“A new path towards peace”
Madonna released a statement to Reuters today, commenting on her decision to sing at the Eurovision finals in Tel Aviv, Israel later this week. This is also the first official word from Madonna’s camp on the news that she would be making a guest appearance at the song competition that features more than 40 nations and was watched by 189 million viewers in Europe, Australia and Israel last year.
She said:
I’ll never stop playing music to suit someone’s political agenda nor will I stop speaking out against violations of human rights wherever in the world they may be.
My heart breaks every time I hear about the innocent lives that are lost in this region and the violence that is so often perpetuated to suit the political goals of people who benefit from this ancient conflict. I hope and pray that we will soon break free from this terrible cycle of destruction and create a new path towards peace.
As the winning country customarily hosts the Eurovision Song Contest the following year, Israel is hosting the 2019 edition after Netta Barzilai‘s victory with Toy in Lisbon last year. The three live shows will take place at Tel Aviv Expo on 14, 16 and 18 May 2019 under the theme Dare to Dream.
According to several reports Madonna is expected to perform two songs in Tel Aviv, including one from Madame X. She performed in Israel during her world tours in 1993, 2009 and 2012.
Through her Ray of Light foundation, which promotes social justice and women’s empowerment worldwide, Madonna supports a number of Palestinian projects, including funding teachers’ salaries at schools in the Gaza Strip through the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency UNRWA and micro loans to female farmers through the Palestine Fair Trade Association. The foundation also supports Americans for Peace Now, which campaigns for a diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
