As Russia circled Ukraine, Eurovision organisers took a leaf out of Switzerland’s book with what they thought was a safe diplomatic approach. It didn't last long | michaelidato
As Russia circled Ukraine earlier this week, amid growing fears it would invade, the organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest took a leaf out of Switzerland’s book with what they thought was a safe diplomatic approach: they declared the annual competition to be neutral soil.
But with a political lens now trained on an otherwise apolitical event, the stage is set for what could still become the most contentious competition in Eurovision’s 66-year history. For Eurovision, which has been a tool of soft diplomacy for more than six decades, it is an uncomfortable political fight to become ensnared in. Though it has not always been successful in the endeavour, the annual competition has long tried to enforce a set of rules designed to keep political messaging off its stage.
Essentially, hard diplomacy is the realm of politicians, ambassadors and consuls-general; the official machinery of government and foreign affairs. Soft diplomacy, in contrast, is the meshing of artistic and other cultural endeavours between countries where harder, more official dialogue, is difficult.
In 1975, Greece withdrew from the contest objecting to Turkey’s debut after the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. And the following year Turkey withdrew because Greece’s song,, unfurled Israeli and Syrian flags on the stage during their performance as a gesture of advocating peace between the two countries.
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