Canticum Certamine 15

PQR date
 Final date
 Venue
 Entries
 Returning
**Participation map**
* Participating countries     Did not qualify from the semi final or the PQR     Countries that participated in the past but not this edition
 System
 Winner

**Canticum Certamine 15**, often known as **CC 15**, is the fifteenth edition of Canticum Certamine. It took place in Belarus, following Hezen's victory in the previous edition with the song "So We Happen". It was the second time Belarus hosted the contest.

Fourty-nine countries confirmed their participation in the edition. Georgia and Ukraine returned after their absence from the previous editions, Meanwhile Austria, Monaco and Serbia withdrew from the contest.

The winner of the edition was Spain with the song "Romancero Propio" performed by Pipolas. This was Spain's second victory in Canticum Certamine. The song gathered a total of 354 points, only 4 points ahead the runner-up, Lithuania, marking their best result. Switzerland finished on third place, while Portugal, Finland and Bosnia and Herzegovina completed the top 6 of the edition.

## Location

Belarus is situated in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, Lithuania to the northwest, and Latvia to the north. It has a rich cultural heritage with influences from its neighboring countries, including Russia, Poland, and Ukraine. Belarusians take pride in their traditional music, dance, art, and cuisine. The country is known for its beautiful landscapes, including its numerous lakes and pristine nature reserves.

On 10 July 2023, Minsk was announced as the host city, alongside with Minsk Arena as the host venue, previously hosting the seventh edition of Canticum Certamine.

Minsk Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Minsk, Belarus. It hosts various events such as concerts, sports competitions, and exhibitions. The arena has a capacity of over 15,000 people and is a popular venue for both local and international events.

## Format

### Semi-final allocation draw

The draw to determine the allocation of the participating countries into their respective semi-finals took place on the 8th of June 2023. The first part of the draw determined in which semi-final the Big Six would have to vote. The second part of the draw decided in which half of the respective semi-finals each country would perform, with the exact running order determined by the producers of the show at a later date. Twenty countries will participate in both semi-finals, respectively. From each semi-final, ten countries will join the "Big 6" in the final, where a total of twenty-six countries will participate.

The thirty-nine semi-finalists were allocated into six pots, based on their geographical place and cultural similarities. Drawing from different pots helps in reducing the chance of so-called neighbour voting and increasing suspense in the semi-finals. Each time a country was drawn from the pot, its semi-final and half of the semi-final was determined.

The six pots were the following:

* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Croatia
* Kosovo
* North Macedonia
* Romania
* Slovenia
* Bulgaria
* Italy
* Portugal
* San Marino
* Spain
* Hungary
* Kazakhstan
* Poland
* Russia
* Slovakia
 Pot 4
 * Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Georgia
* Lebanon
* Morocco
* Tunisia
* Uzbekistan
* Faroe Islands
* Finland
* Iceland
* Lithuania
* Norway
* France
* Germany
* Ireland
* Netherlands
* United Kingdom

## Participating countries

### Semi-final 1

Twenty countries participated in the first semi-final. Belarus, Latvia and Sweden also voted in this semi-final. The highlighted countries qualified for the final.

### Semi-final 2

Twenty countries participated in the first semi-final. Cyprus, Denmark and Switzerland also voted in this semi-final. The highlighted countries qualified for the final.

## Other countries

*Further information: List of countries in Canticum Certamine*