A total of 13 countries will take part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Warsaw on November 29.
The European Broadcasting Union has revealed that 13 countries will take part in this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest. This is the lowest number of participants since the 2013 contest, in which 12 countries took part. Germany is making their debut in the contest.
The participating countries are:
- Armenia
- Belarus
- France
- Georgia
- Germany – debuting nation
- Kazakhstan
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland – host nation
- Russia
- Serbia
- Spain
- Ukraine
Albania, Australia, Ireland, Italy, North Macedonia, Portugal and Wales have all withdrawn from the contest. Most have cited concerns due to COVID-19 travel restrictions but hope to return to the contest in 2021.
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions in place because of it, the show will be hosted live from Warsaw in a studio with all of the presenters and necessary crew socially distancing. The interval acts will also perform live from Warsaw. The participants will each perform in a studio in their home countries. To ensure continuity and the fairness of the competition, all 13 participating broadcasters have agreed to use a similar stage layout and technical set up to capture the performance of their artist(s).
Martin Österdahl, the Executive Supervisor of Junior Eurovision, commented:
“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.”
“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 participants will not be able to meet in person, the Junior Eurovision digital platforms will provide opportunities for all those taking part in the competition to share their experiences and perform together. There will also be coverage of preparations in their home countries and the chance for viewers at home to interact with the participants. Martin Österdahl added:
“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’. “
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 will be held at 17:00 CET on November 29 in Warsaw. The start time of the show has been moved an hour ahead of its traditional start time of 16:00 CET. This marks the first change in start time since the show was moved to a Sunday afternoon in 2016.
More details about the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Image Source: EBU / Source: junioreurovision.tv
