Finland: Musicians Call to Stop Israel’s Participation in Eurovision 2024

A petition signed by 1,300 Finnish musicians is making headlines as they call for Israel’s exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) scheduled to take place in Malmö in May 2024. The musicians are urging the Finnish TV company, Yle, to either pressure the organizers or boycott the competition if their demands are not met.

In the petition, the Finnish music industry unites to express concerns about Israel‘s participation due to its involvement in the war against Hamas in Gaza. The musicians argue that allowing Israel to participate would be a violation of human rights, and they emphasize that they believe it is inappropriate for the country to use the ESC platform to enhance its image.

Lukas Korpelainen, the initiator of the petition, stated to Hufvudstadsbladet, “Israel violates human rights. We don’t think it’s okay for the country to be part of the ESC to polish its image.”

This call for Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision follows similar demands from other countries, including Iceland. However, notable figures such as actor Stephen Fry and Kiss member Gene Simmons have expressed support for Israel‘s participation, cautioning against politicizing the Eurovision Song Contest.

Israel is one of the 37 countries registered for the competition, but the final decision on its participation has not been made by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), as confirmed by Jere Nurminen, head of communications at Yle.

The Eurovision Song Contest has faced political controversies in the past, with Russia being ejected in 2022 due to the invasion of Ukraine. This decision was supported by Sweden and other Nordic countries. Russia subsequently withdrew from the EBU, preventing its further participation in the competition.

As SVT organizes this year’s Eurovision event following Loreen‘s victory in Liverpool last year, the ESC is scheduled to take place in Malmö from May 7 to 11, promising a unique 360-degree experience for both the audience and viewers.

As a reminder, the UMK songs will be released from January 11 to 19, one every day, while the artists will be announced on January 10!

The previous UMK winner and Finland‘s representative at Eurovision 2023 was Käärijä with the song “Cha cha cha” and finished in second place in the Grand Final:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6rS8Dv5g-8

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments regarding Finland’s participation in Eurovision 2024!

Source: Skånska Dagbladet