The Beginning
1956, Lugano, Switzerland, the first Eurovision Song Contest was reality, but who made this idea reality? His name was Marcel Bezençon, a Frenchman working for the EBU. In early 1955 during a meeting in Monaco he conceived the Idea of a Song Contest that will bring all European countries together. After the 2nd World War Europe needed something to unite all countries, to bring love, respect and admiration between European nations. The idea of Marcel was based in Festival di Sanremo, an annual song festival that took place in Sanremo, Italy. This experiment was also a true challenge for EBU, because back in that days the existence of satellite TV was not invented yet and the idea to make a TV programme, in the same time, in various European countries only with a terrestrial microwave network was very ambition project.
The project became reality in 1956 and the birth of “Le Grand-Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne” took place in Teatro Kursaal, Lugano in Switzerland. Year by year and without interruption the project “Eurovision” turned out to be the most popular song contest and the longest-running television programme in the world. Artists like ABBA, Celine Dion, Cliff Richard and Julio Iglesias took part, but also dance act Riverdance became famous thanks the fame to the Eurovision Song Contest.
Eurovision is the most beloved TV programme for millions of people. In our days Eurovision is not just a simple song contest, it became lifestyle, a part of our lives and our cultures. Eurovision Song Contest is a Family, a place that everyone is welcome as it is and everyone has its voice and its active existence, in Eurovision Family Every Voice Counts!
Like Conchita Wurst said at 2004 Eurovision Song Contest “We are Unstoppable!”
Eurovision Family is expanding and everyone is welcome! Join the community!
