Junior Eurovision 2020: 13 countries to participate in Warsaw
A total of 13 countries will be taking part in the upcoming 18th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, scheduled for November 29 in Warsaw, Poland.
EBU has confirmed that 13 nations will be taking to the stage in this year’s Junior Eurovision, marking the lowest number of participants since 2013 when 12 countries had participated in the competition.
Specifically the returning nations of this year’s contest are:
Armenia (ARMTV)
Belarus (BTRC)
France (FTV)
Georgia (GPB)
Kazakhstan (Khabar Agency)
Malta (PBS)
the Netherlands (AVROTROS)
Russia (RTR)
Serbia (RTS)
Spain (RTVE)
Ukraine (UA:PBC)
Poland (TVP) – Host country
Germany (ARD/ZDF/Kika) – Debut participation
On the other hand, Albania, Australia , Ireland , Italy , North Macedonia, Portugal and Wales have decided not to take part in this year’s edition due to the Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Due to the Covid- 19 pandemic this year’s contest, which will be hosted in Poland for a second concsecutive year, will unfold on our screens in a different format, in order to secure the contestants’ security. The 18th Junior Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted live from Warsaw in a studio with all presenters and necessary crew socially distancing. Interval acts will also perform live from Warsaw. For the same purpose all the competing songs will be performed in a studio in each participating country.
Martin Österdahl, the Contest’s Executive Supervisor comment on the situation:
Travel restrictions and the ongoing issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic mean regrettably we cannot bring all the artists to Poland to compete in person at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest this year.
And goes on by saying:
We are determined however that the show must go on and that this competition, held annually since 2003, must continue. Despite the changes this year, all the talented youngsters chosen to represent their countries will still have an equal chance to shine, and, as is tradition, families from around the world will be able to vote for their favourite songs online.
Although the young talented acts will not be able to meet in person, the Junior Eurovision digital platforms will provide ways and means for all those taking part in the competition to share their experiences and perform together.
Österdahl adds on this objective:
Bringing families together is a core mission of public service media and as we reimagine the Junior Eurovision Song Contest for the times we currently live in we are committed to ensuring that everyone taking part this year, from the young singers around Europe to the audience at home, enjoy a positive and unifying experience. We are grateful to all our colleagues at TVP for rising to the challenge of producing an ambitious live international TV production that will travel the world as well as “Move the World.
More details on how the 18th edition of Junior Eurovision will unwind will come to light the coming weeks.
Source: JuniorEurovision.tv