Organisers of Venice in Monte-Carlo, which includes the Grand Masked Ball on Saturday, February 17, have announced that part of the benefits of the evening will be donated to the Foyer de l’Enfance Princesse Charlene (the Princess Charlene Home for Children).

The Princess Charlene Home for Children officially opened on February 1, 2012, in the presence of the Prince and Princess, and then Minister of State Michel Roger, along with members of the government.

Located at 9 rue Bellevue, the building was built on the site where the former Dominican convent once stood. Each year, around thirty children and teenagers from Monaco live at the Home for Children, which aims to help to protect minors in danger, and to help parents reinvest in their parental duties.

“In 2015, 44 children were welcomed,” Huguette Woodroffe, Deputy Director, told l’Obervateur de Monaco in April 2016. “The average placement is two to three years. But it can go from a few hours … to several years.”

Of the 30 minors, most are between the ages of 14 and 18, with one-third being Monegasques, one-third French, and the other third a mix of nationalities.

“And behind every child placed lurks a story of a family in crisis. Sometimes conjugal violence or psychological difficulties. Sometimes health problems or single parenting situations that are difficult to live with.”

The Princess Charlene Home for Children project was implemented by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in cooperation with the Ministry for Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development, and demonstrates a commitment to continue to make Monaco a model country in the social sector.

Under the High Patronage of Prince Albert, Venice Monte-Carlo will take place later this month, and the Grand Masked Ball – complete with period costumes and “a sumptuous and dreamlike show” – will be held at the Salle des Étoiles.

More than 70 artists, musicians, acrobats and dancers will host the Grand Ball, which will pay tribute to the City of Venice and the Principality of Monaco, and see economic players, members of royal families, philanthropists, celebrities, opinion leaders, distinguished academics and representatives of the world media all gather to recreate the atmosphere of this golden age.

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