On Saturday, April 27th, the Sovereign Prince officially inaugurated the new Institution François d’Assise – Nicolas Barré in the presence of Serge Telle, Minister of State, Mgr Bernard Barsi, Archbishop of Monaco, Stéphane Valéri, President of the National Council, Patrice Cellario , Government Counselor – Minister of the Interior, Didier Gamerdinger, Government Counselor – Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Isabelle Bonnal, Director of National Education, Youth and Sports, Christine Lanzerini, Director General, Head of secondary school, and many Monegasque personalities.
Under the leadership of Bishop Barsi, the participants first went to the chapel, the real heart of the establishment. “We pray that this establishment will be a light for young people and the educational community in their search for the truth,” said the Archbishop.
The Sovereign Prince and the Minister of State were then respectively expressed in the multipurpose room adjoining the chapel. “A new period in the history of the institution opens said Serge Telle because FANB is not a building like the others: it symbolizes the alliance between soul and spirit.”
Built on the site of the former school that has welcomed students for more than 130 years, the new eight-storey building complies with the High Environmental Quality standards and is a perfect response to the challenges facing today’s education. For example, all classrooms are equipped with Interactive Digital Screens (ENI) which replace the traditional tables.
“Rebuilding a school is an act of faith in the future,” Barsi concluded.