The Eurovision Song Contest kicks off in Vienna on Sunday with thousands of fans arriving from around the world, despite calls for a boycott over Israel’s participation.
The Austrian capital is pulling out all the stops to host the 70th edition of the global music competition. Events across the city are planned to entertain both tourists and locals.
On Sunday afternoon, a turquoise carpet – instead of the traditional red – will be rolled out for a parade featuring delegations from 35 participating countries. The opening ceremony is set to begin at 14:00 local time.
Highlights from the contest’s past seven decades will be screened on a giant display outside Vienna’s neo-Gothic City Hall. The area has been transformed into a secure fan zone for the event.
The singing spectacle is expected to attract over 170 million viewers worldwide, both on television and online, with billions of views anticipated on digital platforms.
Belgium will be represented by singer Essyla from Perwez, performing her song “Dancing on the Ice.”
Finland, considered the frontrunner by online bookmakers, is pinning its hopes on a duo featuring brooding singer Pete Parkkonen alongside vibrant violinist Linda Lampenius, who is set to perform live despite instruments usually being pre-recorded.
Other strong contenders this year include Greece, Denmark, France, and Australia, whose entry, Delta Goodrem, has received public funding from Canberra to bolster cultural diplomacy efforts.
Israel’s contestant, Noam Bettan, may stand out with his partly French-language song, although controversy surrounds the country’s participation.
Broadcasters in Spain, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Slovenia have withdrawn from the competition, protesting against Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas.
In Belgium, however, public broadcasters VRT and RTBF have confirmed their participation, asserting that the contest is not a diplomatic event.
Over a thousand artists, including Peter Gabriel and Massive Attack, have joined calls for a boycott. In France, the CGT Spectacle Federation has echoed their stance. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrations are planned to take place in Vienna during the week.
Security has been ramped up significantly to prevent any incidents, with hundreds of police officers deployed daily until the final on 16 May.
Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom are guaranteed spots in the final, as the competition’s biggest financial contributors.
Austria will also compete this year because its previous representative, JJ, won last year’s contest. However, the country’s current hopeful, Cosmo, is forecast to finish at the lower end of the rankings.
