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Faroe Islands: Five year support to KVF is needed for its integration in the EBU!

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As we’ve previously informed you, the public broadcaster of the Faroe Islands, which is called KVF, hopes to become a member of the EBU, in the near future.

For yet another year, an artist from the Faroe Islands, took part in the DMGP 2024 ending up in third place. That is Janus Wiberg with the song “I Need Your Love”.

The public broadcaster of the Faroe Islands, has expressed its interest in competing in the Eurovision Song Contest, but taking into account that the Islands are part of the Danish Realm, the complete EBU member status, is not yet been approved.

Sirið Stenberg, the Minister of Social Affairs and Culture, was iin Liverpool last year alongside Ivan Niclasen. In this way, the public broadcaster, decided that the Faroe Islands must be a part of the EBU, and represent the Faroeses in Eurovision.

A five year support to KVF is essential, for its integration into the EBU. The EBU is responsible for Eurovision and it’s a partnership between public broadcasters. Becoming a member of the EBU will cost 1.5 million ISK, adding to the half million ISK for its annual membership.

However, all these plans are still in the making…

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest!

Sweden: Demonstration in Stockholm against Israel in Eurovision! | Around 2000 people protest!

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An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people have gathered at Odenplan in Stockholm for the demonstration, according to a police officer on site. The procession went to Gustav Adolfs Torg where the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has its office.

In the procession, several Palestinian flags were seen and the demonstrators chanted several slogans for Palestine.

Many had pictures of watermelons – a symbol of Palestinian struggle, and from the back of a car the demonstrators were urged to try to coup watermelons into the Melodifestivalen‘s TV broadcasts again, as two activists did last week. Per Hussein, who is involved in arranging the demonstration, says:

“The watermelon is a symbol of freedom and justice. The only people who would oppose such a symbol are those who stand against freedom and justice, and I don’t see why anyone would want to do that.”

Several of the demonstrators carried placards with messages about Israel’s Eurovision participation. Protester Lubna al Sheikhly said:

“Everyone agreed that Russia should not be involved. Now, after the deaths of 30,000 children, Israel is allowed to participate. This is not right.”

EBU: Israel’s public service broadcaster does not break the rules

The Eurovision organizer EBU‘s position is that the music competition is not between countries, but between public service broadcasters and that Israel‘s companies have not violated the contest rules.

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024, like 1000 Swedish musicians that signed today a petition to the EBU against Israel outside NRK right during the first two weeks of MGP. In Iceland, more than 500 artists signed a petition asking RÚV to withdraw from the contest, while Silvia Night signed an open letter to the EBU asking to ban Israel. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

Source: Aftonbladet
Photo: Peter Wixtröm/Aftonbladet

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A new statement from the EBU confirms Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2024!

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Israel can still take part in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, organizers say again, despite calls for it to be excluded because of the war in Gaza, as it was with Russia in 2022 after its invasion of Ukraine.

The EBU has once again confirmed Israel’s participation

The EBU in a new statement on Thursday, after checking all the facts and data, decided that Israel could participate in the upcoming song contest in Malmö, Sweden.

“The Eurovision song contest is a non-political music event and a competition between public service broadcasters who are members of the EBU. It is not a contest between governments,” the EBU director general, Noel Curran, said in a statement.

Our governing bodies … did review the participants list for the 2024 contest and agreed that the Israeli public broadcaster Kan met all the competition rules for this year and can participate, as it has for the past 50 years.

Israel and Russia two different cases

But Noel Curran does not stop at this statement, he also explains the reasons why the case of Israel’s participation in the Eurovision contest is not the same as that of Russia.

In the case of Russia, the Russian broadcasters themselves were suspended from the EBU due to their persistent breaches of membership obligations and the violation of public service values.

The relationship between Kan and the Israeli government is fundamentally different to the relationship that exists between those Russian members and the state, with the Israeli government in recent years threatening to close down the broadcaster.

Curran finally explained how the EBU followed other international organizations, such as sports federations, that kept Israel in their competitions.

Israel will be represented at Eurovision 2024 by Eden Golan, with a song to be announced in the coming weeks. The Israeli delegation this year will limit its appearances to a minimum for security reasons, even avoiding the parade on the turquoise carpet, one week before the competition.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates!

Source: The Guardian

Israel: With the composers of Unicorn or Toy, Eden at Eurovision 2024?

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According to Israeli media reports today, KAN rejected one of Eden Golan’s top three candidate songs for Eurovision 2024 because of its lyrics, which contained political overtones. Two songs remain in contention, with major composers signing both.

The delay in announcing the song with which Eden Golan will represent Israel at Eurovision 2024 is due to the fact that KAN rejected one of the top three candidate songs. The verse, YNET reports today, contained political messages and was therefore against the competition’s regulations.

