Sixteen countries compete today for the last ten places available in the final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Malmö, Sweden.
In the second semi-final, today, competing, in order of presentation: Malta, Albania, Greece, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Austria, Denmark, Armenia, Latvia, San Marino, Georgia, Belgium, Estonia, Israel, Norway and the Netherlands.
The ten chosen will join many others selected in the first semi-final, which took place on Tuesday: Serbia, Portugal, Slovenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland and Luxembourg.
In the final, scheduled for Saturday, the 20 countries chosen in the two semi-finals will be joined in competition by the so-called ‘Big Five’ (France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and Italy) and the host country.
Although they are not in competition, in today’s semi-final the themes of Spain, France and Italy will be presented.
Today’s semi-final is shown live on RTP1, RTP Internacional and RTP Play from 8pm in Lisbon.
The 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is being marked by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The conflict, which has lasted for decades, intensified after an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israel, on October 7, which caused almost 1,200 deaths, with the country led by Benjamin Netanyahu responding with an offensive that caused more than 34,000 deaths. dead in the Gaza Strip, according to reports from both parties.
Several appeals were made by political representatives and European artists to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for Israel’s participation in the contest to be vetoed.
Among the various appeals, at the end of March, representatives of nine countries, including Portugal, signed a letter in which they called for an “immediate and lasting ceasefire” in the war in Palestine and the return of all Israeli hostages.
In the letter, the artists began by stating that they recognize “the privilege of participating in Eurovision”, but that they do not feel “comfortable in remaining silent” given the “current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in particular in Gaza and Israel”.
In addition to the representative of Portugal, interpreters from Ireland, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Lithuania and Finland signed the letter.
At the time, the EBU recalled that the festival is an “apolitical” event. However, in 2022 it was decided to expel Russia from the competition following the invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Iolanda appeared on the ‘turquoise runway’ (where representatives from all countries parade, thus marking the beginning of the competition’s live shows), in Malmö, wearing a dress from a Palestinian brand and her nails painted. with the pattern of the ‘keffiyeh’, a scarf that is a symbol of Palestinian resistance.
On Tuesday, the conflict was brought to the stage, during the opening number of the first semi-final, by singer Eric Saade, who represented Sweden in the contest in 2011 with “Popular”.
Eric Saade, of Palestinian descent, sang with his left hand wrapped in a ‘keffiyeh’.
Israel was the first non-European country to participate in the music competition, in 1973, and has won four times, including with transgender singer Dana International, in 1998.
