Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Gere Foundation join forces for Healthy Earth.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Gere Foundation have recently joined forces to explore new avenues of collaboration for the protection of the environment and the advancement of Planetary Health. On Saturday the 19th September 2026, the two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Monaco marking the beginning of a partnership built on shared values, complementary expertise and a common ambition: to help drive meaningful and lasting change for people and the planet.

The agreement was signed by Romain Ciarlet, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and Ana Buitrago, President and CEO of the Gere Foundation, in the presence of Richard Gere, during his visit to Monaco for the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the Fondation.

Photo >> Romain Ciarlet, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and Ana Buitrago, President and CEO of the Gere Foundation, signing the mutual partnership agreement in the presence of Richard Gere (Monaco, 19th September 2026) © Michael Alesi/Palais Princier © Ludovic Arneodo/FPA2

A partnership rooted in shared values.

At the heart of the new collaboration is a conviction shared by both organisations: that environmental responsibility must be accompanied by respect for communities, individual responsibility and a commitment to creating positive, long-term change.

The MoU provides a framework through which the two foundations can identify areas of synergy, exchange knowledge and expertise, showcase impactful initiatives and mobilise their respective networks. Rather than defining a single project or sector of intervention, the agreement creates space for the partners to explore where their combined experience and reach can deliver the greatest value.

This approach reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of the challenges facing the Planet. Climate change, biodiversity loss, pressure on ecosystems and the well-being of communities cannot be addressed in isolation. They require collaboration across disciplines, sectors and geographical boundaries.

The partnership between the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Gere Foundation therefore has the potential to become a platform for bringing together environmental action, human values and community engagement.

Photo >> Richard Gere, President of his Foundation, received in the personal office of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco (Prince's Palace, Monaco, 19th September 2026) © Michael Alesi/Palais Princier © Ludovic Arneodo/FPA2

From environmental responsibility to Planetary Health.

For the Gere Foundation, the protection of the planet sits alongside compassion, individual and universal responsibility, human and civil rights, and respect for communities as fundamental guiding principles.

Richard Gere's environmental engagement is exemplified by his involvement in Sierra A Mar in Mexico, an initiative that brings together local communities, government organisations, developers and visionary leaders with the ambition of establishing new global standards inspired by Nature and designed to regenerate ecosystems.

The experience offers a valuable perspective for a partnership focused not only on conservation, but also on the relationship between healthy ecosystems, resilient communities and sustainable development.

This broader understanding of planetary health is increasingly central to environmental action. Protecting natural systems means recognising that human well-being and the health of the environment are deeply interconnected. It also means developing solutions that are capable of generating lasting benefits for both ecosystems and the communities that depend upon them.

Combining complementary strengths

For the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the agreement reinforces a longstanding commitment to partnerships and to mobilising a broad range of stakeholders in response to environmental challenges.

The organisation's international experience in supporting environmental initiatives provides an important complement to the Gere Foundation's humanitarian outlook, community-centred approach and ability to connect environmental concerns with wider questions of responsibility and human well-being.

The value of the partnership lies precisely in this complementarity.

Richard Gere, pointed out: « Our two foundations share the conviction that compassion and responsibility must translate into concrete action. I am very pleased to see our organisations opening this new chapter together and exploring how our experience, networks and shared concerns can contribute to protecting the planet and building a more sustainable future ».

Romain Ciarlet, highlighted, stressing that the partnership reflects the importance of creating bridges between different forms of expertise and experience: « We are delighted to establish this relationship with the Gere Foundation. Addressing environmental challenges requires action that transcends sectoral and community boundaries, bringing together all kinds of expertise and experience. This agreement gives us the opportunity to identify areas where our respective strengths can complement one another and support concrete action for the Planet ».

Photo >> From left to right: Richard Gere, H.S.H. Princess Charlene of Monaco, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Monica Bellucci and Isabelle Huppert (Opera House, Salle Garnier, Monte-Carlo, 18th September 2026) © Philippe Fitte FPA2 © Frédéric Nebinger FPA2

A significant moment in Monaco.

The signing took place during a private screening of WISDOM OF HAPPINESS, produced by Richard Gere, at the Théâtre Princesse Grace in Monaco.

The documentary offers an intimate cinematic encounter with the Dalai Lama, exploring his reflections on compassion, inner peace and happiness in the face of some of the defining challenges of the 21st century. The screening was followed by a question-and-answer session with Richard Gere and Tencho Gyatso, niece of the Dalai Lama and President of the International Campaign for Tibet.

The setting added a particularly meaningful dimension to the new partnership. The themes explored through the film — compassion, responsibility, inner well-being and the search for peaceful responses to global challenges — resonate with the broader principles underpinning the collaboration between the two foundations.

The partnership was also part of a wider programme celebrating twenty years of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, highlighting two decades of international environmental action.

Thus, the MoU represents a starting point rather than an endpoint. Its strategic value will ultimately lie in the initiatives and opportunities that emerge from the dialogue it enables.

The next phase will involve identifying concrete areas of collaboration, where the respective expertise, networks and international perspectives of the two organisations can be brought together. This could create opportunities to amplify existing initiatives, strengthen awareness of environmental issues, support innovative approaches and connect a wider range of stakeholders around common objectives.

The partnership also reflects a broader evolution in environmental philanthropy. Increasingly, meaningful progress depends not simply on funding individual projects, but on building networks capable of connecting knowledge, resources, influence and local action.

The collaboration arrives at a moment when the need for collective action has never been clearer. Its future potential will depend on turning shared principles into practical initiatives, while continuing to learn from the communities, organisations and experts working on the ground.

For both foundations, the objective is ultimately the same: to contribute to a healthier planet and a more sustainable future by transforming shared responsibility into collective action.

A new chapter for international environmental cooperation

Richard Gere's visit to Monaco, which also included his participation as guest of honour at the Fondation's 20th Anniversary Gala on Friday the 18th September, provided a fitting backdrop for the launch of this new chapter.

Held at the Salle Garnier of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo in the presence of the Princely Couple, the gala celebrated two decades of the Fondation's environmental engagement around the world. During the evening's auction, conducted by Simon de Pury, Richard Gere offered an exceptional experience: the opportunity to share a privileged moment with him over a gourmet meal, providing a unique occasion to engage with one of the world's most respected actors and humanitarian figures.

The partnership between the Sovereign Prince's and the Gere's Foundations thus opens a promising new chapter — one in which environmental protection, compassion and collective responsibility can reinforce one another, and in which collaboration becomes a catalyst for action. ***

✒️ Maurice Abbati

• Strategic Communication Specialist, Editor in Chief, Journalist, Executive.

• Lecturer and Author in English in the field of Environmental Communication to foster Circular and Blue Economy