The semi-finals and finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 will be held in the city of Baku, capital of Azerbaijan in the month of May. Baku hotels will be filled with contestants and other participants in the event and the city is looking forward to the economic gains as well as the publicity which the contest will generate for the city. For ex-pats such as myself, it may come as a surprise that the event is in its 57th year and has been the most popular televised event in Europe for over 5 decades.
Some view the proceedings with a certain amount of disdain, but the fact remains that millions of people are absolute fanatics about the contest and await each year’s event with bated breath. It’s as important to some people’s sense of national self-identity as the Olympics or their country’s status in the world financial and political arenas. And it’s not just an opportunity for amateurs to sing on television - participants over the years have included acts and artists such as ABBA, Celine Dion, Riverdance and Julio Iglesias. Check the Eurovision Song Contest website for this year’s schedule and a history of the event.
The event is sponsored by the European Broadcasting Union and its first broadcast of the event took place on the 6th of June, 1954. 4 million people watched the event and it has been an enormous success ever since. This year’s semifinals will be held on the 22nd & 24th of May, with the Grand Final on the 26th of May. If you’d like to witness the event, now is the time to book your Baku hotel and your flight. The city of Baku itself is well worth the visit on its own - the contest is a great excuse to check out this emerging cultural centre and tourist destination.
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