We’ve got over a month to go until Junior Eurovision 2017, however the plans for the 2018 contest have already started! The European Broadcasting Union have announced that Belarus will be hosting next year’s contest!
Previously, the clause in the Rules for Junior Eurovision allowed the winning nation first refusal to host, however the Junior Eurovision Steering Group decided to remove this clause in order to allow the hosting nations and the EBU to have more time to prepare for the yearly event.
As such, the EBU members were given the opportunity to apply for hosting duties for 2018, and it was decided that Belarus and their broadcaster BTRC were the best suited for the role. Belarus is one of few nations who have participated each and every year of Junior Eurovision, and have been successful throughout the years as well. The nation has won the contest twice, the first time in 2005 with Ksenia Sitnik and in 2007 with Alexey Zhigalkovich.
Jon Ola Sand has commented on the changes to the hosting rule, and Belarus’ upcoming role, ‘The rule change to allow a host for next year’s competition to be chosen earlier not only gives the host broadcaster longer to prepare what is a huge production but also protects the future of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. We are therefore delighted to announce, before we gather in Tbilisi for the 2017 competition, that BTRC will be the host broadcaster of the 2018 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. BTRC’s application to host was extremely strong, and we have full confidence that they will put the same enthusiasm into the preparations of next year’s event.’
Watch the official news video from the official Junior Eurovision website, as well as a recap of all the Belarusian entries!
Read more about the 2017 Belarusian entry here, and watch the official video down below:
