Russia's Foreign Minister criticizes diversity at the ESC - a scandal?

Russia's Foreign Minister criticizes diversity at the ESC - a scandal?

Johannesburg, Südafrika - A meeting of the Brics countries consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has targeted urgent geopolitical topics such as the Ukraine decline. During the discussion, the South African ambassador Sooclal expressed concerns about the military support of the West for Ukraine and warned that they only heat up the tensions. The BRICS countries, which differ significantly from the West in their attitude to the conflict, also prepare for the tops of the heads of state and government in Johannesburg in August, to which Russian President Putin was also invited, as Deutschlandfunk reported.

musical challenges and political messages

At the same time, a musical competition takes place in Russia that arouses great interest. The participation of countries such as China, Brazil and Saudi Arabia is celebrated as a success by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lawrow. He emphasized that this competition offers all nations the opportunity to present their musical traditions "without censorship". Lavrow added that there would be no "perversions and mockery of human nature", an allusion to the criticized representation of queer artists at the Olympic Games in Paris. These statements are in direct contrast to Russia's domestic reality, where the rights of LGBTQI+ people are severely restricted and homosexuality is outlawed in public, as Kleine Zeitung reported.

The planning and implementation of such international cultural events could serve as a platform to question Russia's strict attitude towards minorities in public. The Eurovision Song Contest, which is often shaped by queer artists, draws a clear line under the artistic and social tensions that become visible in this context on the global stage.