Alternative Eurovision Song Contest 24

## Participation map

The **Alternative** **Eurovision Song Contest 24** is set to be the 24th edition of the Alternative Eurovision Song Contest. The contest will be held in **Bulgaria**, following the country's victory in the 23rd edition with the song "Czarna Polana" by Atanas Valkov and Kayah. It will be the first time that Bulgaria hosts the contest, and the second time a balkan country welcomes the show in the region.

## Location - Sofia, Bulgaria

**Bulgaria**, officially the **Republic of Bulgaria**, is a country in Southeast Europe. It lies on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. Bulgaria covers a territory of 110,994 square kilometres (42,855 sq mi), and is the sixteenth-largest country in Europe. Sofia is the nation's capital and largest city; other major cities are Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas.

**Sofia** is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the eponymous valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and has many mineral springs, such as the Sofia Central Mineral Baths. It has a humid continental climate. Being in the centre of the Balkans, it is midway between the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea, and closest to the Aegean Sea.

## Venue - **Armeets Arena** (Арена Армеец София)

**Armeets Arena Sofia** is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Sofia, Bulgaria. It has a seating capacity of 12,373. For concerts it can grow to 19,906. It was originally called **Arena Sofia** before the Bulgarian insurance company Armeets purchased the naming rights. There are 887 parking lots, 614 of them placed in a central exterior parking, 231 placed in near streets and 42 designated for disabled people.

 Sofia | Arena Armeec
 Varna | Palace of Culture and Sports
 Ruse | OZK Arena

## Format

### Design

"Czarna Polana", the song that brought us to here, is a song about togetherness. It's about being connected to someone in the deepest levels, in those your world can't be a whole without the other side of the relationship.

The perfect symbol for this is the mosaic - bunch of little pieces that on their own mean nothing and show nothing special. But, together those pieces create an artwork that is so much bigger than the sum of its parts. The artwork that those small pieces create for this edition is the Ševica - traditional Bulgarian embroidery that is used to symbol love, happiness and good future. The slogan of the edition - **"Collecting The Elements"** - represent the need to find all the little parts of the AESC experience that when being put together make an unforgettable memory.

### Presenters

**Poli Plamenova Genova** is a Bulgarian singer, songwriter, actress, and television presenter. Genova began her career in 1995, at the age of eight, as a member of the Bulgarian children's ensemble Bon-Bon.

**Nikolina Kamenova Dobreva**, known professionally as **Nina Dobrev**, is a Canadian actress and TV presenter. Born in Bulgaria, she moved with her family to Canada at age two and grew up in Toronto. Her first acting role was as Mia Jones in the drama series *Degrassi: The Next Generation*. She later became known for portraying Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce on The CW's supernatural drama series *The Vampire Diaries*.

## Other Countries

> *Other Stuff: List of all Countries in Alternative Eurovision Song Contest*
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### Active ABU Members

* Kazakhstan - On 3rd June 2021, Kazakh broadcaster stated that the country wouldn't compete in this edition's PQR and would withdraw. No real reason was mentionned about the sudden withdrawal of the country, and no information about a possible return next edition was added.
* Kosovo - RTK announced withdrawal from the competition due to financial and political problems as well for poor results, therefore the interest in the competition in the country is very low. Return is not planned in near future.
* Spain - Even though the country was part of the confirmed countries' list revealed by the ABU, it was announced on 14th June 2021 that the country would withdraw this edition due to a disorganisation inside the Head of Delegation. Jack Bisonte had been chosen to represent the country and a small National Final with three of his songs was supposed be the method to select his final song.