The revived international song contest "Intervision" was held in Moscow

The international song contest "Intervision" was held at the Live Arena in Moscow on Saturday, September 20. More than 10 thousand viewers saw the show with their own eyes, millions more watched the performances of the contestants through the screens.

The concert venue accommodates 11 thousand spectators. A few days before the event, all tickets were completely sold out. The participants performed in front of crowded stands. The audience themselves became part of the light show — everyone in the hall had bracelets that changed color.

Intervision was launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He stressed that Russia values its traditions and respects the traditions of other countries. The head of state called respect for traditional values the main idea of the competition.

The contestants presented performances on stage reflecting their own culture, people and traditions.

"It's a dress with a cultural element. The colors are bright. My outfit reflects Ethiopia, that's why there's so much yellow. This is my first time in Russia, the people here are just wonderful," said Netsanet Sultan, a contestant from Ethiopia.

Among other things, elements characteristic of the national style of each country were integrated into the songs. The compositions were performed in their native languages, and some artists integrated Russian phrases into the text. Saif Al-Ali, a participant in the contest from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), called Intervision an excellent competition with an even rivalry and a huge variety of cultures.

"Music unites! And it's amazing. Each country represents its own culture. We are showing the story of what South Africa really is," said the members of the Mzansi Jikelele group, who represented the Republic of South Africa (South Africa) at the competition.

The show was watched live by a third of the globe, including Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Artists from 22 countries took the stage. The singer VASSY, who was supposed to perform at Intervision from the USA, could not come to the competition. On the day of the event, the Australian government, of which she is a native, banned her from performing in Russia.

The Russian Federation was represented at the competition by the Honored Artist of Russia SHAMAN (real name — Yaroslav Dronov). After the performance, he asked the jury members not to evaluate him as a performer of the host country of Intervision.

According to the results of the voting of the jury members from 23 countries, the victory at the first "Intervision" after the revival was won by the representative of Vietnam Duc Phuc. As a prize, he was presented with a crystal statuette in the form of a frozen sound wave.

At the end of the competition, the country ready to host the Intervision contest was also announced as the next one. In 2026, the event will be held in Saudi Arabia.

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The contest will be remembered not only for its bright numbers, but also for its political scandal.

Earlier, on September 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the interest of countries around the world in initiatives such as the Intervision competition. According to him, as soon as Russia announced the revival of the competition, many states responded to participate almost immediately. The minister called the idea of holding an "Intervention" excellent and stressed that the initiative "fell on the right ground."

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