Displaced Ukrainians to receive thousands of tickets for Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool

The UK government has announced that around 3,000 tickets will be made available to displaced Ukrainians to attend the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in May.

This move is part of the UK’s effort to support Ukraine and showcase its culture and creativity.

The ticket allocation will allow thousands of Ukrainians living in the UK to attend one of the live shows and celebrate the Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra’s victory at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Ukraine won the competition in 2022 but is unable to host because of Russia’s illegal invasion.

As part of the same announcement, the government has also agreed to provide £10 million in funding to support Liverpool City Council and the BBC’s partnerships with Ukrainian artists and performers to ensure a collaborative show celebrating music and how it unites people from around the world.

The funding will also support security, visa arrangements and other operational aspects of the contest, as well as Liverpool City Council’s schools, community, and volunteering programs.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer expressed the government’s commitment to ensuring that the Ukrainian people are at the heart of the event, saying, “we are honoured to be supporting the BBC and Liverpool in hosting it on their behalf and are determined to make sure the Ukrainian people are at the heart of this event.”

The allocation of almost 3,000 tickets to displaced Ukrainians was welcomed by Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko, who called it a gesture of the UK’s commitment to supporting Ukraine.

The Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, also welcomed the news, saying that Ukraine is at the heart of all the Eurovision host city plans and that the Ukrainian community is working with the city to shape a thought-provoking and powerful program that is representative of modern Ukraine.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia a year ago, millions of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes, with many finding refuge in the UK.

Displaced Ukrainians based in the UK via the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme, and the Ukraine Extension Scheme will be able to apply for tickets for all nine live shows, including the semi-finals, the preview shows, and the live final on Saturday, 13 May.

The announcement comes after President Zelenskyy’s visit to the UK, during which the Prime Minister underlined the country’s commitment to support Ukraine and help secure lasting peace.

The move is not just a humanitarian effort, but a cultural one, aimed at celebrating and showcasing the rich culture and music of Ukraine while uniting people from around the world