Exchanging the Eurovision ... keys!

The City of Helsinki will hand the Host City honours of the Eurovision Song Contest over to Belgrade on Friday, 14th of September. On the same occasion, Belgrade will be presented with the symbolic Helsinki Insignia, which in the future will be circulated from a host city to the next.

 The symbol is a key ring of sorts, with the following texts engraved by hand:

• Eurovision Song Contest Host City
• A list of all host cities with dates up to 2006
• Manufacturing marks: Helsinki 2007 and the manufacturers' initials

The key ring is garnished by a plaque with a photo of Senate Square during the Song Contest on one side and the following text on the other: "The future host cities can attach their own town gate key and symbols to the key ring."

The Host City Exchange will take place in the City Hall of Belgrade on 14 September at 14:00–14:30. Lord Mayor of Helsinki Mr Jussi PAJUNEN, assisted by the Head of the Culture Department Mr Pekka TIMONEN, will hand over a ring of keys to the Deputy of the Lord of Belgrade Ms Radmila HRUSTANOVIC. Before the hand over, Mr Jussi PAJUNEN will say a few words and wish the City of Belgrade the best of luck and big success with the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. After this, Mr PAJUNEN will open the key ring and put the Helsinki city key in the ring and then hand it over to the Deputy of the Lord of Belgrade.

Next year, the representatives of the City of Belgrade will go to the Host City for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest and do the same procedure.