In Reflections at Christmas: Joe Issa Pays Tribute to Philanthropy of Late Princess Grace of Monaco

In Reflections at Christmas: Joe Issa Pays Tribute to Philanthropy of Late Princess Grace of Monaco With the Christmas season being a time for reflection and sharing, Executive Chairman of Cool Group of companies, Joe Issa, who has founded over three major charities, has paid tribute to the late Princess Grace of Monaco for her philanthropic work.

The former Hollywood star, Grace Kelly, who gave up her lucrative career at the age of 26 years to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco, died in 1982 when Issa was 17 years old; she was just 52 years old with so much more to give. Her husband, heir to the Monaco throne was hosted by Issa and his parents in the 1990s. By then Issa was a big name in the tourism industry running his father’s chain of resorts.

“The more I read about Princess Grace the more I feel proud of her; she was so humble, full of grace, elegant, well loved by everyone, and most importantly, the choice that she made when she realized she couldn’t act again – voluntarism,” Issa says.

He recalls the visit by Prince Albert to Jamaica and their cruise on board M/Y Zein, the luxury yacht his parents Rainier and Princess Grace honeymooned on after what was described as the wedding of the century. The 147ft vessel, which was given to Princess Grace as a wedding present by the late Aristotle Onassis, was subsequently bought by Issa’s father and renamed it after his daughter Zein.

According to Wikipedia, after her marriage to Prince Rainier, Kelly became involved with philanthropic work since she was no longer allowed to act. “Kelly founded AMADE Mondiale, a

Monaco-based non-profit organization that was eventually recognized by the UN as a NonGovernmental organization.”

It quoted UNESCO‘s website which stated that “AMADE promotes and protects the moral and physical integrity and spiritual well-being of children throughout the world, without distinction of race, nationality or religion and in a spirit of complete political independence.”Today, in her role as President, her daughter, Princess Caroline, is said to be carrying the torch for AMADE. “Kelly was also active in improving the arts institutions of Monaco, forming the Princess Grace Foundation in 1964 to support local artisans,” Wikipedia said, adding that the year after she died Princess Caroline took up the duties of President of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, with Prince Albert as Vice-President.

It cited another charity, The Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGF-USA), which was set up after Kelly’s death in 1982 “to continue the work that she had done, anonymously, during her lifetime, assisting emerging theatre, dance and film artists in America.” Headquartered in New York the PGF-USA is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, publicly supported organization.

The PGF-USA also runs The Princess Grace Awards which has seen nearly 500 artists at more than 100 institutions in the U.S. awarded more than US$7 million to date. It also says it “holds the exclusive rights and facilitates the licensing of her name and likeness throughout the world.”

In addition, Wikipedia says “Kelly was one of the first celebrities to support and speak on behalf of , an organization that advocates breastfeeding. She also planned a yearly Christmas party for local orphans and dedicated a Garden Club.”

Issa says, “Not enough people know of her volunteerism; apparently she gave a lot to charity anonymously, which reflects her humility and humanity, the hallmarks of a great individual.”