Last week at the PalaOlimpico arena in Turin, Italy, 40 countries got together to compete in the world’s longest running annual TV music competition, the Eurovision Song Contest. While Russia was absent from this year’s contest due to its war in Ukraine, other Eastern European countries had incredible performances rich with national languages, costumes and music. Most notably, Ukraine and Moldova were the two countries with the highest amount of votes from the public, with Ukraine securing the title as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022!
MAERES student Sydnee Wilke was there in Turin to watch the Jury Final last Friday night while wearing the Ukrainian flag in solidarity with her friends still in Ukraine today. Inside the arena, she says the atmosphere was one of joy and excitement as everyone supported their favorite acts and sang along to the songs. Ukraine’s entry “Stefania” by Kalush Orchestra filled the arena with energy as the group danced, sang and played traditional Ukrainian woodwind instruments called the sopilka and the telenka. On Saturday night for the Live Final, Kalush Orchestra ended their incredible performance with a message to help Azovstal, as the steel plant in Mariupol is still under siege. This year’s Eurovision Song Contest victory was well earned and well deserved by an incredibly talented group of men from Ukraine.