The decision on the song that will be chosen is expected perhaps at the end of the week, as long as the EBU first approves the lyrics of the two remaining songs. A committee will make the final selection and if there is no issue, the song announcement will take place in the next few days.

It is worth noting that the control of the lyrics was done after a request addressed by the Israeli public television to the EBU, something that has happened several times in the past.

The two songs are signed by very important composers, who have great successes to their credit both in Eurovision and outside of it. One is composed by Eden Golan herself and produced by Yanon Yahel and Mai Sepadia (composer of Unicorn) and the other is composed again by Eden Golan, in collaboration with Keren Peles, Avi Ohayon and Stu Bager (composer of Toy ).

All of the above is happening at a time when more than 400 celebrities from the entertainment industry support Israel’s participation in Eurovision and at a time when, once again, the EBU confirms that Israel will participate normally in the competition, separating its case from that of Russia a few years ago.

With the minimum of appearances as you read in our previous article, Israel is expected to participate normally in Malmo, in a very special year for the country and while the war conflict in Gaza continues.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

Source: YNET

Spain: Left party demands Israel expulsion from Eurovision!

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Left party Podemos has registered a non-legal proposal that calls for the expulsion of Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest.

According to Podemos leader, Ione Belarra, “Israel should be prohibited from any international activity as a pressure tactic to stop the genocide against the Palestinian people”.  This would include not allowing Israel to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Moreover, Belarra has taken one step further and asked the Spanish Congress to debate the issue.   She has registered a non-legal proposal to request it.

If approved in Congress, it will urge the Government to “position itself clearly against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest”.  Accordingly, it asks the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares to “promote, together with other countries of the Union”, the aforementioned expulsion. If the proposition is passed, the Congress would ask RTVE as a member of the EBU and a member of the Reference Group to  “promote, together with other public broadcasters, the expulsion of Israel from the contest, in the same way that was done with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

In the explanatory statement, Podemos emphasizes that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), “as the organizer of the event, establishes the guidelines and regulations that the participating countries must follow. Also, the values ​​that it promotes and that inspire it are universality, diversity, equality, and inclusion. Eurovision is based on principles of cooperation and aims to unite participating countries through music, regardless of their cultural or linguistic differences.”

According to Podemos leader Ione Belarra, “these values ​​and these objectives become incompatible with the participation of Israel”, which “has increased the systematic violation of international law and Human Rights both in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip”, with a “dimension of human and material damage” that “has reached levels of violence rarely seen before”.

Podemos argues that “it is worrying that a showcase like the one represented by Eurovision serves to whitewash the Zionist State of Israel in the eyes of millions of spectators. Especially when, in 2022, the EBU decided to expel Russia from the contest after the invasion of Ukraine”.

Source: Cadena Ser

Do you think this proposal will pass in Spanish Congress?  Should Spain join the boycott against Israel?

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for more news about Israel’s and Spain’s participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024!

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Serbia: Breskvica reveals the meaning behind her song!

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We are only a few weeks away from the first semi-final of Pesma za Evroviziju 2024 and Breskvica, one of the favourites to represent Serbia in Eurovision 2024, was present at the “Kec na jedanaest” show earlier today, where she talked about several issues related to her participation.

The first question of the presenters was if she expected her song to have such a big impact (1.500.000 views in one week) with her answering:

“The truth is that I expected it to do well because people usually love and support my songs, but with that many views and a million views away from Konstrakta’s track, which is the very next one, no I didn’t expect it!”

Then she was asked about how such a more traditional song came about since she has not used us to something like this. Her answer:

“I’ve always wanted to have a song like that! I love to sing traditional songs even when I am alone. I think my voice sounds different”

“So yeah, I’ve always wanted something like that but it had never come up. Just like Eurovision hadn’t come up because we didn’t have a song. I think that when you go to this competition you need to have a song that represents your country the way it should and also have the sound of your country”

“One day Henny (the songwriter) called me and said ‘I have a song that nobody wants but you will!'”

Based on the latter she was asked why no one wanted it and she replied “Because it’s not mainstream, it’s not modern, maybe they were afraid of it”.

Reference was also made to negative comments she may have received.

“It’s bad. Some of the comments are completely thoughtless, I don’t even want to talk about them. But it doesn’t matter because I’m so proud of this song! I can’t wait until the first semi-final for people to hear what it will sound like live, because some people don’t believe me that it will sound good, but I’ll do my best to convince them too!”

Afterwards, the presenters asked the young singer what is the meaning or even the subtext of the lyrics of the song that have caused a drama on the internet.

A brief description of what has happened

In the last few days there has been a panic on X as Albanians and Kosovars are calling for the song to be suspended by the EBU, as they believe that the song is inciting the Serbs to invade Kosovo!

