Madonna will fight for human rights with her Eurovision performance.
Madonna
The 'Medillín' hitmaker has come under fire for performing at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Israel on May 18 but she insists she will "never stop playing music to suit someone's political agenda".
She said: "I'll never stop playing music to suit someone's political agenda, nor will I stop speaking out against violations of human rights, wherever in the world they may be. My heart breaks every time I hear about the innocent lives that are lost in this region and the violence that is so often perpetuated to suit the political goals of people who benefit from this ancient conflict. I hope and pray that we will soon break free from this terrible cycle of destruction and create a new path towards peace."
Madonna is to perform two songs, a new track and a classic hit, at the annual music event, with the BBC - who broadcasts the show in the United Kingdom - coming under criticism from the likes of Dame Vivienne Westwood, Peter Gabriel and Wolf Alice, all who were among those who signed an open letter to the broadcaster urging them to ask organisers to move the contest due to human rights concerns in Israel.
They wrote: "Eurovision may be light entertainment, but it is not exempt from human rights considerations ... We cannot ignore Israel's systematic violation of Palestinian human rights. The BBC is bound by its charter to 'champion freedom of expression'. It should act on its principles and press for Eurovision to be relocated to a country where crimes against that freedom are not being committed."
Whilst the BBC said in response: "Eurovision is not a political event and does not endorse any political message or campaign. The competition has always supported the values of friendship, inclusion, tolerance and diversity and we do not believe it would be appropriate to use the BBC's participation for political reasons. Because of this we will be taking part in this year's event. The host country is determined by the rules of the competition, not the BBC."
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