A beautiful moment captured inside Liverpool's EuroVillage was exactly what one superfan "hoped this Eurovision would be."
On Friday, the EuroVillage at Liverpool's Pier Head opened its gates for the first time and has since welcomed many stars to the stage and thousands of guests to soak up all things Eurovision in the city. The programme promises fun, food and fantastic music to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest in style - but it has also been a place for people from all over to sing, dance and unite.
Yesterday, May 8, saw an incredible line-up take to the stage for the This Is Ukraine EuroVillage event. And with that a crowd of strangers joined hands to dance in a brilliant video captured by one Eurovision superfan.
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Julie Hasseris, from Denmark, was in the EuroVillage with her fiancé Guðmundur Ísfeld when she caught the feel good moment on camera. Julie, 30, told the ECHO: "I used to live here about ten years ago and when it was decided Liverpool was going to be a host I jumped at the chance to go back home to kind of experience it on home turf.
"The atmosphere was super supportive. I saw families, I saw people coming by themselves. We didn't plan on joining that big circle in the video but we just got caught up in the vibe and started dancing with a bunch of people we didn't know.
"It was very loving and supportive. This is obviously hosted by Liverpool but this is very much Ukraine's Eurovision and the support you experience for Ukrainians in the crowd and Ukrainians on the stage is lovely and its magical.
"It was exactly what I hoped this Eurovision would be, the unity across borders. I was very very happy to see that. There’s definitely a buzz about the place."
Julie and Guðmundur have tickets for tonight's semi-final and are most excited to see Finland's Käärij with entry Cha Cha Cha. A big Eurovision fan, the competition also inspired her master's thesis.
Julie said: "I've got to be honest, I'm really really excited to see Finland. Some of my best friends are from Finland and I'm very much excited to see Käärij. It’s a fun time being a Nordic Eurovision fan because most of the Nordics are doing quite well this year.
"I wrote my master’s thesis on the use of nationality as an aesthetic tool in the Eurovision Song Contest, how the different countries use their nationalities in their acts, how they sell themselves in a three-minute span of time. It was honestly one of the best things I could have chosen to write about.
"Six months just flew by and I had a blast and got to watch all the Eurovision clips online and write about it, it was a lot of fun. I love those kind of acts that challenge the form of Eurovision a little bit, so this year Finland for example for me are the front runners. They’re not what you’d call a ‘normal’ Eurovision act - that’s what a I like, when it’s a little bit crazy and they stand out."
In the EuroVillage, Julie said she thinks the Discover Ukraine section could have been more at the forefront, but that she's glad the city have been able to amplify Ukraine's voice for the Eurovision Song Contest. Julie said: "I love the togetherness across borders and we can all get together and agree on having a wonderful time, just enjoying music and culture.
"It’s quite loving - obviously you will have different fans swearing allegiance to different countries but its all very loving and I don't think you see that quite the same way when it comes to sports or other competitions. It's all very positive."
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