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Rome is 'perfect stage' for Eurovision 2022 says mayor

By: Wanted in Rome

Date:

24 May, 2021

Italian cities vie to host Eurovision 2022 after Italy's win in Rotterdam.

Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has proposed the Eternal City as the "perfect stage" to host the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, following Italy's triumph in the European competition on Saturday night.

The victory by Rome alternative rock band Måneskin, with the song Zitti e buoni, means that Italy will host the Eurovision next year for the first time in three decades.

But which Italian city will host the event? A call for tenders to host the 2022 edition will be launched soon and all cities will be able to submit their candidacy.

Rome band Måneskin wins Eurovision Song Contest for Italy

Ahead of the official bidding process, several Italian cities have already proposed themselves as suitable candidates, notably Rome which hosted the last Italian Eurovision after the victory of Toto Cutugno in 1990.

Mayor Raggi, who on taking office five years ago vetoed the city's bid for the 2024 Olympics, took to Twitter to praise Måneskin's "fantastic victory" before putting Rome forward as the "perfect stage to relaunch the challenge."

The 1991 edition of the Eurovision was held in Rome's Cinecittà Film Studios while the only other time that Italy hosted the contest, following the victory of Gigliola Cinquetti in 1964, was at the Centro RAI in Naples.

The proposal by Raggi, who is seeking a second term in office in elections this year, followed similar offers from Turin, Naples, Bologna, Milan and Pesaro.

Turin mayor Chiara Appendino was quick to propose her city as a host for next year's Eurovision, assuring that her administration is already preparing the official bid.

In its favour, Turin was already identified as a potential Eurovision venue in 2017 by state broadcaster RAI ahead of Italy's entry that year, bookies' favourite Francesco Gabbani, who failed to win in the end.

Milan is also seen as a strong candidate, given its experience of hosting the Expo in 2015.

In the meantime the four members of the victorious Måneskin returned on Sunday to their native city where they were greeted with applause on arrival in Fiumicino airport.

Quella dei #Maneskin è stata una vittoria fantastica. Roma orgogliosa dei suoi ragazzi. L'anno prossimo l'Italia ospiterà #EurovisionSongContest 2022. Roma è il palcoscenico perfetto per rilanciare la sfida. pic.twitter.com/EJ4yAIOnQh
— Virginia Raggi (@virginiaraggi) May 23, 2021