Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised the revival of the Intervision 2025 song contest on Saturday, describing it as a cultural initiative that has gained momentum far beyond its original scope.

Speaking at the finals at the Live Arena in Moscow's Novoivanovskoye district, Lavrov said: "The idea was great … It is obvious to us there was a demand for this kind of competition."

He explained that Russia initially presented the project to its  BRICS partners. "When we informed our partners about this competition, the majority of them responded positively. Then, the news spread throughout the world, and countries that are geographically far from BRICS decided to nominate their participants as well," he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted in a video address the participants and the audience of the Intervision 2025 song contest finals, which kicked off in Moscow on Saturday.

"One of this year's most anticipated cultural events - the finals of the revived Intervision International Music Contest - will take place today ... Culture and music have no borders. Today’s gala is to show the uniting power of art," Putin said.

Cultural Alternative

The 2025 edition of Intervision was launched by presidential decree as a cultural alternative to Eurovision, from which Russia has been excluded since 2022. The event is overseen by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, with support from the Foreign Ministry, Channel One, and National Media Group.

The final is being staged before an audience of around 11,000 and features entries from 23 countries, including Russia, China, India, Cuba, the UAE, Belarus, and even the United States. Unlike Eurovision, the outcome is determined by an international professional jury rather than public televoting.

Contest rules bar overtly political songs and require entries to avoid themes deemed contrary to "traditional values." Organizers say performances may be in any language, and songs must have been released in the year leading up to the competition.

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Cultural diplomacy

Intervision originally ran during the Soviet era as a counterpart to Eurovision. Its return in 2025 is being cast as part of Moscow's broader push to strengthen ties with BRICS members and Global South states through cultural platforms.

Officials in Kiev, however, have described the project as "a tool of hostile propaganda," a view shared by several EU members and NATO allies.

Lavrov's remarks underscore Russia's effort to present Intervision as more than just a music competition, but as proof that Moscow can convene a global audience in the cultural sphere despite Western isolation.