An eventful year: Malmö’s experience as ESC host
Published: Friday, Aug 30th 2024, 10:10
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The host city of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) faces a lot of preparation and unpredictable events. The example of the Swedish city of Malmö, this year's host city, bears witness to an eventful year. An overview:
May 13, 2023: Swedish singer Loreen wins the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. The next edition of the contest is traditionally held in the ESC winner's home country.
May 15, 2023: Four Swedish cities expressed their interest in hosting the music competition: the capital Stockholm, as well as Gothenburg, Malmö and the small town of Örnsköldsvik.
July 7, 2023: Malmö, Sweden's third-largest city, is awarded the contract to host the ESC 2024. The competition was also held here in 1992 and 2013.
December 14, 2023: The city of Malmö presents its visual identity, which is based on the ESC motto "United by Music". The colors and shapes on the posters were inspired by Nordic light.
January 18, 2024: Calls are made from various countries to boycott the ESC because of Israel's participation. The issue is Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip following the terrorist attack by Islamist Hamas. However, the European Broadcast Union (EBU) sticks to Israel's participation.
February 1, 2024: The traditional Eurovision ceremony, officially known as the handover, takes place in Malmö City Hall. A symbolic key is handed over between representatives of the governments of the current and future host countries.
February 5, 2024: The two hosts for the ESC are announced: They are Hollywood actress Malin Åkerman and TV presenter Petra Mede.
March 14, 2024: Malmö ceremoniously announces that all requirements for a sustainable event have been met. The focus is on recycled paints, fossil-free transportation and climate-friendly food.
March 21, 2024: The city authorities provide information about some road closures and the disruption to traffic during the ESC. They also announce an increase in police presence.
16 April 2024: The organizers are faced with a wave of cancellations for the supporting program due to Israel's participation. A total of eight artists and organizers cancel performances in the run-up to the Song Contest.
April 30, 2024: The police in Malmö announce that they will be monitoring large parts of the city with cameras and drones between May 4 and 13 as one of many security measures. According to the police, the cameras will be temporarily mounted on building facades.
May 2, 2024: Israel's National Security Council (NSC) tightens its travel warning for the Swedish city. The risk is upgraded from 2 (potential threat) to 3 (medium threat).
May 4, 2024: The Eurovision Village opens as a central meeting point for fans and visitors. This will be celebrated with various musical performances. Over 82,000 visitors are expected in the Village.
May 10, 2024: The final of the ESC will be held in the Malmö Arena. A total of 163 million people watched the spectacle of the world's biggest music competition during three live TV shows in May. Swiss singing talent Nemo from Biel/Bienne BE wins the 68th contest with the song "The Code".
May 12, 2024: Despite great fears of riots, the police say it remained largely peaceful in Malmö during the ESC.
©Keystone/SDA
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