Friday 24 October 2014

Goodbye summer and hello Eurovision season!

Where has the time gone? It’s been a pretty eventful few months for me. I’ve recently moved to London to take up a new role in communications. London’s an incredibly special place and signal failures on the tube aside, I’m really enjoying it. I’m still keeping up to date with my interests in Ukraine and Estonia, which earlier this month became the first country in the post-Soviet space to pass a law recognising same-sex partnerships. Bravo Eesti! Scotland was very much in my mind too for obvious reasons. Whatever the rights or wrongs of the debates around independence, it’s engaged and empowered people which is fantastic. I hope this spirit spreads to the rest of the UK. Although I have a feeling we might not have seen the end of the Scottish independence question…
The nights are drawing in, winter is coming which means one thing – the Eurovision season is about to begin! Today tickets went on sale for the Swedish extravaganza that is Melodifestivalen. In the coming weeks the various names for national selections will be announced. No doubt the various rumours will start too. I was pleased to see the BBC make an announcement about its plans for Eurovision 2015. The UK can win this thing, we just need to make a concerted effort, with a decent song and perhaps a little luck. Wouldn’t it be great for us Brits to win the 60th contest?
Conchita has been doing the rounds over the summer and more recently made an appearance at the European Parliament in Brussels – she’s a fantastic ambassador for equality and indeed Eurovision. In summer I tend to fall away from Eurovision, even I reach saturation point! However I’m looking forward to the coming season and all the excitement that it’ll no doubt bring!