ROYAL ARTS VISIONS; Prince Albert II visits the medieval village of Rondine dedicated to peace

Prince Albert II 

visits the medieval village of Rondine dedicated to peace

Prince Albert II of Monaco continued his Tuscan weekend by visiting Rondine on Sunday, September 15. The Monegasque sovereign went to explore this magnificent village with medieval foundations, which has become the village of peace.

Prince Albert II visits Rondine with Franco Vaccari, president of the Rondine Cittadella della Pace organization (Photo: Axel Bastello / Prince's Palace)

Prince Albert II visits the village of peace in Tuscany

On Saturday, September 14, 2024, Prince Albert II of Monaco, 66, began a trip to Tuscany, to discover the province of Arezzo. His first stop was at the Alverne monastery, near his sanctuary, where Francis of Assisi received the stigmata, exactly 800 years ago. The next day, Sunday, September 15, the Monegasque head of state headed to Rondine.

Rondine is a beautiful village whose foundations, including those of its castle, date back to the 11th century. This village, which had fallen into disrepair, has been inhabited again since 1977, thanks to an initiative launched by the Bishop of Arezzo. In 1990, the Rondine Association was formed, aimed at promoting peace in the context of the conflict between Russia and Chechnya, welcoming five citizens from both sides into the village so that they could learn to live together in peace.

Arrival of the Monegasque sovereign at the campus (Photo: Axel Bastello / Prince's Palace)

This Sunday, Prince Albert II was welcomed by Franco Vaccari, president of the organization Rondine Cittadella della Pace. This organization was founded in 1998 following the first peace experiment conducted in the village. Today, the organization is dedicated to reducing armed conflicts and promoting a culture of peace throughout the world. It funds scholarships for young people from countries in conflict or post-conflict armed conflict, who then come to study in the village.

Prince Albert addresses students at the Cittadella della Pace (Photo: Axel Bastello / Prince's Palace)

Prince Albert meets students who benefit from a study programme (Photo: Axel Bastello / Prince's Palace)

In the village, Prince Albert II discovered the Rondine Monument, which symbolises the spiritual and cultural roots of the citadel, as well as the training centre and the boarding school residences. The Rondine campus welcomes young people from all over the world who stay at the World House. Prince Albert notably shared a meal with students in the campus refectory.

Group photo of students surrounding Prince Albert II of Monaco (Photo: Axel Bastello / Prince's Palace)

The government of Monaco "has supported the Rondine association since 2015, particularly in the higher education of young students. This partnership was renewed in 2022 to cover, until 2024, scholarships for two Lebanese and Malian students, Lebanon and Mali being partner countries of the Monegasque Cooperation", assures the government.

Nicolas Fontaine

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