Eurovision Song Contest 2008 facts for kids
The Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was a huge music competition where different countries competed with their songs. It was held in Belgrade, Serbia. The winner was Dima Bilan from Russia, who sang a song called "Believe". This event was watched by about 250 million people all over the world, making it a really big television show!
In 2008, the contest had a new format. It was split into two semi-finals before the main final. Each semi-final had 19 countries competing. The first semi-final took place on May 20th, the second on May 22nd, and the grand final was held on May 24th.
How the Contest Worked
The Semi-Finals
To make sure more countries could join, Eurovision 2008 had two semi-final rounds. Countries had to perform well in these rounds to get a spot in the big final.
- The first semi-final was held on May 20, 2008.
- The second semi-final was held on May 22, 2008.
In each semi-final, ten countries were chosen to move on to the final. Nine of these were picked by public vote (people calling in or texting), and one was chosen by a special jury of music experts. This made the competition very exciting!
The Grand Final
The grand final was held on May 24, 2008. In the final, countries that automatically qualified (like the host country Serbia, and the "Big Four" — France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom) joined the countries that made it through the semi-finals.
The winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was Dima Bilan from Russia with his song "Believe". He received the most points from all the countries voting. Ukraine came in second place, and Greece was third. It was a night full of amazing performances and lots of fun!
Images for kids
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Belgrade Arena, Belgrade - the place where the contest was held in 2008.
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The presenters Željko Joksimović and Jovana Janković during the first semi-final.
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Aleksandar Josipović performing in the opening act of the second semi-final.
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The cover art of the official album for the contest.
See also
In Spanish: Festival de la Canción de Eurovisión 2008 para niños