More specifically, the lyrics of the song talk about “black birds” that cover the sky, it gets dark, thunders are heard and the nest of an eagle is destroyed. At the end of the song he comforts his son saying that “Soon all this will pass, the black birds will be gone, the sky will be clear again”.

According to this theory, the “black birds” symbolize the black eagle of the Albanian flag, the weather phenomena symbolize the war in Kosovo and the eagle symbolizes the Serbs and the hope that they will take back Kosovo.

On the other hand, although there are Serbs who agree with the above theory, most of them think that the song has to do with NATO’s bombing in 1999.

In this theory, the “black birds” symbolize the NATO planes, the weather phenomena symbolize the bombing, and the eagle symbolizes the Serbs and the hope-agony that one day this will all be over.

Breskvica’s response

“Every song, every lyric, each person interprets them differently. That’s the beauty of this job and music in general”

“I don’t know what anyone might hear in this track. I do know that we, when we were writing it, had in mind a battle between good and evil, that no matter what, good always wins in the end even if it’s destroyed by evil”

“One can still, perhaps, identify the lyrics with personal situations, personal struggles that they have gone through and managed to stand on their feet again”

“I wouldn’t go further than that”

Then in response to whether she could provide any information about the staging of the song, she said:

“I think that in Eurovision it’s 50% the song and 50% the performance. The staging can definitely ‘lift’ or ‘bring down’ a song”

“We’re working on something spectacular but I can’t reveal any more than that. I would love to because I can hardly contain myself, I’m very excited!”

“I think people will really like it. We’ve really put a lot of effort into the staging, and we’re still working on it all day. I hope people like it!”

Furthermore, the presenters asked her if she had a favourite song from this year’s PZE and she replied that she really likes Teya Dora‘s song and thinks it could do quite well, just like Zorja!

She also stated:

“The Eurovision stage is something huge. I would love for people to know about me as well as other of our country’s artists”

Finally, she concluded, setting a date with the viewers for Tuesday, February 27th, in the first semi-final of PZE 2024!

Below you can watch the full interview:

Breskvica’s participation in PZE 2024:

What do you think about Breskvica? Would you like to see her in Malmö? What do you think of the lyrics? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding Serbia’s participation in Eurovision 2024!

Sweden: These artists want Israel banned from Eurovision! | SVT’s response: “The EBU decides!”

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As you may have read in one of our previous articles, Expressen was able to reveal this weekend that more than 1.000 Swedish artists are demanding that Israel be banned from Eurovision. This is due to the ongoing Middle-Eastern conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza.

Today, the list of all the artists was published by Expressen, including Eric Saade, Marlena Ernman, Timbuktu, also Medina and Jacqline, who are competing in Melodifestivalen this year, have also signed. Also the global star Robyn joined the petition. You can have a look on the full list of artists who signed here!

“Serious war crimes”

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024, like 1000 Swedish musicians that signed today a petition to the EBU against Israel outside NRK right during the first two weeks of MGP. In Iceland, more than 500 artists signed a petition asking RÚV to withdraw from the contest, while Silvia Night signed an open letter to the EBU asking to ban Israel. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same. Now 1000 Swedish artists are demanding that Israel be stopped from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest. The petition reads:

“For more than 100 days, we have witnessed the Israeli army committing what leading human rights organizations describe as grave war crimes. The Eurovision Song Contest began as a peace project with the ambition to unite countries and citizens through music. Allowing Israel to participate undermines not only the spirit of the contest but the entire public service mission. It also sends the signal that governments can commit war crimes without consequences. That is why we appeal to the EBU: Exclude Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.“

SVT’s answer: “The EBU decides!”

SVT has, through Åsa Barsness, HR and Communications Director, published a response to the demands directed at them, on a press release:

“It is the EBU that decides who participates in the competition and as the host country, SVT relates to what the EBU decides. The human suffering in this deeply complex conflict is horrific. No one can be unmoved by the conditions in Gaza right now, or by the Hamas attack in Israel. We are also concerned about developments. We understand and respect that groups make their voices heard.”

She further writes that SVT has a dialogue with the EBU and hopes to be able to carry out Eurovision in the “best way, with the vision of uniting in music.“

Eurovision will be held in Malmö in May this year and Karin Karlsson is responsible for the city’s initiative. She talked about how they view the artists’ petition, to Expressen:

“We can’t influence whether Israel is in or not, that’s the EBU’s responsibility. We have said all along that everyone is welcome in Malmö.”

Source: Expressen, SVT
Photo: Alex Ljungdahl / Expressen

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Bosnia Herzegovina: EBU demands a stable solution to BHRT’s financials!

