Actually, the Ukrainian President was supposed to perform at the music festival, but after violent reactions, that probably won’t happen after all.
January 2023, Zelenskyj during the World Economic Forum in Davos. imago
Soon it’s time. The Festival della Canzone Italiana, the world-famous festival in Sanremo, starts on February 7th. Italian artists have been stepping onto the stage of the Ariston Theater there for 73 years. Millions of viewers tune in every year when the festival is broadcast in the Liguria region by state broadcaster RAI 1.
An allegedly planned video appearance by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is now causing a stir: Critics say the Sanremo stage is being misused for propaganda purposes. Zelenskyj’s performance was scheduled to take place on the last night of the festival, next Saturday, when the winner of the song contest would be announced. After a long back and forth, the organizers have now announced: Only a letter that Zelenskyj wrote will be read on stage.
Although Italy’s first governing party, Fratelli d’Italia, has promised Ukraine military aid, there are concerns at the Palazzo Chigi, Italy’s seat of government, about Zelenskyj being involved in the music event. Firstly, they are voiced by Silvio Berlusconi, a coalition colleague of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. On the other hand, the head of the 5-star party, Giuseppe Conte, also shares the criticism. In addition, the Italian Vice President and head of the Lega, Matteo Salvini, now scoffed: “Zelenskyj? I don’t know how he sings and I have other preferences.”
What problem do the Italians have with Zelenskyi?
It all started in mid-January when Selenskyj was interviewed by the Italian journalist Bruno Vespa. Vespa hinted with a question that the president could attend the music festival a few weeks later; information that had not yet become public knowledge at the time. And that was enough to trigger a broad debate in Italy.
The Italians are annoyed by Selenskyj’s international appearances, it is said in many places. On the one hand, because the Italian state, which has also gotten into economic difficulties as a result of the war and the associated increase in gas prices, is still committed to supplying arms to Ukraine without time limits. And on the other hand, because Zelenskyj’s speeches never talk about peace.
80,000 people sign a petition to stop Zelenskyj’s performance
Then, at the end of January 2023, the Italian independent television channel Byoblu launched a petition to prevent “the militarization of the Sanremo Festival”. Around 80,000 Italians signed the application within a few days. The text of the petition reads: “We want Article 11 of our Constitution to be respected. He rejects war as a method of resolving international conflicts.”
Since the start of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskyy’s performances have been widely acclaimed and praised around the world. The former comedian was able to share his messages at the Cannes and Venice film festivals, among others, and even appeared on video at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles: For months, Selenskyj has been asking for military aid to Ukraine and Western ones States contribute too little.
Zelenskyj’s portrayals reached a media high point with a photo reportage that was published in various countries in Vogue at the end of July 2022. Photographer Annie Leibovitz took photos of Selenskyj and his wife Olena Selenska in the middle of the war zone in Kyiv. Back then, for the first time, there were negative reactions to the way Zelenskyy uses the media. It was said at the time that he and his wife were exploiting the war in the media.