This master’s thesis discusses the symbolic role of the Eurovision Song Contest as one of the soft power tools, which helps countries to position themselves in the international community. The Eurovision Song Contest (Eurovision) is an annual international singing contest between the state broadcasting organisations of the member states of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which has been airing since 1956. In addition to being a singing competition, Eurovision also serves as an important venue, offering especially smaller countries the opportunity to present their cultural and economic achievements to a European and wider global audience. From initially a purely technological means of connecting the national televisions of the EBU member states, Eurovision has evolved into a major cultural and political platform. Even though Eurovision is effectively an apolitical music event, it has become clear that participating countries are also using their performances for geopolitical positioning using various soft power means. The EBU, as a non-political organisation, has thus often been the target of political pressures, which have shaped the decision-making process and had a significant impact on the development of the competition itself. This work provides insight into the various soft power strategies used by member states to achieve political objectives, such as influencing the opinion of a country in the international community, expressing (geo)political views and forming alliances.
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