As you are no doubt aware, the Eurovision Song Contest has been running since 1956 and is watched by millions of viewers around the world, all eagerly tuning it to watch a wide variety of songs performed by participating countries. Over the past 67 years, the contest has launched the careers of Celine Dion, ABBA, Julio Iglesias, Sam Ryder and Måneskin. One of the unique features of the Eurovision Song Contest is its celebration of language diversity and in 2023 alone there are over 15 different languages being sung during the contest. 

The Eurovision Song Contest has always been a platform for artists to showcase their cultural heritage and linguistic diversity. Traditionally countries are encouraged to perform in their own language or in a language that reflects their cultural identity. This approach has led to a rich tapestry of musical styles and languages, making the Eurovision Song Contest a celebration of cultural diversity. 

Self-expression through language 

One of the most significant benefits of the language diversity at the Eurovision Song Contest is that it allows artists to express themselves in their own language, often resulting in a more authentic and emotional performance. In 2017, Portugal won the contest on their 49^th try with Salvador Sobral’s ‘Amar Pelois Dois’, a beautiful jazz waltz about the heartbreak of a relationship ending. Sang entirely in Portuguese it set the record at the time for highest number of points and was later included in the European Union’s Songbook as the all-time top Portuguese love song. For the writers and performers they never considered singing in any language other than their own, even if it had been a decade since a song sung entirely in a language other than English won. The year before Portugal’s historic win, Ukraine claimed their second win with ‘1944’ by Jamala about the 1944 deportation of Crimean Tartars by Joseph Stalin. Whilst sang mostly in English, the song’s chorus featured the Crimean Tartar language and the mugham vocal style. Today, the language remains on the brink of extinction and its use in the Eurovision Song Contest helped to raise its profile as campaigns continue to try and save the language.  

Endangered languages 

Another benefit of language diversity at the Eurovision Song Contest is that it promotes linguistic diversity and encourages people to learn new languages. The contest has been instrumental in promoting the use of lesser-known languages, such as Estonian, Finnish, Saami and Hungarian. This has helped to preserve these languages and raise awareness of their cultural significance. In 2020. Israel selected Eden Alene to represent them at the (later cancelled due to Covid-19) contest in Rotterdam. Eden has Ethiopian-Jewish ancestry and her song ‘Feker Libi’ would have been the first time Aramaic had been performed at the contest alongside Hebrew, Arabic and English in a quadrilingual song. Arabic itself has made a few appearances throughout the contest’s history having first been performed in 1980 by Morocco in the first and only appearance at the contest. Closer to the UK, Welsh has been sung twice in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2018 and 2019 and in the 2019 adult version of the contest, Sami was heard on the Eurovision stage for only the second time since 1980 with Keiino’s ‘Spirit In The Sky’ finishing sixth. Sami is a still endangered indigenous language of Norway. 

According to the United Nations, by 2100 between 50% and 90% of the languages we speak today will be extinct or seriously endangered. Most of these languages are Indigenous languages. Humanity may well have only 300-600 oral languages left that are unthreatened by the end of this century. To raise awareness of the threat posed to language, the United Nations is marking 2022-2032 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages which aims to raise awareness of and protect indigenous language around the world, including many that have been sung at the Eurovision Song Contest. Of the 7,000 indigenous languages spoken today, four in ten are in danger of disappearing completely, a ‘symptom of the struggle to save indigenous identity’. The president of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, explained, “With each Indigenous language that goes extinct, so too goes the thought: the culture, tradition, and knowledge it bears. That matters because we are in dire need of a radical transformation in the way we relate to our environment”. 

Despite the power of language diversity, the Eurovision Song Contest has inadvertently also promoted the use of English as a global language. Many countries choose to perform their songs in English, as it is widely understood and can help to increase their chances of success. This has led to criticism from some quarters, who argue that the contest should celebrate linguistic diversity rather than promoting the use of a single language. However, the Eurovision Song Contest has remained committed to promoting linguistic diversity and celebrating the cultural heritage of its participants. In recent years, the contest has introduced a rule that allows artists to perform in any language they choose, which has resulted in a greater variety of languages being used. In recent years winning and high-performing songs have been sung in Ukrainian, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish, Latin, Serbian, Dutch and Icelandic as well as English. Language diversity at the Eurovision Song Contest continues to be one of its most significant features, and it has played a crucial role in promoting cultural diversity and linguistic awareness. 

Language Diversity in the Workplace 

When it comes to the workplace, language diversity is crucial to creativity and innovation. Our language shapes our identities and is a vital aspect of our lives. How we use our words to describe ourselves, our ideas and facts are shaped by the primary language we learn in childhood and this shapes how we think. For example, English speakers see the future as “ahead” and the past “behind”, while in Mandarin time takes a vertical dimension with past as “up” and future as “down”. In a study of English and Mandarin speakers, Boroditsky (2001) found that Mandarin speakers were faster to confirm that March comes earlier that April after seeing a vertical array of objects than if they saw a horizontal one, while the reverse was true for English speakers. Learning a second language either as a child or an adult has a huge impact on our worldview and how we perceive the world. Becoming multi-lingual or even just taking some small, first steps toward learning a new language can impact on our ability to multi-task, learn new concepts more quickly and become more flexible in our thinking.  

