"Eurovision-2011" winners awarded in Turkey

The Azerbaijani singers who won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest carrying a Turkish flag onstage during the final contest to receive their awards were presented the Peace and Friendship Award at a festival organized in the Black Sea region.

The two singers, Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, carried Turkish flags again upon receiving their award at the festival in Zonguldak’s Ereğli district and said they would come to Turkey in August with new songs and duets to perform with a Turkish artist. They did not mention the artist’s name.

Ereğli Mayor Halil Posbıyık and his wife, Neriman Posbıyık, presented the award, which they call the “Nobel of Turkey,” to the artists. Posbıyık said the couple made a big gesture to Turkey during the Eurovision Award ceremony and that Turkey and Azerbaijan were sister countries.

“They shared their happiness with Turkish people. This is why we present this award to these two people addressing our people’s feelings with love and peace,” Posbıyık said.

Eldar and Nigar expressed the importance of the award to them and said it was their third time in Turkey, they told press members. They liked the song that Turkish rock band Yüksek Sadakat performed in the Eurovision. “The song and performance were really nice. They should have gone to the finals. We hope that both countries will go to the finals next year and Turkish and Azerbaijani people will have an enjoyable contest.”

The Ereğli festival ended with a fireworks show.


/Hurriyet Daily News/