Latest news with #EurovisionVillage
Al-Ahram Weekly
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Silent demo held against Israel's place in Eurovision - Music - Arts & Culture
Around 200 people staged a silent march through Eurovision host city Basel on Wednesday, protesting against Israel's participation in the TV musical extravaganza while ramping up its war in Gaza. Related Thousands in Finland demand boycott of Israel in Eurovision The demonstrators marched from the City Hall across the River Rhine but police stopped them from reaching the "Eurovision Village" fan zone. Carrying around 30 Palestinian flags, they marched with a banner reading "Basel -- Unite For Palestine" and "Boycott Genocide Song Contest". One woman held a placard reading "Gaza is being starved by Israel right now". One man held a banner saying: "Thank you Nemo!" The Swiss singer, who won last year's Eurovision in Malmo, Sweden, has joined calls for Israel to be excluded from the world's biggest live television music event. Other placards read: "Human rights for everyone" and "We are thinking about the 50,000 dead children, mothers and fathers from Gaza". Lea Kobler, 31, from Zurich, said: "It is just horrendous. And Basel is giving a stage to Israel and no-one is saying anything. It has to stop." She carried a placard reading: "We are human and you watched, stayed silent." As Israel steps up its offensive in Gaza, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, calls have mounted for it to be excluded from Eurovision. Pro-Palestinian protests in Basel, however, are nowhere near the scale or intensity of those held last year in Malmo, when Israel's competitor Eden Golan performed under tight security amid threats, and was largely confined to her hotel. Yuval Raphael, Israel's entrant this year, is among the favourites to qualify from Thursday's semi-final. Raphael survived the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza, hiding beneath dead bodies as Hamas gunmen attacked a music festival, killing hundreds. Israel's public broadcaster Kan said it had filed a police complaint after filming a protester apparently making a "throat-slitting gesture" at the country's delegation during the Eurovision opening ceremony parade on Sunday. A number of flag-waving pro-Palestinian demonstrators were among the crowds. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
France 24
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
Eurovision week's opening parade set to start the party
The Swiss city is pulling out the stops as it hosts the 69th edition of the light-hearted TV spectacular that celebrates kitsch and pushes the boundaries of taste. While Europop beats, dramatic staging and earworm choruses dominate on stage, the geopolitical backdrop always looms large, with protests again possible over Israel's participation while it ramps up its war in Gaza. Eurovision is the world's biggest annual live televised music event, reaching around 160 million viewers. The glamfest begins with Sunday's opening ceremony, when all 37 competing countries' entrants will parade through Basel, starting at the iconic 500-year-old city hall. Vintage trams and buses will take the performers along the so-called "turquoise carpet" parade route -- the longest in Eurovision history at 1.3 kilometres (0.8 miles). The parade will be accompanied by drummers, carnival groups, marching bands, alphorn players and techno acts as they cross the River Rhine over the Mittlere bridge, ending up at the "Eurovision Village" fan zone. "This will create a unique spectacle in the middle of Basel's old town," says the city which sits right on the border with France and Germany. Israel in the spotlight Last year's contest in Malmo, Sweden saw street protests over the Gaza war. Israel's entrant Eden Golan performed under tight security amid threats, and was largely confined to her hotel. More than 1,300 police officers will be on duty in Basel during Eurovision week, while video surveillance cameras have gone up around the fan zones. Israel's entrant this year is Yuval Raphael. She survived the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza, hiding beneath dead bodies as Hamas gunmen attacked a music festival, killing hundreds. The 24-year-old said she hopes her song "New Day Will Rise" will send a message of healing and solidarity. Since the Hamas attack, music has been "something that heals my soul", she told AFP in a recent interview. But more than 70 former Eurovision competitors called this week for Israel to be banned over the war in Gaza, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives. "By continuing to platform the representation of the Israeli state, the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) is normalising and whitewashing its crimes", they said in a joint