Slavonic Bazaar: INTERNATIONAL SONG CONTEST VITEBSK 2016

Winners and laureates of the 25th international song contest Vitebsk were named at an official closing ceremony of the Slavonic Bazaar festival. For the first time in its 25-year-long history the contest gathered singers from 45 countries, including debutants from Argentina and Colombia.
 
Alexei Gross of Belarus scored the highest 157 points as a result of two competition days Slavonic Hit and Festival Hit. The members of the international panel of judges were unanimous in awarding the Grand Prix of Vitebsk 2016 to the Belarusian entry. The first award went to Adam of Kazakhstan. Eleonora Vecchio of Italy and Ana Odobescu of Moldova finished second. Third were Andria Gvelesiani of Georgia and Anna Timofei of Israel.      
 
Belarus President’s Special Award Slavonic Hope (for the best presentation of Slavonic singing art) was bestowed upon Michaela Gemrotova of the Czech Republic. Vladimir Mulyavin Award, instituted by the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee, went to Jorge Romano of Mexico. All the finalists received laureate titles.