Last year, on May 14, 2016, Jamala (Susana Jamaladinova), a Crimean Tatar and Ukraine’s entry in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest hosted in Stockholm, won with her performance of “1944” about the Soviet deportation of the Tatars from Crimea, which began on May 18, 1944.
Moscow protested, alleging that Ukraine’s entry should be disqualified for the political nature of the song, and announced that it planned to boycott the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest that would be hosted by Ukraine.
However, Russia’s 2017 entry – Yuliya Samoylova – was banned from entry to Ukraine for three years after she violated Ukrainian law by performing in Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukrainian law requires that visitors to Crimea enter the region through points under control of the Ukrainian government. Following the ruling by Kyiv, Moscow withdrew from the competition on April 13. International observers noted that Russia’s choice of performer was seen as a provocation because Moscow knew she would be rejected by Kyiv.
The Weekly’s editorial noted, “Ukraine and Europe have been shown the effectiveness of a revitalized cultural diplomacy strategy against Russian moves.” Kateryna Smagliy of the Atlantic Council underscored that the Ukrainian diaspora of the U.S. and Canada can assist in the coordination of cultural policies, to share experience and to support efforts for Ukraine. The editorial expressed hope that the 2016 win by Jamala “would spur increased efforts by the international community to work with all of Ukraine and the Crimean Tatars to counter Russian aggression and disinformation, to remind Russia that these people and lands are not forgotten.”
Ukraine’s previous Eurovision Song Contest winner was Ruslana Lyzychko in 2004 with her song “Wild Dances.” This year, O. Torvald will represent Ukraine with the song “Time.”
The competition final is scheduled for May 13 at the International Exhibition Center in Kyiv, with the broadcast carried by the National Television Company of Ukraine (NTU). Forty-two countries have entries in this year’s competition that is being held under the slogan “Celebrate Diversity.”
Countries that have advanced to the 2017 final include Australia, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Italy, Moldova, Poland and Portugal. Ukraine automatically qualifies as the previous year’s winner. This year’s lead candidate to win, based on voting and betting odds, is Italy’s Francesco Gabbani and the song “Occidentali’s Karma.” Ukraine is in 26th place to win, according to oddsmakers.
Source: “Jamala’s Eurovision win confounds Moscow,” The Ukrainian Weekly, May 22, 2016.