President Zelensky will not be making an appearance at the Eurovision 2023 final.
It has been confirmed by the EBU that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will not be making any appearance at any point during the grand final of Eurovision 2023.
Zelensky has previously requested to address the audience at the Eurovision Song Contest, and whilst made with laudible intentions, it is something that the EBU regrettably cannot grant.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is an international entertainment show, and governed by strict rules and principles which have been established since its creation. As part of these, one of the cornerstones of the Contest is the non-political nature of the event. This principle prohibits the possibility of making political or similar statements as part of the Contest.
The request by Mr Zelensky to address the audience at the Eurovision Song Contest, whilst made with laudable intentions, regrettably cannot be granted by the European Broadcasting Union management as it would be against the rules of the event.”
The EBU go on to say that the best way to reflect and celebrate Ukraine’s Eurovision win, and to show that we are indeed “United By Music”, is through the hosting collaboration between Ukraine and United Kingdom, along with the Ukrainian influence throughout this years contest.
“The EBU has ensured from the moment it was agreed that the BBC would host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine’s public broadcaster UA:PBC that Ukraine, its music, its culture, and its creativity would feature strongly throughout all three live shows.
No fewer than 11 Ukrainian artists, including last year’s winners Kalush Orchestra, will be performing, or featuring in either the Semi-Finals or Grand Final.
The brand artwork for the event was created together with a Ukrainian design agency and the incidental music featured throughout the show also composed in collaboration with Ukrainian musicians.
Additionally, 37 locations around Ukraine will feature in the “postcards”, short films that introduce each of the participating artists before they take to the stage.”
Back in July of 2022, it was confirmed that the United Kingdom would be hosting Eurovision 2023, after the EBU deemed Ukraine unable to host due to the ongoing situation.
What followed was a long bidding process which saw multiple cities across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland expressing their interest in hosting this years contest.
The final two cities came down to Glasgow in Scotland and Liverpool in England, with Liverpool coming out on top to become the official host city of Eurovision 2023.
What are your thoughts on Zelensky not being a part of Eurovision 2023? Do you think the EBU made the right decision? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Photo credit: Alamy
