The Israeli delegation to Eurovision, led by singer Eden Golan, won’t participate in the Turquoise Carpet event held on Sunday and will instead participate in a ceremony marking Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day taking place in Malmo, the Swedish city hosting the competition.
The Israeli delegation will be absent from the important opening event since it is the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, which feels inappropriate in light of the Eurovision Song Contest’s colorful opening festivities. The Israeli delegation and Golan will participate in a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in Malmo, in collaboration with representatives from the Israeli community in the city.
The Eurovision’s Turquoise Carpet event is considered one of the highlights of the competition and the first meeting between media teams from dozens of countries and participants, contributing to public relations and exposure to each country’s songs. However, Golan will have to miss the opportunity.
"Today, on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, we will light a candle in memory of the six million of our people who were murdered – and remind the world that never again is now," Golan explained.
Officials from the Israeli Public Broadcast channel Kan 11 told Ynet there was no deliberation at all about participating in the opening ceremony, and that Holocaust Remembrance Day is of paramount importance. They noted the importance of Golan's participation in the memorial ceremony planned in the Swedish city, identified as one of the Islamic strongholds in the country.
Due to the proximity of the competition to Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israel requested and was assigned to the Eurovision’s second semifinal, which will take place on Thursday.
Golan will compete against Austria, Albania, Estonia, Georgia, Malta, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Latvia, Greece, San Marino, Belgium, Armenia, Denmark, and the Czech Republic. Additionally, Spain, Italy, and France will also appear in the second semifinal.