Prince Albert II is celebrating a milestone two decades in the making, and some major stars are joining him in Monaco for the occasion.
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is marking its 20th anniversary on September 18 with a special gala at the Salle Garnier of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.
© Taylor HillThe private evening, held under the presidency of the Monegasque sovereign, brings together figures from the worlds of film, music, art and philanthropy to celebrate the Foundation's environmental work and support its future initiatives, as reported by Monaco-Matin, which revealed the lineup earlier this month.
Monica Bellucci and Richard Gere are among the evening's guests of honor, while Christina Aguilera, Plácido Domingo and Sister Sledge are set to take the stage for special performances. More than 250 guests are expected to attend the celebration.
© Carlos AlvarezThe glamorous evening begins with a red carpet and cocktail reception, followed by a dinner featuring a menu created by acclaimed chef Yannick Alléno.
An auction led by Simon de Pury will also raise funds for the Foundation's work, with art, collectibles and exclusive experiences among the offerings.
© Antoine FlamentA journey that began in the Arctic:
The anniversary carries a particularly personal significance for Prince Albert.
© Pascal Le SegretainIn April 2006, the royal embarked on an expedition to the North Pole, traveling approximately 100 kilometers with his team before reaching the Pole on April 16. The journey was intended in part to draw attention to the effects of global warming in the Arctic.
At the time, Albert warned of the environmental dangers facing the planet and called for collective action to protect it.
© Abaca PressThe expedition also paid tribute to his great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert I, a pioneering oceanographer who led several scientific expeditions to Spitsbergen around the turn of the 20th century.
Albert's firsthand experiences in the polar regions helped shape what came next. In June 2006, just two months after reaching the North Pole, the Prince established the foundation bearing his name to support environmental protection and sustainable development.
20 years of action:
Two decades later, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation works internationally with a focus on climate change, biodiversity and water resources.
© Abaca PressIts efforts are concentrated particularly in the Mediterranean Basin, the polar regions and the world's least developed countries. According to figures released for its 20th anniversary, the Foundation has supported 838 projects in more than 100 countries since its creation.
Scientists, conservationists, Indigenous Peoples and local communities are among the many groups the organization says it has worked alongside during those two decades.
© Abaca PressThe Foundation reflected on the anniversary ahead of Friday's celebration, writing, "These twenty years have been shaped by the people we have worked with, the partnerships we have built and the places we have sought to protect."
Friday's star-studded gala celebrates how far that mission has come, but the organization is also framing the anniversary as the beginning of its next chapter. As the Foundation put it simply, "The journey continues."
