In May 2025, the Eurovision Song Contest takes to the stage in Basel, returning to its country of birth – the first Eurovision was held on 24 May 1956 in Lugano. The very first winner was Lys Assia, a world-famous singer and actress from the canton of Aargau, who won the first contest for Switzerland with her song “Refrain”. In 1988 in Dublin, another world star claimed victory for Switzerland: with her song “Ne partez pas sans moi”, Céline Dion brought the event back to Switzerland, and one year later, Lausanne welcomed participants from 22 countries. The latest comeback was staged by Nemo, winning the 2024 Eurovision in Malmö, ensuring one of the biggest music competitions in the world, attracting around 200 million viewers every year, will be held for the third time in Switzerland in 2025.
