The 53rd Eurovision Song Contest set a participation record with 43 countries and introduced the perpetual glass microphone trophy, won by Russia's Dima Bilan.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 53rd Eurovision Song Contest
- Participating countries
- 43 (record high)
- Winner
- Russia – 'Believe' by Dima Bilan
- Venue
- Belgrade Arena, Belgrade, Serbia
- Final date
- 24 May 2008
- First-time participants
- Azerbaijan and San Marino
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Serbia's Marija Šerifović won the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Molitva', granting Serbia the right to host the following year's contest. Radio Television of Serbia organised the event, choosing the Belgrade Arena as the venue.
The 53rd Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Belgrade Arena on 20, 22, and 24 May 2008, featuring two semi-finals and a grand final for the first time. Presented by Jovana Janković and Željko Joksimović, it drew a record 43 participating broadcasters. Russia's Dima Bilan performed 'Believe' and won the contest.
Russia's victory gave Dima Bilan the inaugural perpetual glass microphone trophy, a new tradition for the contest. The event cemented Belgrade as a major host city, and the two-semi-final format, used for the first time, became the standard structure for future Eurovision contests.