The Prince of Monaco, Albert II, has just taken part in an exclusive Zoom meeting with Tel Aviv University (TAU) academics. An environmentalist who has been an outspoken advocate of ocean conservation and adoption of renewable energy sources to cope with global climate change, Prince Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi is the son of former leader of the tiny country, the 62-year-old Prince Rainier II, whom he succeeded upon his death in 2005, and famed actress Grace Kelly, who died at the ae of 52 as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in 1982. 

A brighter future for the next generation

“In order for us to envision a brighter future for the next generation we have to work on climate issues together,” said the prince in the online meeting together with entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist Aaron G. Frenkel, Prof. Colin Price (head of the Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences and Head of the Frenkel Initiative for Combating Pollution) and Nico Rosberg, a sustainability entrepreneur and Formula One World Champion.

Who is Prince Albert?

Prince Albert II is the founder of the foundation created in his name to raise funds and initiate action for such causes and greater ecological preservation.

In July 2011, he married South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock, and they They have two children, the twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques. He is one of the richest royals in the world, with assets valued at more than $1 billion.  which include land in Monaco and France. Prince Albert owns shares 

Speaking French, English, German and Italian, he spent a year training in various princely duties and enrolled at Amherst College, in western Massachusetts, in 1977 as Albert Grimaldi, studying political science, economics, music, and English literature. 

He spent part of 1979 touring Europe and the Middle East program and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and management at the University of Bristol.

A year after being prince, he created the Monaco Foundation to support sustainable and ethical projects around the world and to focus on climate change and renewable energy development; combating the loss of biodiversity; and water management (improving universal access to clean water. .

Acknowledging mistakes from the past

In 2015, Prince Albert apologized for Monaco’s role in facilitating the deportation in 1942 during the Holocaust of a total of 90 Jews and resistance fighters, of whom only nine survived. 

The online meeting was also attended by TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat and Prof. Francois Heilbronn, President of the French Friends of Tel Aviv University, who acted as moderator. 

Smart cities and ecology

TAU and Monaco have been collaborating for several years. Three years ago, a TAU delegation participated in a gala event focusing on the environment, smart cities and ecology, in collaboration with the Foundation. In June 2018, Prince Albert II received an honorary doctorate from the university “in recognition of his deep commitment to preserving the environment for future generations, while promoting collaborations for finding solutions to problems of climate, water and ecosystem diversity.” 

Last September in Monaco TAU launched the Frenkel Initiative for Combating Pollution, supported by Aaron Frenkel. This initiative is a continuation of the joint agreement for combating pollution signed during Albert II’s visit to TAU. “Many organizations in Monaco are now connected with scientists from Tel Aviv university, working on different projects for combating pollution Frankel said. “I hope others will join me and we could create a momentum of projects bettering our places and the world as such.” 

Monaco’s energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The joint initiative will support applied research at TAU’s Porter School of the Environment and Earth Sciences’ research department of environmental studies and the department of geography and human environment. It will focus on solutions for problems of air pollution, while also supporting Monaco’s activities in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy. “We have been trying in the last six years to promote innovator startup companies in the field of smart abilities, and we just recruited a new round of startups last week thanks to the generous support of Mr. Frenkel and the collaborations with Monaco,” concluded Price.  

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