Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2003 — 1st annual Junior Eurovision Song Contest
The inaugural Junior Eurovision Song Contest established an annual international music competition for young performers, broadcast for the first time in HD and widescreen.
Key Facts
- Host venue
- Forum Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Participating countries
- 16
- Winning country
- Croatia
- Winning song
- Ti si moja prva ljubav by Dino Jelusić
- Age of winner
- 11 years old
- Broadcast format
- First Eurovision event in 16:9 HD
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The European Broadcasting Union sought to create a junior counterpart to the adult Eurovision Song Contest, providing a dedicated international platform for child performers aged roughly 8–15 from member broadcasters across Europe.
The first Junior Eurovision Song Contest was held on 15 November 2003 at Forum Copenhagen, hosted by Camilla Ottesen and Remee. Sixteen countries competed, and Croatian eleven-year-old Dino Jelusić won with 'Ti si moja prva ljubav,' with Spain and the United Kingdom placing second and third.
The contest established an ongoing annual tradition, with subsequent editions held across Europe. Croatia's first-attempt victory was not repeated until Italy in 2014. The event also set technical precedents by being the first Eurovision contest broadcast in HD and 16:9 widescreen and the first to have an official DVD release.
Work
Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2003
Launched an enduring annual international song competition for young performers, setting technical broadcast standards with the first HD Eurovision transmission and pioneering an official contest DVD release.