OVSC32

## OrbisVision Song Contest #32  *Live out your dreams*

 The cast of the Broadway musical "Newsies" performing "Seize The Day" and "King of New York"
 Lady Gaga and the late Tony Bennett performing "The Lady is a Tramp"
 **Grand Final:**
 Frank Sinatra performing "Theme from New York, New York"
 The cast of "Les Misérables" performing "I Dreamed a Dream"
 The cast of the 2021 film "West Side Story" performing "America"

## Participants

### Debuting

 Solomon Islands
  Turkmenistan

### Returning

 Argentina
  Australia
  Belgium
  China
  Estonia
  India
  Luxembourg
  Mexico
  Moldova
  Norway
  Seychelles
  Spain
  US Virgin Islands
  Uzbekistan
  Venezuela

### Withdrawing

 Aruba
  Belarus
  Canada
  Chile
  Croatia
  Czechia
  Finland
  France
  Germany
  New Zealand
  Palau
  Romania
  San Marino
  Serbia
  Somalia
  Sweden
  Taiwan
  Vatican City

## Voting

### System

Each country awards a set of 1 - 7 points, followed by 8, 10 and 12 points for their top 3 favourite songs

### Winner

 US Virgin Islands
 "Flicker" by Donna Missal

After Guam's win in Glasgow the previous edition, the American city of New York hosted the 32nd OrbisVision Song Contest on behalf of Guam.

This was the 2nd time the USA hosted the contest, the 3rd time the contest had been to North America and the 5th time the Americas had hosted overall.

The contest consisted of 3 shows, 2 semi-finals and a Grand Final.

43 countries have confirmed their participation.

Belarus were originally an automatic qualifier, but after their HoD left the Discord server, the United Kingdom (who came 7th in OVSC31) replaced them as an AQ.

The winner was the US Virgin Islands with the song "Flicker" by Donna Missal. This was their first time winning as well as the second time a US territory won. Immediately after, the HoD of the US Virgin Islands did not want the USA to host another edition and instead chose China as host country of the next edition.

## Location

### Host city

One of the world's greatest cities, **New York** is a global center for media, entertainment, art, fashion, research, finance, and trade.

The bustling, cosmopolitan heart of the 4th largest metropolis in the world and by far the most populous city in the United States, New York has long been a key entry point and a defining city for the nation.

From the Statue of Liberty in the harbour to the Empire State Building towering over the Manhattan skyline, from the tunnels of the subway to the riches of Wall Street, from the bright signs of Times Square to the naturalistic beauty of Central Park, and from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx to Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York's landmarks are quintessential American landmarks.

The city's neighbourhoods and streets are so iconic they have become ingrained into the American consciousness.

Here the power, wealth and culture of the United States is on full display in one of the largest and most iconic skylines in the world, in the food and music to be found around every corner, and in the diverse population of immigrants who come from every corner of the globe to take part in what this city has to offer.

Lying at the mouth of the Hudson River in the southernmost part of the state of the same name and at the centre of the Mid-Atlantic region, New York City is home to approximately 8.3 million people.

The New York Metropolitan Area, which spans lower New York state, northern New Jersey, and southwestern Connecticut, has a population of 18.9 million, making it the largest metropolitan area in the U.S.

New York City is a major global centre of international finance, politics, communications, film, music, fashion, and culture, and is among the world's most important and influential cities. It is home to many world-class museums, art galleries, and theatres.

Many of the world's largest corporations have their headquarters here. The headquarters of the United Nations is in New York and most countries have a consulate here.

This city's influence on the world and all its inhabitants is hard to overstate, as decisions made within its boundaries often have impacts and ramifications around the globe.

Immigrants (and their descendants) from over 180 countries live here, making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Travelers are attracted to New York City for its culture, energy and cosmopolitanism.

The first human settlers are believed to have arrived in the area at around 7000 BCE, though this settlement was later abandoned.

A subsequent wave of settlers, known as the Lenape people, would then arrive at around 1000 BCE.

Although they have been largely wiped out from the area since the days of European settlement, many of the thoroughfares used by them, such as Broadway, continue to be in use to this day.

The first Europeans to settle in the area were the Dutch in 1609, who named the colony New Amsterdam (Dutch: Nieuw Amsterdam).

The colony was conquered by the British in 1664, who re-named the colony New York.

Columbia University, the most prestigious in the city, and one of the most prestigious in the United States, was founded during the British colonial period in 1754.

### Venue

Madison Square Garden is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth Avenues from 31st to 33rd Street above Pennsylvania Station.

It is the fourth venue to bear the name "Madison Square Garden"; the first two, 1879 and 1890, were located on Madison Square, on East 26th Street and Madison Avenue, with the third Madison Square Garden (1925) farther uptown at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street.

The Garden hosts professional ice hockey, professional basketball, boxing, mixed martial arts, concerts, ice shows, circuses, professional wrestling, and other forms of sports and entertainment. It is close to other midtown Manhattan landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Koreatown, and Macy's at Herald Square.

It is home to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL), the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and was home to the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1997 to 2017.

Originally called Madison Square Garden Center, the Garden opened on February 11, 1968, and is the oldest major sporting facility in the New York metropolitan area. It is the oldest arena in the NBA and the second oldest arena in the NHL.

As of 2016, MSG is also the second-busiest music arena in the world in terms of ticket sales. Including two major renovations, its total construction cost was approximately $1.1 billion, and it has been ranked as one of the 10 most expensive stadium venues ever built.

It is part of the Pennsylvania Plaza office and retail complex, named for the railway station. Several other operating entities related to the Garden share its name.

## Participating countries

### Semi-final 1

Portugal, the United Kingdom and Guam will vote in this semi-final. Qualifiers are marked in blue.

### Semi-final 2

Israel, South Africa and Poland will vote in this semi-final. Qualifiers are marked in blue.

### Grand Final

1. ↑  On behalf of Guam after their victory last edition.