From our special correspondent in Liverpool (UK)
“Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe. Next year, Ukraine will host Eurovision! On May 15, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted hotly to the victory of his compatriots from Kalush Orchestra in the song contest. His ambitious wish was not granted. This Saturday, the Eurovision final will be held in Liverpool (United Kingdom). Although the competition takes place on British territory, it has a strong Ukrainian dimension.
The BBC keeps repeating it: it is organizing the event “in the name” of Ukraine. This is a first in the history of the competition created in 1956. “We are grateful for all that the production does, it means a lot for our country. We knew she would do a good job, advance to 20 minutes the Tvorchi duo representing Ukraine this year. »
“United by Music”
The semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday certainly left room for British humor and references to English pop culture, but they never eclipsed Ukraine. The slogan “United by Music”, united by music, is followed to the letter. From opening tables to intermission numbers and postcards, these short videos presenting the candidates before their appearance on stage, the idea was to create symbolic links from one country to another. It will be the same in the final, from the parade of flags where Ukrainian artists who have marked the history of the competition (Jamala, Verka Serduchka, Go_A…) will make their voices heard. The big raout will be presented by the British Graham Norton, Hanna Waddingham and Alesha Dixon as well as by the Ukrainian Julia Sanina.
“The collaboration between the BBC and UA: PBC [le diffuseur ukrainien] exceeded my expectations. It started very quickly and went smoothly, but as supervisor of Eurovision, it was important that the focus was not just on two countries but on all the participating countries,” said diplomatically Martin Österdhal at a press conference on Wednesday.
“Before the war, there was no real Ukrainian community here”
However, it is enough to take a walk in Liverpool to see that Ukraine is everywhere. The yellow and blue flags have taken over the windows of the city centre, huge nightingales – symbols of the country attacked by Russia – are spread over the busiest squares: if you get close enough, you can hear traditional Ukrainian tunes there. There’s also the EuroFestival, a collection of art installations, most of them collaborations between Ukrainian and British artists, set up all over the city.
“Our community was involved in Liverpool’s bid and once they were nominated to host we were involved in preparing for the event, giving advice, talking about our history, our culture ”, reminds 20 minutes Reverend Taras Khomych, originally from Lyviv in Ukraine and living in Liverpool for ten years.
“Before the war, there was no real Ukrainian community here, the Ukrainian Church was the only somewhat formal structure where people met,” he continues. He estimates today at a thousand – there are no precise statistics – the number of Ukrainians who have come to settle in Liverpool because of the conflict. He is now at the head of the Ukrainian community center in the city, which inaugurated its premises last month and where 200 exiles meet according to the activities offered (English lessons, help with filling out administrative forms, etc.)
No Zelensky
“Eurovision is first and foremost a party, but for Ukrainians it’s more political, it’s an opportunity to remind the public that the war is still going on,” explains Taras Khomych. He hopes the event will “strengthen the international community’s support” for his home country. “The media tends to move on, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing going on there anymore. We need support,” he said.
On Thursday, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which oversees the event, however announced that it had not accepted Volodymyr Zelensky’s request to speak in the Eurovision final because it would be contrary to its principles of apolitical event…
For Anna Ekvist, a Ukrainian involved in the community center, “it is important that the public does not forget that Ukraine does not organize the competition because of the war. But will the Ukrainians of Liverpool have the heart to celebrate on Saturday evening? “Feelings are mixed,” she slips. We must continue to live to support Ukraine. If we are depressed, we sit with our arms crossed, we will be of no use. We’re not going to do it well. But we cannot forget that people in our community have relatives who are fighting on the front lines, or who are dead. »