LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Some of Hollywood's hottest names gathered in Beverly Hills last night to salute Prince Albert II of Monaco -- the only son of Academy Award winner Grace Kelly -- and learn about his personal environmental crusade and how his foundation is helping to combat climate change, the loss of biodiversity and provide access to water.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091023/NY97858 )

Among the VIPs from the entertainment and corporate worlds eager to lend their support to the principality's sovereign were The Edge; Michael York; Chris Noth; Lionel Richie; film director Ron Shelton and his wife, actress Lolita Davidovich; Law & Order creator and Monaco's honorary consul in LA, Dick Wolf; singer Julian Lennon; Robert Kondrk (founder of Apple iTunes and President in the US) and Oliver Schusser (President Apple iTunes Europe).

Representing the Foundation's US chapter were its President John B. Kelly (a cousin of Prince Albert) and Hon. Maguy Maccario, Vice President and Consul General. The private dinner was held at The Beverly House (built in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst) and now home to businessman Leonard Ross.

"Monaco has a long legacy of environmental stewardship instigated by my great-great grandfather, Albert I more than a century ago, and also by my father. Their conservation initiatives over the years inspired me to set up a foundation devoted to environmental issues," said Prince Albert.

"Today this Foundation which bears my name has chapters around the world. In just three years we've invested some $23 million in 127 projects mainly in the Polar Regions, the Mediterranean Basin and in the world's least developed nations, focusing on the areas of immediate concern: climate change, loss of biodiversity and providing access to water. We support sustainable local and global initiatives which can make everyone of us a player in the protection and conservation of our natural resources."

"I know that all of us gathered here tonight are similarly concerned with the damage we are doing to our fragile planet and wish to help in some worthwhile way. While most may not be in a position to trek to the North or South Pole, or sign the Kyoto Treaty or travel to Copenhagen in December to offer support, when people ask me, what can I do? How can I help? I would say to them, what my mother once said to me: "trust your instincts"... Help where you can, give what you can whether it is money, time, resources, your name, your celebrity or an inspirational act, deed, song or word. We have to move away from a society that is obsessed with consumption and consumerism, so perhaps we need to reexamine our lifestyles and consider how our actions and daily life are affecting our world," he said.

Prince Albert will travel to the University of San Diego today to receive the prestigious Roger Revelle Prize from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography for his environmental initiatives.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation was established in 2006 by HSH Prince Albert to continue the Principality of Monaco's legacy of environmental stewardship and its commitment to conserve and preserve the world's natural environment and resources, by supporting sustainable and ethical projects especially in the Mediterranean Basin, the Polar regions and the world's least developed countries. Its focus is on three main challenges: climate change and developing renewable energies; combating the loss of biodiversity; and water management and fighting desertification. In just three years, the Foundation has extended its international outreach by opening chapters in Europe (France, Switzerland, the UK, Italy and Germany), in Canada and, in 2008, the United States of America. Since its inception, 127 projects have benefited from Foundation grants totaling more than $23 million. For more information, please visit www.pa2f.org.

SOURCE Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation