Eurovision: Liverpool want to ‘make Ukraine proud’ – dpa

“Months of preparations for the best party ever are now beginning,” Liverpool Mayor Joan Anderson said after her city’s victory over Glasgow, Scotland, on Friday night. Ukraine, we promise, we will make you proud.

Britain steps in to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023, replacing Ukraine, which won this year’s competition in Turin, with the Kalush Orchestra. The band has welcomed the news that the Eurovision Song Contest is now set to take place on May 13 at the M&S Bank Arena next to Liverpool Harbour. “Playing in the same city where the Beatles started will be a moment we will never forget,” the Ukrainian band wrote in a statement. Even if it is sad that ESC cannot happen in their home country, they are sure that the people of Liverpool will be a warm host. The band also wants to work to ensure that Ukraine wins again and that the 2024 competition can be held in Kyiv.

For security reasons, next year’s event cannot be celebrated in the hotly contested Ukraine. Great Britain, as runner-up, offered to host months ago. The British often intervened on behalf of other countries. The BBC expects that 160 million television viewers around the world will watch the main event.

While the home of the Beatles will host the musical extravaganza for the first time, this will be the ninth time that ESC has been held in the UK. Many ESC fans had already gathered in Liverpool on Friday night, who erupted in cheers after the decision, a BBC broadcast showed. British Prime Minister Liz Truss wrote on Twitter: “Liverpool will put on an unforgettable show to celebrate the rich culture and creativity of Ukraine.” According to the BBC, the city wants to work with Ukrainian street artists and designers, among others, to put Ukrainian culture and music at the center of it all.