The British government has pledged a cash injection of 10 million pounds (about 11.3 million euros) for the Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place in the United Kingdom in May. The money is earmarked for operating costs, “presenting Ukrainian culture” and supporting the host city of Liverpool.
The competition takes place in the northern UK city, which local authorities have already pledged £4 million (about €4.5 million) in funding.
As the BBC reports, this is a change from last year when the host city of Torino received no financial support from the Italian government, instead raising £10m (€11.3m) from its own resources. Money that, according to official information, she earned many times over from tourism.
The Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra has won the 2022 competition in Turin. However, unlike most previous winners, the country cannot host this year’s event due to the ongoing war with Russia. For that sad reason, the United Kingdom, who finished second with singer Sam Ryder, 33, have stepped in as hosts.
Nevertheless, the responsible broadcaster has promised that Ukraine will remain at the center of events. It has been announced that around 3,000 tickets to the arena on 13 May will be made available to Ukrainians living in the UK at a reduced price of £20.
