Putin announces Russia, China working on opponent to Eurovision


(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia and China are collaborating on cultural projects, including plans to launch a major international music festival as a rival to Eurovision. In an interview following the BRICS Summit, Putin shared that the two countries are working on joint film productions and have discussed creating a high-profile music competition similar to the former Intervision festival, which existed between 1965 and 1980 as an alternative to Eurovision. Putin emphasized the historical and cultural connections between Russia and China, highlighting their shared "heroic" past and the potential for greater cooperation in arts and entertainment.

Putin explained that China has supported the idea of reviving a festival like Intervision, which once featured artists from socialist countries along with those from the West. He suggested that the festival could include participants from BRICS countries, Central Asia, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The initial Intervision contest, which attracted contestants from countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Canada, and Spain, was seen as a cultural bridge during the Cold War era. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia briefly revived the competition in 2008, but now seeks a broader, more global participation.

This comes after Russia’s exclusion from Eurovision in 2022, following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, which has led to sanctions against Russian artists.

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