Duesseldorf to host Eurovision 2011 song contest

The 56th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Düsseldorf in 2011. This was announced on 12th October, by Norddeutsche Rundfunk (NDR – the North German Broadcasting Corporation). The contest will be held in the ESPRIT Arena on 14th May. The two semi-finals are planned on 10th May and 12th May likewise in the ESPRIT Arena.

“All Düsseldorf is looking forward to this international mega event enormously. We are very proud to play the host city for Germany. I extend a heart-felt welcome to all the participants and guests of the Eurovision Song Contest from all over Europe. We will be good hosts,” in the words of Lord Mayor Dirk Elbers.

Düsseldorf is the ideal venue for this contest. Around 24,000 spectators will experience the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in the ESPRIT Arena. This means the NDR has decided on a venue that is best suited for the high requirements made. The ESPRIT Arena will be made available to the organisers for six weeks. The three second-division football games of Fortuna Düsseldorf that were originally planned in the arena will be held in the Paul-Janes Stadium at Flinger Broich for this period.

“We submitted a first-class candidature – with a first-class venue in a first-class city. As a congress and fair location, Düsseldorf stands for internationality and cosmopolitanism. Long years of experience in executing major events and an excellent infrastructure guarantee quality, with which our city will do justice to this outstanding challenge. The people in charge of the television broadcast were able to convince themselves on the spot that they will find perfect conditions here,” notes Lord Mayor Elbers. He goes on to express his gratitude to everyone involved in the candidature: “It is a fine matter that so many in the city have helped to bring this event to Düsseldorf”.

Now the Eurovision Song Contest is coming to Düsseldorf for the second time within a year. The inhabitants of the state capital have already been part of this year’s show in Oslo. Under the motto “Share the moment,” thousands of Düsseldorfers danced the ESC flash mob on the Burgplatz before the backdrop of the evening Rhine promenade and together experienced the Eurovision Moment. Düsseldorf thus ranks amongst the ten cities throughout Europe, in which the flash mob has been performed.

You will find the video to the flash mob under:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsuPqiCjyag

(Section Düsseldorf: 03:00 to 03:21 minutes)