MeteVision Song Contest 9

Final date
 Venue
 Presenter(s)
 Broadcaster
 Executive producer
 Opening act
 Interval act
 Entries
 Debuting
 System
 Winner

**MeteVision Song Contest 9**, often referred to as **MSC#9**, was the nineth edition of MeteVision Song Contest, held in Aleppo, Syria. The edition started the 1st September 2018, and ended the 30th September 2018.

20 countries participated in this edition, with Egypt, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia and Tunisia withdrawing from the contest, Andorra and San Marino debuting and no one returning to the competition. Ilma Karahmet from Bosnia won the contest with the song "Ne zovi me tugo" receiving a total of 101 points, 21 points ahead the runner-up, Israel. Macedonia finishing in third place with 73 points. The host country, Syria achieved a 8th place with 65 points. The last place was for Andorra, that got 27 points.

## Organisation

Once Syria won the festival, the organisation had to decide where would the festival be in its ninth edition. Just Aleppo presented their applications and the organisation had to decide which one was the best. MBU confirmed the 01st September that **Aleppo** would host MSC#9. At that meeting, MBU also said the theme of this edition, **Keep Alive**, relating it with the recent history of the country, and the need to survive to all kind of adversities.

The host channel, ORTS, decided to have well-known and young presenters. They believed that they could be famous people, so they thought in choosing Audrey Assad and Káryyn to present MSC#9.

 Al-Assad Sports Arena

## Location

### **Al-Hamadaniah Sports Arena**

The **Al-Hamadaniah Sports Arena** (Arabic: صالة الحمدانية الرياضية‎) is an indoor sports hall in Aleppo, Syria. With a seating capacity of 8,000, it is the largest indoor hall in Syria. It is designated to host basketball, handball and volleyball matches. Al-Hamadaniah Sports Arena is part of the al-Hamadaniah Sports City. The arena is served by 4 additional indoor sports training halls.

The construction of the arena was launched in 1968. However, the process was delayed several times due to political instability and the 1973 War with Israel. Finally, in 1978, the construction was completed and the arena was opened to host the matches of the Syrian Basketball League. Throughout its history, the arena has been a regular home for concerts. Many prominent Syrian and Arab singers have performed in the hall including Sabah Fakhri, Mayada al-Hannawi, Shadi Jamil, Shahd Barmada, Elissa, Marcel Khalife, etc. Armenian Diaspora singers Harout Pamboukjian and Karnig Sarkissian have also performed in the arena. Al-Hamadaniah Sports Arena is owned by the Government of Syria. It is operated by the Aleppo directorate of the Ministry of Education.

### **Aleppo**

**Aleppo** is a city in Syria, serving as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most-populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 4.6 million in 2010, Aleppo was the largest Syrian city before the Syrian Civil War; however, now Aleppo is probably the second-largest city in Syria after the capital Damascus.

Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world; it may have been inhabited since the 6th millennium BC. Excavations at Tell as-Sawda and Tell al-Ansari, just south of the old city of Aleppo, show that the area was occupied by Amorites since at least the latter part of the 3rd millennium BC. This is also when Aleppo is first mentioned in cuneiform tablets unearthed in Ebla and Mesopotamia, in which it is a part of the Amorite state of Yamhad, and is noted for its commercial and military proficiency. Such a long history is attributed to its strategic location as a trading center midway between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia.

Aleppo has a cool steppe climate (Köppen: BSk). The mountain series that run along the Mediterranean coast, namely the Alawiyin Mountains and the Nur Mountains, largely block the effects of the Mediterranean on climate (rain shadow effect). The average high and low temperature throughout the year is 23.8 and 11.1 °C (74.8 and 52.0 °F). The average precipitation is 329.4 mm (12.97 in). More than 80% of precipitation occurs between October and March. It snows once or twice every winter. Average humidity is 55.7%.

## Participants

20 countries participated in the edition.

### **Debuting countries**

Bellow a list of all debuting countries:

* Andorra
* San Marino

### **Withdrawing countries**

Bellow a list of all withdrawing countries:

* Egypt
* Malta
* Montenegro
* Morocco
* Slovenia
* Tunisia

## Results

### **12 points**

Below is a summary of the maximum 12 points each country awarded to another in the grand final.

## See also

* MeteVision Song Contest
* MeteVision Song Contest 1
* MeteVision Song Contest 2
* MeteVision Song Contest 3
* MeteVision Song Contest 4
* MeteVision Song Contest 5
* MeteVision Song Contest 6
* MeteVision Song Contest 7
* MeteVision Song Contest 8