Image credits: © Andres Putting / EBU Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 continues to make headlines. Now, more than 200 Portuguese artists are calling for the exclusion of that country from the competition.
At this moment, Israeli participation is confirmed: the song Hurricane by Eden Golan was officially released this Sunday. However, the actions in the armed conflict in the Gaza Strip triggered by the Hamas’ attacks on October 7 of last year are generating many criticisms and calls for a boycott or ban on Israel in the ESC 2024.
Previously, artists from Finland or Iceland, for example, called for Israel not to be allowed to participate. Now, around 200 Portuguese artists are doing the same, including Sérgio Godinho, Nuno Calado, Bordalo II, and even Cristina Clara, who competed in the final of the Festival da Canção 2024 – Portugal’s selection for the ESC.
In an open letter addressed to the Portuguese public broadcaster RTP, the signatory artists appeal for the boycott and prohibition of Israel, stating: “We point out the hypocrisy of the EBU [European Broadcasting Union], which banned Russia the day after its invasion and occupation of Ukraine, but insists on Israel’s participation despite its occupation of Palestine and the oppression of the Palestinian people that has lasted for over half a century. The International Criminal Court has warned of a ‘plausible’ genocide by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza, which has suffered over 30,000 deaths so far, including at least 12,300 children”, the letter says.
The same document points out the destruction of civilian installations and the illegal use of explosive weapons and white phosphorus against civilians, as well as mentioning a “cultural genocide” in which the actions of the Israeli armed forces have already killed “artists, writers, and poets”, besides destroying or damaging “a unique historical heritage, […], the National Museum of Gaza, […] as well as cultural centers, theaters, and libraries”.
It is also mentioned the “forced displacement, the cutting of water, food, and fuel supplies, and employment”. The artists in question consider that “the ongoing massacre is just the latest stage of a broader strategy of ethnic cleansing” and emphasize the recent publication by the Israeli state broadcaster Kan of “a chilling and genocidal video of Israeli children singing «Let’s annihilate them all [Palestinians from Gaza]». This fact alone should have warranted Kan’s expulsion from the Eurovision. The broadcaster continues to ignore the decision of the International Criminal Court for Israel to cease its genocidal incitement against the Palestinian people”, they underline.
Signatories
- Adriana Dezotti: Writer and actress
- Afonso Queiró: Singer
- Alaíde Costa: Cultural producer
- Alain Vachier: Musical producer
- Alexandra Balona: Independent curator
- Alice Baleine: Artistic production
- Alice Ruiz: Actress, singer
- Alípio Padilha: Photographer
- Ana Fernandes: Actress
- Ana Luísa Gomes: Director
- Ana Nicolau: Director
- Ana Trincão: Performer
- André Albuquerque: Actor
- André Canário: Actor
- André Tecedeiro: Poet
- Ângela – XePizarro: Singer
- António Dias: Artistic consultant
- António José Gonzalez: Stage director, performer
- António Pedro Braga – AP Braga: Baladeiro
- Aura: Artist
- Be Dias: Performer
- Beatriz Guerreiro: Actress, stage director
- Benjamim: Musician
- Bordalo II: Plastic artist
- Bruno Alexandre: Choreographer
- Bruno Ferreira: Director
- Carla Bolito: Actress
- Carla Veríssimo: Writer
- Carlota Lagido: Dancer, choreographer
- Catarina Aidos: Artistic-pedagogical project
- Catarina Amaral: Producer
- Catarina Florido: Tattoo artist and visual artist
- Catarina Laranjeiro: Director
- Catarina Sobral: Cultural producer
- Catarina Vasconcelos: Director
- Catherina: Multidisciplinary artist
- Célia Teixeira: Singer and actress
- Chullage: Musician
- Clara Rio: Stage director, puppets
- Cláudia Dias: Choreographer
- Cláudia Varejão: Director
- Constança Ochoa: Singer
- Cristina Clara: Singer
- Cristina Sampaio: Cartoonist
- Cru Encarnação: Performer
- Daniel Salvador: Director, visual artist
- David Santos – Noiserv: Singer
- Débora Pinho Mateus: Producer and Cultural Programmer
- Diana Costa e Silva: Actress
- Diana Niepce: Damcer, choreographer
- Diego Bragà: Singer and songwriter
- Diogo Bento: Artist, photographer, educator
- Diogo Faro: Humorist
- Diogo Pereira: Director and photographer
- Dulce Fernandes: Director
- Éme: Musician
- Fabiana Injai: Dancer
- Fado Bicha: Band
- Fernando Júdice: Musician
- Filipa Bossuet: Visual artist and performer
- Filipa Francisco: Choreographer
- Filipe Baptista: Multidisciplinary artist
- Filipe Baracho: Dancer
