Music makes the world go round

Last week through Saturday night was Eurovision Song Week.  Saturday night was the finale.  German singer Lena won the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, hosted this year in Oslo, Norway, for her country.  Under contest rules, Germany will host the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest.  Her winning song, "Satellite," was written by American songwriter Julie Frost and Danish songwriter John Gordon, so international collaboration was clearly a feature of the contest.  Lena's first album, "My Cassette Player," was released in May and debuted at number one among German albums.

Following Germany, the top-ranked country finishers this year were Turkey, Romania, Denmark and Azerbaijan.   That's quite a group.

The Eurovision Song Contest, open to all active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), has been held annually since 1956.  The first contest was hosted in Lugano, Switzerland.  Full active members are broadcasters based in countries from Iceland to Russia and include most European countries.  Associate members include countries from around the world.  Associate members from the USA include the major non-cable broadcast networks, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Time Warner, among others.  The Contest has been broadcast each year since 1956, is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world, and is also one of the most-watched non-sporting events in the world.  Audience figures have been quoted in recent years as anything between 100 million and 600 million international viewers.  Since 2000, the Contest has also been broadcast on the Internet.

Probably the most famous Eurovision Song winning group whose career was directly launched into the spotlight following their win was ABBA.  They won the Contest for Sweden in 1974 with their song "Waterloo" and went on to become one of the most successful bands of all time.  Their music has also been featured in the long-running musical, "Mamma Mia!" and the film of the same name.  Another notable winner was Céline Dion, who won the Contest for Switzerland in 1988.

The Eurovision Song Contest was originally started as a way to bring then war-torn Europe together by means of light entertainment.  It has been remarkably successful in doing that throughout its history, although it has been no stranger to controversy on occasion.

I read all too often in the news headlines about the horrific events that occur when people do not practice the basic principle of treating others in the way that they themselves wish to be treated.  I wish that there could be a Worldvision Song Contest - to bring ALL of us together - and to remind us all that we are human beings who share a common destiny and the globe - regardless of our differences.

Music is one language common to us all.  It speaks to our hearts and moves us.  I wish that it could move us all to peace and prosperity.  Oh, how I wish that!