Sport, Top Marques, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, Ecoute Cancer Réconfort… The theme is the focus of the evening: we promote the organization concerned for two hours. And representatives can come and introduce themselves, meet other people and exchange views,” Annette explains.
The main aim of these evenings is to raise awareness about the different organizations. Members then decide whether and how they wish to support the cause. “But there’s no pressure,” Annette stresses. “Members often thank me for choosing the theme, because they weren’t necessarily aware beforehand of what was being presented. For example, at the time we asked members of Ecoute Cancer Réconfort to come, the charity wasn’t very well known. And many members were delighted to learn about it and wanted to support it. That’s what makes us cheerleaders. (…) Monaco is a small country, so it’s easy to make connections. After 35 years here, I’ve met a lot of people and I can create synergies.”
The American Way
The American flavour lies in the very essence of these meetings. “It’s fun, relaxed… It’s the American Way,” says Annette with a smile. “I think this is the concept Princess Grace wanted to introduce. You know, she and Prince Rainier were an amazing couple: he was the Builder Prince, and she was the architect of Monaco’s social and cultural life. Together, they created something magnificent. And the Princess brought America’ positive outlook: providing networking opportunities in a relaxed, open and friendly environment. Each of our events draws between 80 and 150 people, of all nationalities, all ages (from 18 upwards), all backgrounds…“
By way of an example, she mentions the organization’s 50th anniversary, which was celebrated recently at the Novotel: “students from the International University of Monaco came along, and I asked them what they were doing there. They told me: ‘We want to make contacts, and we like the atmosphere, because it’s not too stuffy.'”
Museum visits, dinners, concerts, open mics… MonacoUSA also organises a whole host of activities to further foster connections. But one of Annette Anderson’s proudest achievements is the quiz nights, which are regularly attended by Prince Albert II, the Honorary President. “We put on general knowledge quizzes, with prizes for the participants. Sometimes the Sovereign is on the winning team, sometimes he isn’t,” Annette laughs. “Which proves there’s no cheating!”
Dealing with serious topics in a light-hearted way
Other quizzes are about the evening’s subject matter, however. And one of the most unusual, but also one of the best in Annette’s opinion, was organized with Fight Aids Monaco. “ We did a quiz about sex. We wanted to inform people, but in a fun way. And the participants loved it! It wasn’t done in bad taste. This is a perfect example of what we do: dealing with serious topics, but in a light-hearted way.”
The Prince was absent that night, but he has always been a great supporter of MonacoUSA. “In 2013, the Sovereign awarded us the Order of the Grimaldis. We were so proud!” Annette recalls.
The Sovereign even wrote a letter for our fiftieth anniversary: “My mother, Princess Grace, never missed an opportunity to promote cultural, educational and artistic links between her native America and the Principality. MonacoUSA is the direct result of her efforts and her wish to foster a sincere friendship between the two countries.”
A friendship that also involves celebrating purely American events, such as Thanksgiving, July 4, or even the US presidential elections. “Every four years, we follow the American election coverage throughout the night. The year Donald Trump was elected, almost everyone stayed until the morning,” says Annette .
Even though 2024 has just begun, the organization’s Director isn’t short on ideas and projects: “Now that Covid is finally behind us, we would like to encourage people to be more active for the community. Not just writing cheques: really getting involved in a cause. We want to show how wonderful it is to give of your time. (…) I am very optimistic and excited to see our community grow and become more active. And for me, it’s been a fabulous experience, organizing all these events, helping people to meet up, seeing them getting involved… MonacoUSA proves that you can do something that’s fun, but with a serious goal.”
If you would like to take part in MonacoUSA events, you can ask for the schedule by email: monacousa.mc@gmail.com.