To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (CIUP), the Monaco Foundation hosted a special “Concert for Peace” on Sunday, October 12, at the Maison Internationale.
The event echoed the words of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, who told the United Nations General Assembly on September 25 that “peace is not a utopia, but an imperative.” The CIUP, where students from around the globe have lived and learned together for a century, stands as a living testament to this vision.
The concert featured renowned violinist Zhang Zhang, former concertmaster of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra (2000–2024) and soloist at the Royal Opera of Versailles. Accompanied by guitarist Leopoldo Giannola and her brother, cellist Leo Zhang—both members of the NGO ZhangOMusiq she founded in 2007—Zhang performed a repertoire blending classical music with film scores, celebrating themes of peace and universality.
Zhang, laureate of the Jean-Pierre Bloch Prize from LICRA for artists committed to peace and social progress, delivered a poignant message to the audience of nearly 500 academics, dignitaries, and residents: “What unites us is far stronger than what divides us.”
The concert highlighted the CIUP’s century-long mission of fostering dialogue and solidarity among students of over 150 nationalities, a fitting tribute from the Monaco Foundation on this historic anniversary.
