Mediterraneanvision Song Contest 13

The Mediterraneanvision Song Contest 13 will be the 13th edition of the Mediterraneanvision Song Contest. It is set to take place in Nice, France, following the country's victory at the with the song "À des vies de toi" by Nilusi. Organised by the Mediterranean Broadcasting Union (MBU) and host broadcaster France Télévisions, the contest will be held at the Palais Nikaia and will consist of two semi-finals and a final. The three live shows will be presented by Afida Turner, Iris Mittenaere and previous edition's winner Nilusi.

Thirty-eight countries will participate in the contest. Iraq and Malta will return after their absences from the previous edition.

Location
The 13th edition is set to take place in Nice, France, following the country's victory at the 12th edition with the song "À des vies de toi", performed by Nilusi.

Preparations for the 13th edition began on 16 October 2022, immediately after France won the 12th edition. The Mediterranean Broadcasting Union (MBU), handed France Télévisions, the French participating broadcaster, a stack of documents and a USB drive with tools to begin the work needed to host the next contest.

Bidding phase
During the first stage of the bidding process, France Télévisions received expressions of interest from 21 French cities and towns. On 29 October 2022, the broadcaster announced that it would only be accepting bids from cities and towns in Southern France, clarifying that the broadcaster "aims to make the event as Mediterranean as possible". The broadcaster further clarified that it would accept bids from cities and towns anywhere in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Corsica, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitania and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Having received bids from 11 French cities and towns, France Télévisions shortlisted five on 18 December 2022: Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier and Nice. On 26 December 2022, Marseille and Nice were announced to have made the final shortlist, and on 31 December 2022, the MBU and France Télévisions announced Nice as the host city, with the Palais Nikaia as the chosen host venue for the contest.

Key:

Host venue Final shortlist Shortlisted Submitted a bid

Visual design
The contest's slogan, "si loin, si proche (so far, so close)", as well as the official logo and branding were revealed on 27 March 2023. The use of the seashell represents the popular folk myth that the sound of the ocean may be heard through seashells, and that this occurs no matter how close or how far a seashell is from the ocean.

Presenter(s)
On 5 April 2023, France Télévisions announced that Afida Turner, Iris Mittenaere and previous edition's winner Nilusi would host the three live shows.

Participating countries


On 21 January 2023, the MBU announced that 38 countries would take part in the contest, with Iraq and Malta returning after their absences from the previous edition.

Semi-final 1
Sixteen countries will participate in the first semi-final. Those countries plus Kosovo, Morocco and Palestine will vote in this semi-final.

Semi-final 2
Sixteen countries will participate in the second semi-final. Those countries plus Austria, France and Greece will vote in this semi-final.

Other countries
Eligibility for potential participation in the Mediterraneanvision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active MBU membership that would be able to broadcast the contest. The MBU regularly issues invitations of participation in the contest to all active members.

Active MBU members

 * – On 28 August 2022, Egyptian broadcaster Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) stated that they were unsure regarding a return to the 13th edition. Egypt did not appear on the final list of participants.


 * – On 26 July 2022, Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) announced that they "miss Mediterraneanvision and are planning to return". However, due to the mysterious disappearance of Benny the Arabian Oryx, they stated they were unable to confirm their return until the search party finds him. On 15 September 2022, the broadcaster officially confirmed their non-participation. Jordan last took part in the.

Official album
Mediterraneanvision Song Contest: Nice #13 is the official compilation album of the contest, put together by the Mediterranean Broadcasting Union and released on 8 April 2023. The album features all 38 entries.