Finnish learning community and resources

Source: Adobe CC

Europe Day and Eurovision Song Contest

May 9th is an important day in Europe – it’s the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration that led to the formation of what is now known as the European Union. To celebrate this occasion, we have Europe Day! #europeday

Consequently, May 9 is also the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool! Double the fun is to be expected on that Tuesday! 

The Eurovision Song Contest ie. Euroviisut

The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the longest running and most popular international music competitions in the world. It is also jokingly said to be the world's largest live music event organised in the whole EU region. It has been held annually since 1956, with roots in the Italian San Remo Music festival, with participants from all over Europe competing for the title of best song. 

In 2020 the competition was not held due to the Covid19 pandemic. Australia, where the competition has been broadcast since the 1970’s, finally joined the competition in 2015. Only countries who are part of the European Broadcasting Area  eligible to participate, with Australia being the only exception after being an associate member for over 30 years.

As of 2022, Germany has competed more times than any other country, having participated in all but one edition, while Ireland holds the record for the most victories, with seven wins in total.

Finally in suomen kielellä again

This year's Eurovision song will be sung for a long time in Finnish, when the artist Käärijä will be performing his song › 

. The last time this happened was in 2015, when Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät  were sent to compete with their song › . The previous song before that in Finnish was Kuunkuiskaajien › . 

Finland zero points

Finland first entered Eurovision in 1961 with their entry by

, 1961. 

Since then they have participated almost every year, only missing out on two occasions due to financial constraints. Often we Finns complain about our bad Eurovision points, but we tend not to remember that Finland has been among the top 10 contestants for 12 times. 

Our zero points songs are these splendid › 

(1963), ›(1965) and › (1982).

Source: Pixabay

Europe Day since 1985

Europe Day has been celebrated since 1985 and is marked by festivals and parades throughout many countries in Europe. Just like the idea of the Eurovision song contest, the Europe Day festivities are intended to bring Europeans closer together by celebrating their shared history, culture, traditions, languages and values which unite them as a continent. Events range from concerts featuring traditional music from different countries to art exhibitions highlighting local artwork or performances showcasing unique customs such as folk dancing or costume play. 

And thus we come to the realisation that essentially, the Eurovision Song Contest is a party for Europe Day, right? 

The main celebration takes place at Place du Luxembourg in Brussels. Here thousands of people gather to listen to speeches given by important leaders like members of parliament or ambassadors representing various EU member states. There are also live performances ranging from classical music ensembles to contemporary dance performances, all with one common goal: promoting unity among Europeans through cultural exchange & understanding.

So in short, Europoe Day celebrates peace & solidarity amongst nations. While doing so, we also honor those who have fought for freedom over centuries past. It should remind us that our future lies within united efforts but also gives us hope that no matter how diverse our backgrounds may be, we can still find common ground when working towards united Europe. 

The Official Website for the event can be found here:   Welcome to #EuropeDay

Links for Eurovision Song Contest Fans

 ESC 56-73 All songs from 1956-1973 Eurovision Contests

 Finland in Eurovision Song Contest: all entries

Our contest song this year   Käärijä: Cha Cha Cha, 2023

Enjoy!