- Francisca Mantas Pinto: Bailarina
- Francisca Sousa: Plastic artist
- Francisco Correia: Musician
- Francisco Eduardo: Plastic artist
- Francisco Lourenço: Plastic artist
- Francisco Rebelo: Musician
- Freddy Locks: Musician
- Fulvio Capurso: Plastic artist
- Gisela Casimiro: Writer and artist
- Graça Castanheira: Director
- Guadalupe Portelinha: Writer
- Helena Baronet: Actress
- Helena Silva: Violinist
- Hélio Morais: Musician
- Henrique Pereira: Interior designer
- Henrique Zamith: Musician
- Heverton Harieno: Director
- Hugo Lopes – Cobramor: Writer, translator, editor, performer
- Inês Arisca: Artista mural, painter
- Inês Correia: Actress
- Inês Oliveira: Plastic artist
- Irma Estopiña: Poet
- Isabel Mões: Actress, stage director, playwright
- Jamila Camará: Actress
- Jo Castro: Transdisciplinary artist
- Joana Alegre: Singer
- Joana Cardoso: Art director
- Joana Craveiro: Stage director, playwright, actress
- Joana Seixas: Actress
- Joana Villaverde Cabral: Plastic artist
- João Baeta: Visual artist, curator
- João Garcia – Iguana Garcia: Musician
- João Grosso: Actor
- João Marcelo: Musician
- João Morais – O Gajo: Singer
- João Oliveira: Actor
- João Pires de Campos – Flak: Musician
- João Vaz Silva: Cultural producer
- José Farinha: Photographer
- José Oliveira: Film-maker
- José Vieira: Film-maker
- Judite Canha Fernandes: Writer
- Júlia Reis: Musician
- Leonardo Bindilatti: Musician
- Leonardo Garibaldi: Actor, stage director
- Leonor Oliveira: Actress
- Lia Rodrigues: Artivist, curator
- Lourenço Crespo: Musician
- Luca Argel: Singer
- Luciana Fina: Director
- Luís Aniceto: Photographer
- Luís Octávio Costa – Kitato: Photographer
- Luís Severo: Singer
- Luísa Fidalgo: Creator and actress
- Luísa Ortigoso: Actress
- Madalena Saudade e Silva: Producer
- Makoto Yagyu: Musician and musical producer
- Manuel Maria Carvalho Aguiar: Amateur actor
- Margarida Viamonte: Actress
- Margaux Dauby: Director
- Maria Reis: Musician
- Mariana Pita: Musician
- Marta Fonseca: Guitar player
- Marta Nunes: Illustrator
- Martim Pedroso: Actor, stage director and teacher
- Marum: Musician and DJ
- Maurícia Neves: artist, choreographer, performer
- Máximo: Musician
- Miguel Abras: Musician
- Miguel Angelo Ribeiro da Cruz: Actor
- Miguel Canaverde: Visual artist
- Miguel Carriço: Photographer
- Miguel Flor: Artist
- Miguel Nunes: Actor
- Moxila: Musician
- Mrika Sefa: Pianist
- Nadja Firmino: Artist
- Nicholas MacNair: Songwriter
- Nuno Alexandre Ferreira: Plastic artist
- Nuno Baltasar: Fashion creator
- Nuno Calado: Radio presenter
- Nuno Castro Paiva: Architect
- Nuno Coelho: Artist
- Nuno Saraiva: Cartoonist
- Nuno Teixeira: Actor
- Nuno Viegas: Plastic artist
- Odete: Artist
- Patrícia Andrade: Actress
- Patrícia Paixão: Actress, creator, producer
- Pedro Afonso: Musician
- Pedro Boleo: Musician
- Pedro Isidro: Agent
- Pedro Jóia: Musician
- Pedro Silva Sena: Writer
- Pietro Romano: Playwritght
- Rafael Rasquinho: Joiner
- Raquel Bravo: Cultural producer
- Raquel Freire: Director, writer
- Raquel Palmira Lima: Poet
- Rebecca Mateus: Performer, dancer
- Ricardo Jacinto: Musician, plastic artist
- Ricardo Raposo: Actor
- Rita Andrade: Painter
- Rita Burmester: Photographer
- Rita Carolina Silva: Artist
- Rita Pereira – Rita Maomenos: DJ, producer
- Rita Redshoes: Singer
- Rogério Oliveira – Boémia: Singer
- Ruben Zakoyan – Razallax: Multidisciplinary artist
- Rui Xavier Costa: Musical producer
- Sallim: Musician
- São José Lapa: Actress, stage director
- Sara Gonçalves: Actress, stage director
- Sasha Li: Performer
- Scúru Fitchádu: Musician
- Sérgio Duarte: Humorist
- Sérgio Filipe Silva: Videographer
- Sérgio Godinho: Musician, singer
- Sérgio Machado Letria: Producer, Fundação José Saramago director
- Sérgio Tréfaut: Director
- Sílvio Ren: Musician
- Simone Roberto: Illustrator
- Sofia Aparício: Actress
- Soraia Simões de Andrade: Writer and e researcher
- Susana Chiocca: Artist
- Susana Domingos Gaspar: Dancer, choreographer
- Susana Travassos: Singer
- Tamara Alves: Visual artist
- Teresa Mello Sampayo: Actress
- Thomas Attar Bellier: Musical producer
- Tiago Azevedo e Silva: Musician, artistic director at Porto Cello Festival
- Tiago Figueiredo: Photographer, director
- Tiago Mota: Singer
- Tiago Pereira: Director
- Tiago Sousa: Musician
- Tino Flores: Singer-songwriter
- Tó Trips: Musician
- Tomás Seatra – Tamales: Singer-songwriter
- Vanessa Spencer: Musical artist, performer
- Wasted Rita – Rita Gomes: Artist
- Xana Novais: Performer
- Yonel Serrano: Dancer
- Acção Cooperativista: Support for cultural professionals
- A Música Portuguesa a gostar dela própria: Association
- Cafetra: Music publisher
- Maio Maio Edições: Publisher
Leave a Reply