Monaco's Council of Europe presidency opens with music
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
The Principality's six-month presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has launched a cultural programme led by Monégasque musicians and folk dancers.
Monaco took up the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers in May 2026, and the opening weeks have been shaped by a deliberate focus on the Principality's artistic identity. The handover ceremony on 20 May featured a solo piano performance by young Monégasque pianist Stella Almondo, followed by a traditional dance from La Palladienne de Monaco, the folk ensemble that has long represented local heritage at official occasions.
A grand opening concert followed on 26 May, marking the formal start of a cultural programme that will run alongside the diplomatic work of the presidency throughout the coming months. The pairing of classical performance with folk tradition signals Monaco's intention to use its period at the helm of the 46-member institution to project a broader picture of Monégasque culture to a European audience.
The Council of Europe presidency rotates among member states and carries real diplomatic weight, giving the presiding government the ability to set the agenda for ministerial meetings on human rights, rule of law and democratic governance. For Monaco, the cultural strand appears designed to complement that institutional role with a visible arts dimension tied directly to the Principality.