Not everyone is coming to the future, not everyone is learning from the past
The European Brodacasting Union has released a statement confirming that the flags of Israel and Palestine that were visible on the back of Madonna’s dancers in the final moments of her Eurovision Song Contest performance with Quavo in Tel Aviv tonight were not an approved part of the show. They said:
In the live broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, two of Madonna’s dancers briefly displayed the Israeli and Palestinian flags on the back of their outfits.
This element of the performance was not part of the rehearsals which had been cleared with the EBU and the Host Broadcaster, KAN. The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political event and Madonna had been made aware of this.
Speaking about her perfomance for the first time after months of speculation, Madonna told Reuters on Tuesday:
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 millions of people who watched her perfomance tonight were able to witness, that’s exactly what she did.
Earlier in the night Madonna appeared in a pre-recorded interview from the Green Room, warning the delegation and the artists in competition to not underestimate the power of music to bring people together.
You’re all winners, no matter what happens. The reason I mean that is because to get here, where you are right now, is not easy. Right?First you had a dream and then you had to believe in that dream, and you had to make many sacrifices. That makes you a winner no matter what. Another really obvious statement is, look at all the delegates behind us, everyone here is from all over the world. So many countries that I have been privileged not just to visit but to experience.And the one thing that brings me to those countries, and the thing that brings all these people here tonight, is music. So let’s not underestimate the power of music to bring people together. That’s the most important thing. Music makes the people come together.
