Vladimir Putin Signs Decree to Host “Intervision” Music Competition

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to hold the Intervision International Music Competition in Moscow and the Moscow region. The event is expected to become a regular fixture, with future editions planned to take place in Russia and other countries.

The Intervision competition aims to be a key cultural and humanitarian event in 2025, fostering international cooperation and mutual appreciation of cultural traditions and values. It will serve as a platform to showcase national identities and the cultural diversity of participating countries.

The project is designed to enhance multilateral cultural collaboration, increase the global recognition of artists, and attract international tourism. In future editions, the host country will rotate, with the selection process determined by the competition’s supervisory board.

According to the decree, Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia, has been appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board. The competition’s Organising Committee will be led by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko. Meetings of both committees will take place soon to outline the competition’s key phases, format, and the timeline for the final event.

The Intervision music competition was originally founded in 1960 by the International Radio and Television Organisation. Its first participants included the Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Later, additional countries such as the Lithuanian SSR, Belarusian SSR, Moldavian SSR, Cuba, Mongolia, Finland, Vietnam, and Afghanistan joined the event. Over the years, around 30 countries have participated. From 1977 to 1980, Intervision was held in Sopot, Poland, as part of four international song festivals. In 1983, the competition expanded to seven cities, including Tampere, Moscow, Warsaw, Sofia, and Prague. The event helped launch the careers of notable artists such as Karel Gott, Gloria Gaynor, and Marion Rung.