Just hours before the event was supposed to begin, the organizers announced that a Russian boy would be allowed to participate after all. Rather than perform, Sofia Samoliuk, 13, refused to sing, made a speech in English and left the stage.
As she said, Russia is responsible for the deaths of over 500 children in Ukraine since the outbreak of the war, as well as 16,000 abductions.
Sanremo Junior is held under the patronage of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and is one of the most prestigious competitions in Europe for young soloist singers.
If only the adults who organized the event had exhibited as much common sense.
Source: Daily Mail
A teenager from Ukraine yesterday refused to share a stage with a Russian contestant ahead of her performance at a UNICEF singing contest in Italy.
Sofia Samoliuk, 13, stood down from the Sanremo Junior festival yesterday after she learned Kirill Yezhov would participate.
The organisers had announced the participation of the Russian hours before the contest - but Sofia waited and gave a speech.
In the video, a host introduces the performers to the stage to sing.
Sofia takes her mark and launches into a pre-prepared speech in English.
I decided I cannot sing today. I found out there is a participant from Russia - the state that killed already more than 500 Ukrainian children. I cannot sing on the same stage with a representative of the terrorist state. I do believe that next year that the terrorist country will not be here. Please, stay with Ukraine.
