Announcing the location for next year’s 62nd outing of the competition Eurovision HQ described Kyiv, located in the north-central part of Ukraine on the Dnieper River, as a modern city with everything visiting fans will need.

Jon Ola Sand, the EBU’s Executive Supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest commented on the choice made by Ukrainian TV station NTU.

“After a thorough selection process, we are very pleased to be announcing today that NTU will be working with Kyiv as host city for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. We would like to congratulate NTU on their extensive and careful assessments of each bid. Kyiv presented an excellent case and we are looking forward to working together to create the most electrifying show yet next May”.

Ukraine first entered the competition in 2013 and took out the top prize just one year later when Ruslana was the champion with  her tune Wild Dances. Kyiv hosted the 2005 competition.

One thing that’s uncertain for the 2017 competition is how many members of the LGBTIQ+ communities will make the Eurovision pilgrimage. Homosexuality is legal in the former Russian state but is widely frowned upon by society.

While the government recently passed laws to stop LGBT people being discriminated in the workplace, there are still widespread reports of people facing discrimination.

The country recognizes transgender people but has strict restrictions on who can transition. People who are married are forbidden to access gender transition services, as is anyone who is the parent of a child under 18, and everyone who wants to transition has to check into a psychiatric institution for 30 days prior to being allowed access to treatment.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recommends a high degree of caution when travelling to the Ukraine and suggests visitors should not travel to the Crimea region or the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. It advises that people considering travelling to the Kharkiv region reconsider their travel.

The DFAT website also notes that violence has occurred at gay pride events in the Ukraine.

OIP Staff

Image credit:- Andres Putting (EBU)