The 66th Monaco Red Cross Gala dinner was held at the Sporting Monte-Carlo on Aug. 1 in the presence of Prince Albert II, president of the Monaco Red Cross and Princess Charlene of Monaco.

Created in 1948, the gala is an annual fundraiser and has become one of the highlights of the principality's social season.

Encouraged by the commitments and deep personal convictions of Prince Albert II, the Monaco Red Cross, perpetually turned toward helping others, remains dynamic in its respect of its humanitarian and universal ideal. In this idea, the Monaco Red Cross Gala offers moments of sharing, unity and togetherness in an exceptional ephemeral setting.

Held annually in the first weekend of August, this annual fund-raiser brings out scores of international celebrities for a good cause. The gala dinner this year was also attend by a large number of celebrities.

Founded in 1948 by Prince Louis II, the Monaco Red Cross was recognized the same year by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

In the year 2013, the Monaco Red Cross had to increase the number of its international aid programs and missions, to which it devoted over 970,000 euros. In response to appeals from the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, many of its activities were carried out in extremely urgent conditions; in the Philippines at the end of 2013, following the ravages of the devastating Typhoon Haiyan; in the Republic of Niger; in Tunisia, dealing with food shortages due to long periods of drought, and more recently in the Balkans, where several regions in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia have suffered from dramatic floods.

On each occasion, private donations, contributed spontaneously, have been added to the

funding of rapid and efficient mobilization.

In addition to these actions, and without abandoning activities initiated over the past few years, whose follow-up requires considerable budgets and rigorousness, the Monaco Red Cross continues to participate in large-scale projects. In Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, for example, a program has just been set up aiming to ensure sustainable improvement of living conditions for people settled near mining sites.