Morocco in the Eurovision Song Contest

Background

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.

The Moroccan public broadcaster Société nationale de radiodiffusion et de télévision (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 's presence. However, SNRT's predecessor, Radiodiffusion-Télévision Marocaine (RTM), who had previously broadcast select contests in the 1960s and 1970s, participated in the when Israel was absent. This was the first, and as of 2025 the only time, that Morocco has participated in Eurovision.

Before Morocco's 1980 participation, Tunisia (at the ) 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.

1980 participation

RTM selected the song "Bitakat Hob", 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.

On 19 April 1980, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Nederlands Congresgebouw in The Hague hosted by Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS). Bensaïd performed "Bitakat Hob" fifth on the night. Jean Claudric conducted the event's orchestra for the entry. At the close of voting, it had received 7 points, all of them from , placing 18th in a field of nineteen, and ahead of perennial last-place recipient .

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" ().

"Bitakat Hob" was the first Eurovision song to include Arabic lyrics, and remains the only one sung entirely in Arabic.

Future

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. In May 2018, Israeli Minister of Communications Ayoob Kara announced his intention to invite countries of the Arab world to participate in the contest in Tel Aviv, 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, , a 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.

Participation overview

--

References

References

1. (19 April 2012). "32 years ago today- Morocco's only ever participation". [[European Broadcasting Union]].
2. (19 April 2012). "32 years ago today- Morocco's only ever participation".
3. [http://www.eurovisionartists.nl/conductor/dir020.asp?ID=58 And the conductor is... Jean Claudric]
4. "Results of the Final of The Hague". European Broadcasting Union.
5. [https://www.esccovers.com/eurovision-cover-bitakat-hob-greek/] Eurovision Cover – Bitakat hob (Greek).
6. (12 July 2007). "2MTV aims to full EBU membership". Oikotimes.
7. Kuipers, Michael. (12 July 2007). "Morocco to return in the next few years?". ESCToday.
8. (31 August 2008). "Commercial channel interested to join Eurovision Song Contest". Oikotimes.
9. (3 June 2014). "With the IBA in peril, Israel may withdraw in 2015". European Broadcasting Union.
10. Cobb, Ryan. (22 May 2018). "Israeli Minister “to invite” Arabic nations, including Tunisia, to take part in Eurovision 2019".
11. (11 December 2020). "Morocco: Normalizes diplomatic relations with Israel {{!}} First step to return to Eurovision?".
12. Eran Cicurel. (11 December 2020). "הרשו לי לנצל את ההזדמנות ולפנות לרשות השידור המרוקאית: Morocco. Peace is Here. Israel and the Eurovision community wants you back in the game.".