Morocco in the Eurovision Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual international song competition held since 1956 by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) between its members who participate representing their countries. Each participating broadcaster submits an original song to be performed on live television and radio, then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the winner. Since its inception, entry to the contest has been open to all members of the EBU, a group also containing broadcasters from countries in North Africa and the Middle East.{{cite book|last=O'Connor|first=John Kennedy|title=The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History|publisher=Carlton Books|location=UK|year=2007|page=68|isbn=978-1-84442-994-3}}

The Moroccan public broadcaster {{lang|fr|Société nationale de radiodiffusion et de télévision|i=no}} (SNRT) is a full member of the EBU, thus eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Morocco, but have declined to participate in the contest due to {{esccnty|Israel}}'s presence. However, SNRT's predecessor, {{lang|fr|Radiodiffusion-Télévision Marocaine|i=no}} (RTM), who had previously broadcast select contests in the 1960s and 1970s, participated in the {{escyr|1980||1980 contest}} when Israel was absent. This was the first, and as of 2025 the only time, that Morocco has participated in Eurovision.{{cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/32-years-ago-today-morocco-s-only-ever-participation|title=32 years ago today- Morocco's only ever participation|date=19 April 2012|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|website=Eurovision.tv|access-date=3 April 2020}}

Before Morocco's 1980 participation, Tunisia (at the {{Escyr|1977||1977 contest}}) was the only African country that had intended to compete, with it even being drawn to perform fourth, however, it eventually withdrew from the contest.

File:Samira Bensaïd - Bithaqat Khub.jpg

RTM selected the song "{{lang|ar-latn|Bitakat Hob|i=unset}}", performed by Moroccan singer Samira Bensaïd as the first entrant from Morocco in the contest. It is a moderately up-tempo number, with clear influences from Western disco and Arabic overtones. Bensaïd sings of the need for peace among the world's nations, taking the role of "the children of the world" to describe a vision of a society free of war and hate. It was interpreted as a message of peace addressed to Israel and the Arab countries.{{Cite web|date=19 April 2012|title=32 years ago today- Morocco's only ever participation|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/32-years-ago-today-morocco-s-only-ever-participation|access-date=19 May 2021|website=Eurovision.tv|language=en-gb}}

On 19 April 1980, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the {{lang|nl|Nederlands Congresgebouw|i=unset}} in The Hague hosted by {{lang|nl|Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|i=unset}} (NOS). Bensaïd performed "Bitakat Hob" fifth on the night. Jean Claudric conducted the event's orchestra for the entry.[http://www.eurovisionartists.nl/conductor/dir020.asp?ID=58 And the conductor is... Jean Claudric] At the close of voting, it had received 7 points, all of them from {{esccnty|Italy}}, placing 18th in a field of nineteen, and ahead of perennial last-place recipient {{esccnty|Finland}}.{{cite web |title=Results of the Final of The Hague |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/the-hague-1980/final/results/morocco |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=12 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412105315/https://eurovision.tv/event/the-hague-1980/final/results/morocco |archive-date=12 April 2021 |url-status=live}}

The country's second-to-last place was a disappointment for RTM, which decided never to participate in the contest again. Bensaïd's career did not suffer, however, as she went on to become one of the leading Arab recording artists of the 20th century. She recorded a French version of the song "Les enfants de l'amitié", found on the B-side of the single and in 1980, Filippos Nikolaou released a Greek cover version "Tosi kardia, tosi agapi" ({{langx|el|"Τόση καρδιά, τόση αγάπη"}}).[https://www.esccovers.com/eurovision-cover-bitakat-hob-greek/] Eurovision Cover – Bitakat hob (Greek).

"{{lang|ar-latn|Bitakat Hob|i=unset}}" was the first Eurovision song to include Arabic lyrics, and remains the only one sung entirely in Arabic.

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A second Moroccan broadcaster, 2M TV, has expressed their intention to join the EBU. Should its application be successful, it would be eligible to participate in the contest representing Morocco.{{cite web|url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=398|title=2MTV aims to full EBU membership|date=12 July 2007|publisher=Oikotimes|access-date=17 October 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120195318/http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=398|archive-date=20 November 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/8972|title=Morocco to return in the next few years?|last=Kuipers|first=Michael|date=12 July 2007|publisher=ESCToday|access-date=5 September 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=4003|title=Commercial channel interested to join Eurovision Song Contest|date=31 August 2008|publisher=Oikotimes|access-date=6 September 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906193756/http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=4003|archive-date=6 September 2008}}{{cite web|last1=Akhasvil|first1=Sopon|title=With the IBA in peril, Israel may withdraw in 2015|url=http://wiwibloggs.com/2014/06/03/israel-withdraw-2015/52317/|website=Wiwibloggs.com|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=4 June 2014|date=3 June 2014}} In May 2018, Israeli Minister of Communications Ayoob Kara announced his intention to invite countries of the Arab world to participate in the {{Escyr|2019}} contest in Tel Aviv,{{cite web|url=https://escxtra.com/2018/05/22/israeli-arabic-tunisia-eurovision/|title=Israeli Minister “to invite” Arabic nations, including Tunisia, to take part in Eurovision 2019|date=22 May 2018|access-date=2 December 2019|website=escxtra.com|first=Ryan|last=Cobb}} but Morocco was not on the list of participating countries released on 7 November 2018.

Following the signing of the normalization agreement between Israel and Morocco on 10 December 2020,{{Cite web |date=11 December 2020 |title=Morocco: Normalizes diplomatic relations with Israel {{!}} First step to return to Eurovision? |url=https://eurovisionfun.com/en/2020/12/morocco-normalizes-diplomatic-relations-with-israel-first-step-to-return-to-eurovision/ |access-date=23 May 2021 |website=EurovisionFun |language=en-US}} {{Ill|Eran Cicurel|he|ערן סיקורל}}, a politician and radio host working at the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan), called on Moroccan broadcaster SNRT to return to the contest on his Twitter account, but no response was received.{{Cite tweet |number=1337096316208500736 |user=EranCicurel |title=הרשו לי לנצל את ההזדמנות ולפנות לרשות השידור המרוקאית: Morocco. Peace is Here. Israel and the Eurovision community wants you back in the game. |author=Eran Cicurel |date=11 December 2020 |access-date=23 May 2021 |language=he, en |script-title= |trans-title=Allow me to take this opportunity to address the Moroccan Broadcasting Authority: Morocco. Peace is here. Israel and the Eurovision community wants you back in the game.}}

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Category:Countries in the Eurovision Song Contest

Category:Television controversies

Category:Controversies in Morocco