Princess Stephanie of Monaco looked radiant and happy on arrival at the Sporting in Monte-Carlo last Friday, July 25, 2014, accompanied by her charming older daughter Pauline Ducruet, to celebrate with her team and loyal supporters the 10th anniversary of the association Fight Aids Monaco (FAM) that she presides. Princess Stephanie is not only the President and Founder of Fight Aids Monaco since 2004 but also UNAIDS Good Will Ambassador since 2006. More than 650 people joined her at the Summer Gala where the honor guest was no other than singer Christophe Mae, who had already animated the association’s gala back in 2008. He had also collaborated in the benefit single “The gold of our lives” in 2005 in support of the project Maison de Vie (House of life) in Carpentras, France founded in 2010.

Watch a very interesting interview of Princess Stephanie on Monaco Info (in French):

The Summer Gala is one of the two main events organized by the association, the other being the FAM Auction on December 1, which raises funds through the sale of tickets and a raffle of valuable items generously donated by loyal partners. The proceeds enable FAM to continue their unrelenting work in support of people living with HIV and AIDS, through financial and psychological assistance, prevention programs as well as their campaigns to reduce the social stigma surrounding the virus, prevention, and encouraging others to get tested and treated.

Today the association accompanies 122 people living with HIV. Two times a week affiliates come the association’s building in the Principality. Besides Fight Aids manages the Maison de Vie in Carpentras that is an oasis welcoming people suffering from Aids. The association firmly believes that patients can benefit from emotional care and support to help them gain confidence to deal with their status around their family and help them reintegrate into society.

The event was perfectly animated by well known radio and TV presenter Marc Toesca who also conducted the raffle. The association’s mascot Manel Dalgo, female impersonator dancer delighted the public with his performance and magnificent costumes. Manel has been a volunteer for the association for more than four years.

French singer and song-writer Christophe Mae enchanted the audience

The highlight of the evening was the performance of French singer-songwriter Christophe Mae, who is originally from Carpentras.At the age of 6 he learned to play the violin. At 16 a disease left him temporarily paralysed, and this inspired him to take up the guitar and the harmonica, and become a professional musician. Mae’s father is also a renowned jazz singer, and Christophe’s music, drawing from reggae, folk, soul and the blues, is also clearly influenced by his father’s jazz roots. Other artists that have impacted on his work include Bob Marley, Tracy Chapman, Jack Johnson, and French singer-songwriters Francis Cabrel and Gerald De Palmas.

Mae’s first album, Sa Danse Donne was released in 2002. In 2004 Maé opened for the British soul artist Seal and famous American pop singer/actress Cher at the Zénith de Paris. His first studio album, entitled Mon Paradis, was released in 2007 and became France’s second best-selling album of that year. It includes the hit singles On s’attache, Parce qu’on sait jamais and Ça fait mal. Despite his more complex musical roots, Maé’s sound has a distinctly catchy pop aesthetic. It is this accessibility which attracts fans from countries such as Belgium, Switzerland and America, of both French and non-French speaking persuasion. A ‘jack of all trades’, Mae also played the role of Monsieur in the French musical Le Roi Soleil.

For more information on the association visit: www.fightaidsmonaco.com

Photos by Celina Lafuente de Lavotha - Monaco Reporter