The business case for language diversity is easy- if you can offer services in multiple languages than you can attract more customers. But what could be forgotten about is the moral case for language diversity. Many of us are blessed to work in diverse, multicultural workplaces and celebrating the language diversity of your teams can help in cross-cultural exchange and celebration. Learning more about your colleagues through their language will help us all to better understand and celebrate all the other important aspects of their identity. In turn, we will all feel a bit more seen, valued and listened to. So how about a Eurovision viewing party for your next team meeting? 

Related resources: 

• Intercultural Communication in Customer Service 
• Global D&I – Understanding Difference 

The post Celebrating Language Diversity – Live from Liverpool appeared first on Inclusive Employers.

An introduction from Ariel Chapman – Senior Inclusion & Diversity Consultant at Inclusive Employers.

When we first announced our exciting partnership with Liverpool City Council, I reflected on what the contest means to me. You can have a look at the blog here.

The more the team at Inclusive Employers reflected on the contest, the more we realised that we all came to it from a diverse range of experiences. For some of us it’s all about the fun party element, for others it’s about how it brings us all together, and others love the diversity in music and language. We all found that we are united by the contest in the same way that we are united by inclusion.

The theme for this year’s contest is ‘United By Music’ demonstrating the ‘unique partnership between the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Host City Liverpool to bring the Eurovision Song Contest to audiences across the globe and the incredible power of music to bring communities together’. There is nothing quite like the Eurovision Song Contest in bringing so many people together to celebrate diversity.

At first glance, it may not be obvious why Inclusive Employers would be part of this ground-breaking initiative with Liverpool City Council at the Eurovision Song Contest. But inclusion is at the core of the contest- an opportunity to bring together people from across the world for a week-long celebration of musical diversity. This year when Liverpool are hosting on behalf of Ukraine, that unity is more important than ever. 

We are a team united by our drive for inclusion. United for more welcoming, equitable and kinder workplaces. Since we started back in 2011 we have grown to more than 450 member organisations across every sector imaginable and each member brings with them their commitment to inclusive workplaces. A commitment reflected in the Eurovision Song Contest.

In 2022, 40% of Eurovision entries featured a language other than English, with 16 different languages heard across the participating songs. We will talk about language diversity in a blog later this week, but as throughout the past 67 years, Eurovision has showcased minority and regional languages too, from Crimean Tartar through to Breton and Aramaic. The first artists to use sign language were back in 2005, and it has featured in performances since, with the latest being for France in 2019.  

“I love that I have the chance to hear songs in multiple languages and see the pride people get from performing for their country.”

Emily Pattinson, Senior Inclusion and Diversity Consultant

Aside from language, the contest continues to showcase female artists in comparison to the male-dominated music industry as a whole. In 2022 43% of acts were all female compared to 23% represented on streaming platforms (Eurovision Song Contest Impact Report 2022). The contest has always stood for an ‘open, tolerant and united Europe’ and even more so in its platforming of LGBTQ+ icons such as Dana International (Israel, 1998), Conchita Wurst (Austria, 2014) and Duncan Lawrence (Netherlands, 2019). Look out for a blog later this week celebrating the LGBTQ+ icons of Eurovision!

“I love the unapologetic joy of the contest. It’s the epitome of camp to me: incredible staging, music and so much effort going into the show, all the while with a lightness and humour where it doesn’t take itself too seriously. I love the earnest entries and the silly ones, and the diverse range of performers, music and languages. The more I think about it the more I realise how inclusive it is in its spirit!”

Addison Barnett, Director of Impact and Major Programmes

It struck me, whilst writing this blog post that it’s easy to talk about being united by inclusion but sometimes more difficult in practice. It often means we need to have courageous conversations to challenge long-held biases. Sometimes biases we didn’t even think we had, or things we didn’t even consider to be biased thinking at all. That can be tough, and we won’t always get it right the first time.

Part of being united by inclusion is always reflecting and trying to improve. Listening to voices when they tell us something (and I mean truly listening to their concerns with empathy). It sometimes means having to change the way we’ve always done things because there is a better and more inclusive way of doing it.

Our free resources for businesses in Liverpool have guidance on this, particularly around customer experience. What do we do if someone walks into our restaurant or shop, and we aren’t sure how to greet them? What if we’re worried about saying the wrong thing so stay silent instead? What if they’re from a culture or country that we have biased thinking about? This is when being united by inclusion really matters, when we need to hold inclusion and kindness in our heart to overcome some of those barriers, we may not have even realised we had. The Eurovision Song Contest is a great opportunity to see diversity and inclusion in action on a world stage. For a few nights a year we can unite to watch the TV show, dance along in the arena or listen on the radio and celebrate the amazing diversity our world has to offer. It helps us to see the human beings behind the flag of a country, to enjoy their culture and to open our minds to something different.

