Prince Albert II visits Monacollecte for an edition focused on zero waste
Prince Albert II visited the stands and workshops at Monacollecte on Friday 6 March © Communication Department - Stéphane Danna
The Sovereign visited the Fontvieille Marquee on Friday morning for the fifth Monacollecte event, meeting with associations and young people who are aware of the issue.
On Friday morning, the Fontvieille Marquee was bustling with activity among the stands of the Monacollecte exhibitors. Groups of schoolchildren gathered at the workshops organised for the occasion. In the centre of the space, young children, bent over their drawing sheets with pencils in hand, sketched disproportionate figures and multicoloured recycling bins.
Prince Albert II, who came to inaugurate this new edition, was accompanied by Minister of State Christophe Mirmand and Minister-Councillor Céline Caron-Dagioni. Pierre Bardy, Director General of the Société Monégasque d’Assainissement (SMA), which organised the event, guided the Sovereign on a tour of the various areas. At the Fight Aids Monaco stand, the Prince even joined in the fun by scribbling “I think before I throw away. I think about recycling” on a small flag before planting it on a ball of paper.
A little further on, teenagers were pedalling energetically at the Sauvage Méditerranée association’s stand, operating a machine that crushes and recycles plastic bottle caps. The principle, which is both fun and physical, sums up the spirit of this fifth edition, which is dedicated to zero waste.
A surge of solidarity for Lebanon
It is only a short step from responsibility to solidarity. Continuing on his way, Prince Albert II lingered at the Friends of Lebanon stand. In response to the crisis affecting Lebanon, which has been targeted by Israeli bombing, the association has launched an appeal for exceptional donations. “More than 80,000 people have already been displaced, leaving behind their homes and their livelihoods… and unfortunately this number continues to rise. If we can, together, bring a little comfort, every gesture will count,” they said on Facebook. To help prepare boxes of clothing, hygiene products, school supplies and toys, players from AS Monaco Basket’s U20 team came to lend a hand to the volunteers.
On Friday morning, school groups took part in a series of activities, including zero-waste cooking workshops, homemade cosmetics making, sewing lessons and a virtual reality stand. The event continues tomorrow, Saturday, from 10am to 7pm, and is open to families and anyone who wishes to donate items or learn about good sorting practices in the Principality.