Displaced Ukrainians flock to Eurovision contest, however Zelenskyy cannot tackle ‘nonpolitical’ occasion

LIVERPOOL, England — This weekend’s Eurovision Track Contest is going down in a metropolis brimming with Ukrainian flags, Ukrainian meals, Ukrainian musicians and Ukrainian followers: Liverpool.

The English port metropolis that gave the world The Beatles is utilizing the competition to supply displaced Ukrainians a style of house —- free from warfare, and glittering with sequins and sparkle.

Britain is internet hosting the glitzy pan-continental music competitors for the primary time in 25 years after stepping in to carry it on behalf of final yr’s winner, Ukraine. Organizers have vowed to make the occasion a celebration of Ukrainian spirit and tradition.

“I would like all life to be like this – complete life Eurovision village, and complete life Eurovision celebration,” stated Daryna Borodaikevych, 29, one in all greater than 200,000 Ukrainians who’ve moved to Britain since Russia invaded its neighbor virtually 15 months in the past.

“Entire life united by music,” she added, echoing the motto of this yr’s Eurovision competitors.

The competition’s dwell closing present on the Liverpool Enviornment on Saturday was deliberate to have a distinctly Ukrainian taste. Co-hosted by Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, it is going to function a efficiency by final yr’s Eurovision winner, Kalush Orchestra, and different Ukrainian performers. Photographs of Ukraine will precede every of the 26 performances by acts representing nations from throughout Europe and past.

Sanina stated Friday that she hoped “that in these darkish instances we carry some pleasure and a few gentle to Ukrainian houses and households.”

Eurovision is Europe’s largest musical get together, and tens of 1000’s of music followers have flocked to Liverpool, which received a contest amongst U.Okay. cities to face in for Ukraine. Town on the River Mersey has thrown itself into the get together spirit, with many pubs and venues holding Eurovision events.

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Companies fly blue and yellow Ukrainian flags, and a Ukrainian village contained in the waterfront Eurovision fan zone dishes out borsch soup and varenyky — potato-filled dumplings — alongside classes in Ukrainian artwork and historical past.

“We really feel like (we’re) at house in Ukraine,” stated Iryna Schcerbuk, 30, of Kyiv, who got here from her new house in southeast England to look at Thursday’s Eurovision semifinal. “It’s a really lovely ambiance.”

One factor lacking will likely be Ukraine’s chief, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Eurovision organizers say they turned down his request to make a video tackle to Saturday’s contest closing. The European Broadcasting Union, a grouping of nationwide public broadcasters that runs Eurovision, stated that letting Zelenskyy take part would breach “the nonpolitical nature of the occasion.”

Zelenskyy’s request “to deal with the viewers on the Eurovision Track Contest, while made with laudable intentions, regrettably can’t be granted by the European Broadcasting Union administration as it might be in opposition to the foundations of the occasion,” the group stated.

Zelenskyy spokesman Sergii Nykyforov denied that the president had requested to talk to the occasion, which will likely be watched by an estimated 160 million individuals.

“The Workplace of the President of Ukraine didn’t tackle the organizers of the Eurovision Track Contest to supply (Zelenskyy’s) on-line efficiency throughout the finals or at another stage of the competition,” Nykyforov stated on Fb.

Throughout Russia’s invasion and warfare, Zelenskyy has addressed dozens of world gatherings to advertise his nation’s trigger. He has spoken to legislatures world wide by video — and some instances in particular person — and appealed to crowds on the Glastonbury music competition, the Grammy Awards and the Berlin Movie Competition.

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However he reportedly was denied permission to talk on the Academy Awards in March, and Ukraine says that FIFA, worldwide soccer’s governing physique, additionally refused Zelenskyy’s request to ship a video message to the World Cup in November 2022.

Based in 1956 to assist heal a continent shattered by warfare, Eurovision strives to maintain pop and politics separate. Overtly political lyrics, indicators and symbols are banned.

However politics can’t be shut out totally. Russia was banned from the competition after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Belarus was kicked out the earlier yr over its authorities’s clampdown on dissent.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman stated the U.Okay. authorities was “upset” by Eurovision organizers’ resolution, although there have been no plans to problem it.

“The values and freedoms that President Zelenskyy and the individuals of Ukraine are preventing for should not political, they’re basic,” Sunak spokesman Max Blain stated.

Liverpool is a metropolis that has recognized its share of hardship. It weathered World Battle II bombing, the decline of its once-bustling docks and mass unemployment earlier than reinventing itself as a middle for tradition and nightlife. It is a story of resilience that strikes a chord with many Ukrainians.

“Clearly, all the Ukrainians would have most popular for this to have been hosted in Ukraine, if it was protected,” Maria Romanenko, who has taken greater than 200 individuals on Ukrainian-language strolling excursions of Liverpool in current days, stated.

“However we’re based mostly within the U.Okay., now, till Ukraine wins, and we’re simply glad that we will come to Liverpool,” she added. “It feels completely implausible to see all the flags and all the stuff that has been rolled out.”

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Borodaikevych, who joined one of many excursions, stated she appreciated the prospect created by Eurovision to “really feel assist, really feel a bit bit particular perhaps. To listen to plenty of Ukrainian language – I miss it a lot.”

“It’s a celebration, however I can’t be relaxed 100%.,” she stated. “I’m all the time excited about my individuals and my homeland.”

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Observe AP protection of Eurovision at https://apnews.com/hub/eurovision-song-contest and of the warfare in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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