“It’s my friends birthday mid-May, so we always end up getting together for some kind of social event (aka a party) on Eurovision. It’s become a bit of a tradition. I’ve just called them my friends, but they are in fact my family. Last year we watched the whole event while playing Eurovision bingo, everyone got involved from the little kids to the supposedly grown adults, it was a lot of silly fun. On reflection it was so lovely to look around that room and see all the different generations getting excited, arguing about the quality of the acts, having different opinions and rooting for different countries. For me its about having a good time with people you choose to be around.”

Sharon Cooper, Head of Organisational Development

For lots of us, we unite around the TV, or in a venue to watch the show together. Bringing together all generations and all backgrounds to enjoy the show. If we are in a venue, it’s so important that the customer-facing staff understand their diverse customers’ needs. It could be the bar staff needing to know a bit more about pronouns or making sure the venue is accessible for people with visible and non-visible disabilities.

Our free inclusion toolkits for business’ in Liverpool have helped hundreds of local organisations plan for this. If we understand the needs of our customers better, then we can serve them better and we’re more likely to have repeat custom. Personally, I know I will return to a café or shop that has made me feel welcome and safe.

Across our team we began to realise that our values as an organisation align perfectly with the values of the Eurovision Song Contest and Liverpool City Council’s aim to provide the warmest of welcomes to visitors to the city. At Inclusive Employers, that inclusive spirit lives on in our continued work, supporting our members in the UK and beyond. Whilst we’re all busily celebrating the contest this week it has given us further confirmation that providing an inclusive welcome and an inclusive work environment always matters. Between us, Liverpool City Council and the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 we are truly united by inclusion.

“For me, the Eurovision song contest is like Spring bursting through those winter months. It’s vibrant, full of colour, sometimes warming, sometimes not. It brings new energy to the world! Everyone needs a bit of Eurovision in their lives!”

Cheryl Carty, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant

The post United by Inclusion – Live from Liverpool appeared first on Inclusive Employers.

The winner that year was Dana International for Israel. An openly trans woman won the world’s biggest music competition. I vividly remember her performance and her confidence standing on the huge stage, singing about her love for divas. At that moment, this small queer boy knew he wasn’t alone. I realised that if Dana International can win Eurovision, maybe there is a space for me in this world too. Maybe that big open hug that the Eurovision Song Contest shares with the world is why I love it so much.

Just in case you weren’t aware, the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is being hosted in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine which was unable to host it following their win in 2022. As runners-up, the UK have the honour of hosting this wonderfully inclusive celebration of diversity in May 2023 in the city of Liverpool.

So, where does Inclusive Employers come into this?

As the UK’s first and leading membership organisation for employers looking to build inclusive workplaces, we are honoured to work with Liverpool City Council to support the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. A partnership which is the first of its kind for any host city of the Eurovision Song Contest. We are working with the volunteering team in Liverpool to ensure the contest is as inclusive and accessible as it can be for fans visiting the city.

We are also delighted to work with Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Growth Platform, National Museums Liverpool, St John’s Shopping and OGAE UK.

Together we will offer a range of free resources to any business in Liverpool throughout the event, providing leaders and customer-facing staff with the toolkit they need to ensure a warm and inclusive welcome to guests.

Inclusion at the Eurovision Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest attracts thousands of visitors to the host city each year (Stockholm welcomed 1.5 million visitors in 2016). With these huge visitor numbers from a diverse mix of world cultures, it’s important that local retail, leisure, and hospitality venues know how to offer an inclusive welcome.

The contest has long held a special place in the hearts of the LGBTQ+ community and has a large LGBTQ+ fan base. Artists from the LGBTQ+ community have represented multiple countries throughout its history, often helping to push for improved LGBTQ+ rights in the process.

Watch out for our ‘Live from Liverpool’ blog series during the contest, where we will dive into LGBTQ+ history at Eurovision a bit further. Businesses welcoming LGBTQ+ fans into Liverpool may be anxious about ensuring they meet the needs of their customers. We all want to provide a warm welcome but sometimes we may worry about ‘getting things wrong’. Our inclusion toolkits, available free of charge to businesses in Liverpool, will help everyone.

Understandably, the contest is also a huge celebration of our global diversity. The contest started to test the latest technology and bring together countries from a continent still recovering from World War Two. Countries were united by music, an idea reflected in this year’s theme as Liverpool hosts on behalf of last year’s winner Ukraine.

This wonderful competition celebrates our language and cultural diversity across Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Our free inclusion toolkits and webinars will focus on intercultural communication in customer service.

Local business support for the Eurovision Song Contest

If you’re a business in Liverpool, you can access our free inclusive customer experience toolkit, which includes:

Expert inclusion packs on the topics:

• Intercultural communication in customer service
• LGBT+ inclusion in customer service
• Thinking about accessibility for an inclusive experience
• Equality law and customer service

Plus

• Access to 4 free webinars on inclusive customer service (hosted by Inclusive Employers)
• Subscription to Monthly ‘Inclusion Insights’ newsletter

The post Providing an inclusive experience at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 appeared first on Inclusive Employers.