Til Buergy/EPA-EFE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
Production Tobias Executive Head prepares St. Jacobe Charles in Basel for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest
Basel, Switzerland, is preparing to welcome the Eurovision song contest, and is now in party mode this weekend.
It has been 36 years since Switzerland last hosted the contest after Celine Dion won in 1988. Therefore, it has been a long time to roll out Eurovision’s famous turquoise carpet.
Switzerland held its first Eurovision at Lugano in 1956, but it has mixed records since Dion’s victory in Dublin.
Between 2007 and 2010 and again between 2015 and 2018, that entry didn’t even qualify for the final. Swiss singer Nemo finally won with the Code last year.
ebu
Swiss broadcasting station SRGSSR has published a poster highlighting unity
Perhaps that’s why Basel is determined to make this contest memorable for all the right reasons. At 1.3km (0.8 miles), the turquoise carpet is the longest in Eurovision, extending from Basel Town Hall across the Rhine to the village of Eurovision.
Basel government head Conradin Kramer believes the city, with just 175,000 residents, is a natural home for an estimated 500,000 visitors to Eurovision.
Basel is the “center of Europe” due to its borders with both France and Germany, he says. He points out that cities have a long humanist tradition. Basel welcomed them when other cities in medieval Europe cracked down on free thinkers.
So, with its geographical location and history of tolerance, and eurovision with its tradition of inclusion and diversity, Basel says it is a “perfect match.”
Last year’s contest in Malmo attracted thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters, and Basel is also expected to see further protests against the war in Gaza.
Police have not yet announced plans to administer this, but they say that everyone should have the right to express their opinions, as long as they remain within the law and do not endanger the safety of others.
Throughout the contest, they say there are 1,300 executives on duty. Basel has also announced security tactics to ensure visitors can enjoy the song contest safely. They promise a “mobile awareness team,” a safe hideaway for victims of violence and hostility, and a 24-hour hotline. The concepts that Basel officials describe as unique aim to prevent violence, sexual assault and harassment, racist attacks and insults.
The awareness team, recognised by a pink jacket, is available 24 hours a day in the city. Basel security director Stephanie Eyman said the team is a “low deduction” measure to give visitors the opportunity to report harassment and attacks and seek protection, even if they don’t want to approach police.
It appears that the entire town has embraced the event. Turquoise welcome flags waving from all lamp posts. Tickets for the contest itself sold out in minutes, but Basel has promised “something for everyone,” tickets, or no tickets, most of which will be free.
“There are concerts all over town and art projects,” says Leticia Elia, Tourism Director. Basel has 40 museums and galleries in just 37 square kilometres of space, with records of European cities, all of which are involved.
The exhibition, featuring works by Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, Wassily Kandinsky and Pablo Picasso, opened at the Bayer Foundation, where sculptures of poetry from Swiss artist Ugo Rondinon sit on the roof. Basel’s Natural History Museum also features glam displays.
Celebrations are spread throughout Switzerland, with competitions nationwide for the best school bands. The top four will appear on Basel’s stage.
Basel government directors Conradin Cramer, Rafael Bouvier, and Leticia Ae, curator of the Baylor Foundation and director of the Basel Tourism Bureau. Diana Segantini from the Public Values section of ESC presents an exhibition on Eurovision
However, hosting events like Eurovision is by no means hitchfree, and this is no exception. Basel’s final choice as a venue was only made at the end of August last year, and it was possible for more than seven months to organize everything.
There was subsequent dispute from evangelical Christian groups who claimed that Eurovision undermined traditional family values and that performers sang regularly about Satanism and the occult. They gathered enough signatures to force a referendum aimed at banning public funds for the event.
However, on November 24th, voters gave the song contest a big yes. 66.6% have approved Basel’s budget almost $40 million. Conradin Cramer was hoping for a referendum. But he was still pleased with the size of the forum: “It shows that this is a city that people really want to do this.”
He is very aware that global debate on diversity and inclusion has changed this year since Swiss singer Nemo became the first non-binary person to win Eurovision.
Basel’s top message states that “everyone is welcome.”
Reuters
Last year’s winner Nemo was greeted by fans who offered non-binary flags when they returned to Switzerland
Things are tougher on stage and in the dressing room. The EBU, which runs the contest itself, sticks to the rule that performers can only bring their flags to the stage or green room. This means they cannot fly Pride flags or other gender identity or sexuality flags.
However, fans can bring their favorite flags into the arena.
Last year, Swiss winner Nemo waved a non-binary flag during his performance, but said he had to “smuggle” the flag. This year, LGBTQ+ groups say they are disappointed that the EBU has not relaxed the rules.
“To ban our symbol is a slap in the face of the LGBTIQ community,” said Pink Cross, Swiss group.
The EBU says the guidelines are designed to create clarity and balance that explains “Eurovision does not require a flag to demonstrate alliances and celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Throughout the Atlantic, Donald Trump’s administration has actively eliminated government support for diversity and inclusion measures, and he has called for partner European institutions (including several Swiss universities) to do the same.
That’s what Basel says even if EBU doesn’t do that, Basel says he should stand.
“These are our European values. People and nations come together in friendly championships. Anyone who is young, if you’re not that young, if you’re straight, if you’re gay, if you’re female, male, or you’re non-binary, this is all perfectly fine.
So, if everyone is welcome, how will they get there? The host country is Switzerland and offers punctual transportation. The Swiss railway lies on hundreds of extra trains. In Basel, the tram runs 24 hours a day.
And there’s even a karaoke tram for those who are really in Eurovision mode. There, passengers can make a 90-minute free trip across town.
