PRESIDENT’S UPDATE
PREZ UPDATE A few words from OGAE UK President Vaughan Staples (ogaeukpres@gmail.com) PRESIDENT’S UPDATE
Vaughan with Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region Mayor
From Ukraine - Jamala!
Well, I promised the biggest party and celebration of our lifetimes and I hope you agree, that is what Liverpool 2023 achieved. It has taken some time to sit down and write this edition’s Presidents page. The journey this past 18 months I have been President which has culminated in our hosting of the contest has been one of the most emotional, tiring, and incredible time of my life. LIVERPOOL 2023 From the very start of this journey, it was clear that Liverpool meant business, and took on their hosting duties like no city had done before. The disappointment of Turin became a distant memory as the entire city and region got behind the contest and that was clear from the atmosphere across the city the entire Eurovision week and seeing Eurovision displayed on public transport, in every shop, and on every street corner was a truly emotional sight and a sight many of us in the UK have been waiting to see for some time. In a real first OGAE UK were seen as a valued partner at this year’s contest and our input and experience was called upon by the organisers including the EBU, BBC, Liverpool City Council, and the City Region. Over several months we have worked with Liverpool
City Council and Culture Liverpool to ensure the fans’ experience in Liverpool was the best yet. This included input into the EuroVillage and the opportunity to join the Turquoise Carpet and Welcome Party in St. Georges Square exclusively for our members as well as suggestions on how the city should be decorated and embrace the contest. Our partnerships with Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Trains to bring the EuroTrains to Liverpool as well as the City Region who provided the welcome carnival as the trains arrived and ensured our members were welcomed in style and highlighted the fans as an integral part of the festivities. Working with Mersey Ferries our EuroFerry set sail across the Mersey to the sound of Eurovision, and we showed the locals how Eurovision fans party on water and our annual EuroSocial allowed UK members old and new to catch up and make new friends. Our main venues for the week of the EuroCafe at Peacocks which provided daytime activities and a place to relax and listen to non-stop Eurovision music proved a popular daily meeting place for many and finally but by no means least was our amazing EuroClub at Camp and Furnace. Heralded as the best EuroClub to date, headline acts
filled two huge spaces as well as space to meet inside and out and party all night long. A personal emotional moment for me was introducing Charlotte Perrelli on stage, after seeing her win 24 years previously as a teenager and falling in love with her, Take Me To Your Heaven and Eurovision itself, it felt a full circle moment and one I will cherish forever. Huge thanks to all the OGAE UK volunteers who played a huge part of the success of this year’s contest in particular Simon Bennett as OGAE International President, OGAE UK Secretary and Treasurer and Alasdair Rendall who headed up our Liverpool Organising Committee. None of what took place would have been possible without the support of you the fans and members, now counting at over 7,000, who supported the events and created such a welcoming, safe, inclusive, and joyful atmosphere for everyone who came to the contest. EUROVISION 2023 Not only did Liverpool host the best party but arguably the BBC produced one of the best Eurovision shows for many years. From the opening and intervals to the staging of the songs and postcards, the quality, humour, warmth,
Doing the rounds
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