Junior Eurovision 2021: No delegation present at the Opening Ceremony

Junior Eurovision 2021: No delegation present at the Opening Ceremony
Wednesday, 08 December 2021

  • The organisers of the upcoming Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Paris have decided the Opening Ceremony to take place without any delegations attending it. 

    Just a a few days before the 19th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest starts unfolding the EBU and the host broadcaster, France Televisions, have decided to reduce the number of people attending the Opening Ceremony, letting the delegations out of the opening event. 

    In 2020, the contest was organized under unprecedented conditions . A year later, it is clear that the health situation still raises concerns is forcing again the organisers to scale down the way the contest will unfold.

    Following the decision to exclude the audience from the jury show, despite initial plans, EBU and the French broadcaster decided to hold the Opening Ceremony without the presence of delegations.  

    Alexandra Redde-Amiel, also executive producer of the event and head of the French delegation explains: 

    “ We really want to do everything we can to ensure that the show takes place ,we have reflected well with the management of France Télévisions and the EBU: we will not do the opening ceremony as it is. We do not want to take the risk, on December 13, of having all the delegations come to one place, with a lot of passages. The draw will be well organized, without the delegations, and will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel and the Eurovision Junior website . It is during this drawing of lots that the first and last places in the running order are determined, as well as France's position ”

    And goes on adding: 

    “The very good news is that we are not changing our gauge capacity - 3,250 people are expected in the public - the event will be held. We spent a lot of time studying all of this. Our protocol is exemplary: we have set up a real health bubble. The artists and the delegations will also be in a sanitary bubble in their hotels. No outing is planned. Tests are carried out every day. The opening ceremony on December 13 was a risk. There are a lot of issues. We advocated this small change. The ceremony should however take place at Studio Gabriel and Carla should be present by our side for the draw. ”

    The 19th edition of Junior Eurovision is set to take place on December 19, at 16:30 CET and will see a total of 19 countries compete on the stage of the iconic concert hall La Seine Musicale in Paris.  The countries that will take the stage in 18 days from now are: 

    • Albania – Anna Gjebrea – Stand By You
    • Armenia – Maléna Fox - Qami Qami
    • Azerbaijan – Sona Azizova - One of theose days
    • Bulgaria – Denislava and Martin – Voice of Love
    • France – Enzo – Tic Tac
    • Georgia – Nikoloz Kajaia – Let’s Count The Smiles
    • Germany – Pauline – Imagine Us
    • Ireland – Maiú Levi Lawlor – Saor
    • Italy – Elisabetta Lizza – Specchio (Mirror on the Wall)
    • Kazakhstan – Alinur Khamzin and Beknur Zhanibek –  Fairy World
    • Malta – Ike & Kaya – My Home
    • Netherlands – Ayana – Mata Sugu Aō Ne
    • North Macedonia – Dajte Muzika – Green Forces
    • Poland – Sara James – Somebody
    • Portugal - Simão Oliveira – O Rapaz
    • Russia – Tanya Mezhentseva – Mon Ami
    • Serbia – Jovana and Dunja – Children’s Eyes
    • Spain – Levi Díaz – Reír
    • Ukraine – Olena Usenko – Vazhil

     

    News Source: Eurovoix/  Télé-Loisirs

    Image: Eurovision.tv