In brief

Histoires d’Ours: €40,000 raised and a surprise Prince’s bear

traverso monaco
21 teddies were auctioned off © Catherine Filliol

A new chapter for ‘Histoires d’Ours’ (Bear Story), a teddy bear auction in support of the Monaco Disease Power charity.

On 14 May, the Empire Room at the Hôtel de Paris was transformed into a magical world of confectionery, balloons and teddy bears thanks to the imagination and generosity of Karelle and Marco Traverso.

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More than just an auction, Histoires d’Ours is a magical charity event that raises funds for the Monaco Disease Power charity, whose president is Muriel Natali-Laure. This year, 21 adorable teddy bears, sponsored by Monegasque celebrities and companies such as APM Monaco, CMB Monaco and Czarina, each found a new home, to the delight of the audience.

Auctioneer Simon de Pury led the bidding in his bear suit. One by one, the bears were snapped up, sometimes for surprising amounts, reflecting the extraordinary level of support for the charity.

Simon-de-pury
Simon de Pury dressed as a bear for the evening © Catherine Filliol

By the end of the auction, some €35,000 had been raised, well in excess of the organisers’ expectations and the sum raised at last year’s first edition (€23,600).

Fidéon, the Prince’s bear

But the Story doesn’t end there. The Carabinieri Bear, aka Fidéon, a contraction of the Prince’s Carabinieri Corps motto ‘Honneur, Fidélité et Dévouement’ (Honour, Loyalty and Dedication), found a new owner at a private party organised by Maison Moghadam. In fact it was the event’s host, Kamyar Moghadam, who placed the highest bid and won the bear sponsored by the Prince.

The event’s host, Kamyar Moghadam, with the Prince’s bear – © Monaco Tribune

And with the sale of the final bear, the event raised a total of almost €40,000 – not counting the pledges that are still flooding in.