letter. Spain's public broadcaster has also asked the EBU, which organises Eurovision, to open a "debate" on the appropriateness of Israel taking part. Despite last year's protests, Golan finished fifth. Celine Dion mystery The semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday will see 11 countries bow out, leaving 26 nations to contest Saturday's final at the St. Jakobshalle arena. Switzerland is hosting after Swiss vocalist Nemo won Eurovision 2024 in Malmo with the highly personal song "The Code", about discovering non-binary gender identity. Switzerland won the inaugural song contest in 1956, then triumphed again when Canada's Celine Dion competed for the Alpine nation in 1988, launching her career internationally. Organisers are tight-lipped as to whether Dion, in fragile health, might spring a surprise star turn. Swiss newspaper Le Matin, citing internal documents, said there was a two-minute slot in the grand final reserved for Dion -- but cautioned that the script was changing regularly. Sweden steaming hot favourites Sweden's entry KAJ are the hot favourites to win, with a comical take on the joy of having a sauna, driven by accordion licks and a catchy chorus. Their number features the three singers in brown suits, surrounded by dancers in lumberjack shirts first grilling sausages over a bonfire before appearing in a mock sauna with towels around their waists, slapping their backs with birch branches. A dour-looking comedy trio from Finland's Swedish-speaking minority, KAJ -- Kevin Holmstrom, Axel Ahman and Jakob Norrgard -- hope their steamy-but-not-in-a-sexy-way "Bara bada bastu" song -- "Just have a sauna" -- will give people a laugh. "It's about relaxing with your friends, going into the sauna and having a nice time and coming out on the other side feeling great," Norrgard told AFP. It is Sweden's first entry in Swedish since 1998, when Eurovision removed the national language requirement. "To have Sweden, which is really the trend-setter at Eurovision, sending a song in (Swedish, will) have a major impact on the contest," historian and Eurovision expert Dean Vuletic told AFP. "It's going to motivate more countries to send songs in their national languages". Austria's JJ is the second-favourite with "Wasted Love", a song in the mould of "The Code", flipping between operatic vocals and modern beats. France, the Netherlands and Israel round out the chasing pack, according to bookmakers. © 2025 AFP
Arab News
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Eurovision lifts ban on Palestinian flags as scrutiny of Israel's participation grows
LONDON: Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have lifted a ban on Palestinian flags for audience members, but maintained restrictions for participating artists, as pressure over Israel's inclusion in this year's event increased. The change, confirmed by Danish broadcaster DR, marks a shift from the European Broadcasting Union's longstanding rule prohibiting flags from non-competing countries and territories. That policy led to Palestinian flags being banned in previous years. According to updated guidelines obtained by DR, fans will now be allowed to bring and display any flag that does not contain 'racist and/or discriminatory content,' or symbols thought to incite hatred, violence, or linked to banned organizations. In a statement to CNN, the EBU said the update seeks to 'strike a balance to ensure that our audiences and artists can express their enthusiasm and identities,' while offering greater clarity for national delegations. However, the relaxed policy applies only to the audience. Participating artists will still be restricted to displaying official national flags in all official Eurovision spaces, including the stage, green room, and Eurovision Village. Artists may show only the flag of the country they represent. The revised policy comes amid growing criticism of Israel's participation in this year's contest to be held in Basel, Switzerland, with semifinals on May 13 and 15 and the final on May 17. Officials in countries including Slovenia, Spain and Iceland have questioned Israel's inclusion. Icelandic Foreign Minister Porgerour Katrin Gunnarsdottir told a local outlet she found it 'strange and actually unnatural that Israel is allowed to participate,' accusing the country of committing 'war crimes' and 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza. Despite these objections, the EBU has confirmed that Israel's entry meets the competition's rules. As with last year, large-scale protests are expected in Basel against Israel's participation. Despite pressure from pro-Israel organizations, Swiss authorities said demonstrations are permitted in principle, including those opposing Israel's presence, provided they comply with public safety regulations.
