Monaco Enhances Cultural Heritage with Former Ambassador's Book Donation

On Tuesday, Monaco’s cultural scene received a significant enhancement with the donation of 614 books from the private collection of Robert Fillon, former Ambassador and President of the Committee for Albert I Centenary Commemorations, to the Heritage Fund of the Monaco Media Library. The ceremony, attended by Mayor Georges Marsan along with Deputy Mayor Camille Svara, Secretary General Isabelle Costa, and other dignitaries, marked a notable moment in the principality's commitment to enriching its literary and historical archives.

The collection, spanning literature from the 15th to the 20th century, includes several invaluable pieces such as a 1478 parchment-printed edition of 'Mammotrectus super Bibliam'—a rare incunable that is the library's earliest such volume, printed only 25 years after the advent of the printing press. Additionally, the collection boasts an original 18th-century edition of the 'Encyclopédie' by Diderot and D’Alembert, encapsulating the Enlightenment era's intellectual spirit, preserved in its original binding.

Mayor Marsan emphasized the significance of this contribution, particularly as it coincides with the Media Library’s reopening at Îlot Pasteur. This donation not only augments Monaco's literary assets but also underscores the city-state’s ongoing dedication to the preservation and dissemination of historical and intellectual wealth to the public and future generations.