The annual song competition, which was held in Vienna, Austria, earlier this month, first took place on 24 May 1956 and is now renowned as the world’s largest live music event.<\/p>\n
In celebration of Eurovision’s 70th anniversary, a tribute video has been released by organisers featuring a compilation of the most emotional moments from seven decades of the competition.<\/p>\n
The video is set to \u00dcber Die Br\u00fccke Geh’n (Crossing the Bridge), sung by Ingrid Peters, Germany’s song from 1986, and includes footage from across the decades as well as from this year’s contest.<\/p>\n
It includes clips of performer DARA, whose song Bangaranga landed Bulgaria its first-ever victory during the contest’s final on Saturday, 16 May<\/a>.<\/p>\n Eurovision has also worked in collaboration with Swiss broadcaster RSI to restore the only known surviving footage of the contest’s first-ever winner, Lys Assia, singing Refrain.<\/p>\n The video, shot by Vincenzo Vicari, shows the singer performing onstage at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, Switzerland, and it hopes to give fans a glimpse into the roots of the coveted song contest.<\/p>\n Chris Fox, a senior producer on the Eurovision Song Contest’s digital team who worked on the restoration, said: “Preserving the history of the Eurovision Song Contest is something very close to my heart.<\/p>\n “I’m proud that the EBU was able to commission this restoration so that fans can enjoy Lys Assia’s winning reprise in the best possible quality for years to come.”<\/p>\n Watch: Switzerland’s Lys Assia, sings Refrain at the first Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano, Switzerland, in May 1956.<\/p>\n \n The EBU has also launched the Eurofan Voice initiative to commemorate 70 years of Eurovision, which is a survey encouraging fan feedback and inviting audiences to help shape future experiences of the contest.<\/p>\n Martin Green, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said: “For 70 years, the Eurovision Song Contest has shown what’s possible when public service broadcasters come together with a shared purpose: to create moments of joy, emotion, and connection that transcend borders.<\/p>\n “From a small theatre in Lugano in 1956 to stadiums and screens across the globe today, the Eurovision Song Contest continues to evolve while remaining true to its founding spirit – bringing audiences together through music.”<\/p>\n Five countries, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain, boycotted this year’s contest over Israel’s participation and its war in Gaza.<\/p>\n Source: Press Association<\/p>\n![\"DARA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/00246104-614.jpg\"\/)
\nDARA savours her moment – Bulgaria’s first win in the competition<\/p>\n