Las Vegas hosts Embassy and Consulates of Monaco for annual meeting July 1, 2012

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Ambassador Gilles Noghés makes first official visit of any ambassador of Monaco to Nevada

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Consuls of Monaco from around US convene with Ambassador at Wynn

In 1955, famed Parisian author and former Las Vegan Louise de Vilmorin visited Monaco to receive a literary award from HSH Prince Rainier III.  Three days later her husband, Henry Leigh Hunt of Las Vegas, was tapped to be the first Consul of the Principality of Monaco in Las Vegas.  Hunt was the first consul of any foreign state based in Nevada.  His appointment came at the end of a long and illustrious career.  Consul Hunt retired in 1963.

Las Vegas Meeting of the Embassy and Consuls of Monaco: vice-Consul Tomas Abreu, Deputy Chief of Mission Lorenzo Ravano, vice-Consul Raffaella De Laruentiis, Consul Calvin Fayard, Ambassador Gilles Noghes, Consul Thomas Horn, Consul General Maguey Maccario, vice-Consul Ale Gicqueau, Consul Jonathan Warren, Consul Charles Battle (not pictured)

In 2006 His Excellency Gilles Noghès became the first Ambassador of Monaco accredited to the United States.  Ambassador Noghès worked to increase consular representation of Monaco in the United States, including recommending the 2010 appointment of Consul Jonathan Warren in Las Vegas.  The appointment returned the Consulate of Monaco to Las Vegas after a forty-seven year hiatus.

On June 14th, 2012, the Consulate of Monaco in Las Vegas hosted the first meeting of the Consulates of Monaco to take place outside of Washington, D.C.  Seven consulates joined the Ambassador Noghès and Deputy Chief of Mission Lorenzo Ravano at the Wynn Resort for their annual meeting.

Participating consuls included Consul General Maguey Maccario (New York), Consul Thomas Horn (San Francisco), Consul Charles Battle (Atlanta), Consul Calvin Fayard (New Orleans), Consul, vice-Consul Tomas Abreu (Miami), vice-Consul Raffaella De Laurentiis (Los Angeles) and Consul Jonathan Warren from Las Vegas. Following the meeting, the consuls and Ambassador were joined by special guests for lunch in the Villa.

Embassy of Monaco Luncheon with Special Guests: Baroness Kathleen von Schaefer, Buzz Feitschans, Karla Modolo, Ambassador Noghes, Frances Fayard, Counselor Lorenzo Ravano, Alina Gicqueau, Consul Paulina Biggs Sparkuhl, vice-Consul Tomas Abrea, Consul Calvin Fayard, vice-Consul Raffaella De Laurentiis, Andre Bilodeau, Consul Thomas Horn, Consul General Maguey Maccario, Mr. Guillaume Rose, vice-Consul Ale Gicqueau, Mr. Michel Bouquier, Consul Jonathan Warren

In addition to consular meeting, the group was hosted by the Consulate of Monaco in Las Vegas to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Dolphin Habitat and Secret Garden of Siegfried and Roy, led by Siegfried and Roy themselves.  Consul Warren hosted the group at a cocktail reception at the consular residence, as well as tours of the Smith Center and Springs Preserve before taking participants to Phantom the Las Vegas Spectacular, including a meeting of with cast members.

 Photos by Adam Silversmith