Although Anna Synilkina, a student at Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, has never been a great fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, she decided to volunteer at this year’s event in Kyiv – she says for the fun of it.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people, helping foreigners and just having fun,” she said.
A total of 900 volunteers are to work at this years’ Eurovision event in Kyiv from May 9-13.
The Eurovision organizing team, along with Kyiv Council officials, gathered them together on April 25 in front of the Kyiv City State Administration building for a symbolic initiation to service.
Since the Eurovision organizing team announced it was searching for volunteers in December, they have received around 12,000 applications from all over the world, including ones from Europe, Australia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea.
After a two-stage selection process – applications and interviews – 900 volunteers were chosen to be a part of the contest team. They will work with performers, the media, foreign delegations and help to organize the production of Eurovision 2017.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko thanked the volunteers for joining in the Eurovision 2017 celebration of music and dedicating their energy and time to it.
He said that tourists’ impressions of Kyiv would depend on each of the volunteers.
“It’s very important to represent our city (well) and create a positive image,” he said.
At the ceremony, Ukrainian singer Ruslana Lyzhychko, better known just as Ruslana, who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004, gave an energetic speech and presented her own slogan for this year’s contest: “Welcome to Ukraine again!”
She has had a series of shows in Europe lately, and said Europeans are eager to visit Ukraine.
She asked the volunteers to actively share information about the country, as “it’s a great opportunity to promote Ukraine.”
The volunteers answered by shouting back a prepared motto and let loose dozens of balloons with the Eurovision logo.
Synilkina’s fellow volunteer Mykhailo Pylypchuk, a student at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, said volunteers should not only have fun but also be responsible, as they will be representing the country.
“We volunteers are the face of Eurovision,” he said.