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The EBU has asked the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina to solve the funding problems of the public broadcaster, BHRT.

EBU Director General, Noel Curran, had recently reached out to both the Prime Minister and the Ministers of the country regarding BHRT’s financial problems.

Noel Curran had expressed his concern, on behalf of the EBU, about the serious issues threatening the future of BHRT – which is a member of the European Broadcasting Union.

In the letter, Curran states:

“We understand the complexity of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the long-standing difficulties that BHRT faces in collecting the funds that are due and belong to it. However, it is crucial that we can urgently find a long-term solution to its financing problems”

It goes on to say that public television plays an irreplaceable role in society, as it “promotes democratic debate, supports social cohesion and strengthens public spirit” in hard times.

“To fulfil this role, an adequate and stable budget is required. We are asking you to help find a sustainable solution to BHRT’s funding problems and protect its future. The laws passed by the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirm that the state is responsible for ensuring sustainable funding independently of the broadcaster”

Curran went on to state that the EBU stands ready to help settle BHRT’s funding issues “on a national level” and help find a solution to the complex funding situation, while the letter continues as follows:

“At a time when access to reliable news and information is crucial, we must do everything in our power to protect and preserve the work of public services like the BHRT, and I have confidence in your support on this matter”

Bosnian public broadcaster, BHRT, was previously in charge of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest up until 2016. The broadcaster had previously confirmed that they remained sanctioned by the EBU and would not participate in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest.

The European Broadcasting Union first placed sanctions on BHRT in December 2016 when the EBU cut off BHRT’s access to the Eurovision News Exchange. BHRT was then restricted access to events and has been unable to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2018.

In the past year, there has been discussion in the Bosnian Government that there would be reform to the public broadcasters’ funding, however, this has not materialised.

Bosnia and Herzegovina‘s last participation was in 2016, with Dalal & Deen feat. Ana Rucner & Jala and “Ljubav Je“ placing 11th in their semi-final.

Source: BHRT

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Norway: Palestinian activists protested outside NRK against Israel!

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Palestinian activists on Saturday used powerful measures in the fight against Israel‘s participation in Eurovision. 30 men sat bare-chested, blindfolded and hands stripped outside NRK. Activist and initiator Rami Samandar says to VG:

“We are here to highlight Israel’s violations of international law. What we see in Gaza is absolutely horrific.”

The protesters staged an incident on Saturday that occurred in Beit Lahiya in the Gaza Strip on December 7. Then over a hundred Palestinian men and boys were captured by Israeli soldiers. They were ordered to undress and kneel in the street and were accused of belonging to Hamas or being terrorists. Samandar continues:

“But it’s too cold for all 30 people to sit outside NRK at the same time, so we have divided them into groups of ten who each take a dare in front of NRK.”

It was around zero degrees outside NRK Saturday morning and Samandar says that there was great interest in taking part in this action.

“We received so many inquiries that in the end we had to say no.”

In groups of ten, a total of 30 men walked up and down between the parking lot below NRK and the main entrance.

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024, like 1000 Swedish musicians that signed today a petition to the EBU against Israel outside NRK right during the first two weeks of MGP. In Iceland, more than 500 artists signed a petition asking RÚV to withdraw from the contest, while Silvia Night signed an open letter to the EBU asking to ban Israel. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

Source: VG
Photo: VG

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Sweden: Around 1000 artists want Israel banned from Eurovision!

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Around 1,000 Swedish artists are demanding that Israel be banned from the Eurovision Song Contest, according to a petition that Expressen has taken part of. The document, which is currently being prepared to be handed over to the EBU writes:

“Put down the double standards, exclude Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest. For more than 100 days, we have witnessed the Israeli army committing what leading human rights organizations describe as grave war crimes.”

Among the artists who seem to have signed are musicians well-known in Sweden such as Alba August, Hoffmaestro, Jonathan Johansson, Malena Ernman, Markus Krunegård and Titiyo.

The EBU has previously excluded Russia and Belarus

The European Broadcasting Union announced in connection with Iceland‘s and Finland‘s appeal that Israel will not be excluded. Their position is that the Eurovision Song Contest is a contest between public service broadcasters rather than states.

However, the EBU has previously excluded countries from competing. In 2022, Russia was excluded due to the war against Ukraine. In 2021, Belarus was not allowed to participate in the competition after the EBU expelled the Belarusian public broadcaster BTRC for violating the EBU‘s press freedom rules.

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024, like outside NRK right before the first and second semi-finals of MGP. In Iceland, more than 500 artists signed a petition asking RÚV to withdraw from the contest, while Silvia Night signed an open letter to the EBU asking to ban Israel. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

Source: Expressen
Photo: Jessica Gow / TT News Agency

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