Biel is a Swiss city of 57,000 inhabitants, is located about 90 minutes by train from Basel, Zürich, and Geneva airports, and is home to Tissot Arena which is a multipurpose hockey/football stadium that can be expanded to fit 10,000 people.

Before Eurovision, we asked Nemo on the podcast for their ideal location to host Eurovision, in the event of a Swiss victory. Nemo’s answer was clear – their hometown of Biel! So now that Nemo is bringing the Contest to Switzerland for 2025, we decided to ask the mayor of Nemo’s hometown how possible it is we might see some Eurovision magic in Biel next May!

Below is the complete translated transcript of our conversation with Mr. Erich Fehr, mayor of Biel. Our interview was conducted in German.

BB: Good day, Mr. Mayor! Could you tell us a little about your role in Biel?

BB: How did you experience the evening of the Eurovision Grand Final?

EF: I was not in Biel, I was visiting family over the holidays, but I was watching the Semi Final with a close eye on Nemo’s performance. And then I watched the Final and I noticed that during Nemo’s performance there was something in the air. I had a very good feeling. 

BB: Have you spoken with Nemo since the Final?

EF: I met Nemo the next day at Zürich Airport, I was there with the Minister of Culture when Nemo landed from Malmö, and then we were at the media conference of Swiss television. It went on until late at night, I have never experienced a media conference that began at 23:45. 

BB: Has there been extra media attention on Biel since Nemo’s victory?

EF: As the tenth biggest city in Switzerland, we don’t always have the spotlight of the national media on us, only after special occasions. But this time the big difference is the international interest in our city, which you guys also represent, and that is surely a new dimension that we are not used to.

BB: You’ve announced a special even in Biel on 17th June. Can you tell us what you have planned?

EF: First of all I can reveal what is not planned – it is not going to be a concert, but it is a reception. And by the way, Nemo will perform at a festival in Biel in late July or early August, but this is going to be a reception by the citizens for Nemo which means that we will set up a stage in the old town in front of city hall and there will be one or two speeches and Nemo will be honored. The Canton of Bern will also be present. There will be the opportunity for citizens to take selfies and get autographs from Nemo, and the like.

BB: So Nemo won’t sing at all?

EF: Well we wouldn’t mind one or two songs, I think you can imagine which song we would like to hear! But it won’t be a concert. It will be festive, dignified, but still modest, as is typical for Biel. 

BB: Is this event exclusively for the citizens of Biel, or are fans and tourists welcome as well?

EF: It’s a party in a public space and free of charge, of course we are mainly organizing it for the citizens of Biel and Nemo, but everyone is welcome to come, and you guys are also invited! We already thought about international fans coming and if the city might get crowded, we don’t know, our security people estimate between 500 and 2,000 people.

BB: Nemo was a guest on our podcast in the past and we spoke about Biel’s potential involvement in Eurovision 2025 – has Biel put in a bid to host next year?

EF: I already said in the previously mentioned media conference at SRF that Biel does not have the capacity to organize a complete Eurovision Song Contest. If it was just about the Arena, we would be able to do with our hockey arena (Tissot Arena), but the other spaces could be problematic and Biel also does not have enough hotel capacity. So in this meeting we requested a partnership with Bern which is not only the capital of the country, but also the capital of our Canton, which would be possible as the cities are only 35 km apart. In an international context, that’s not a big distance, and we would have enough hotel capacity combined with Bern and the area around it. Bern has an arena which is currently under construction and would be just perfect for an event like ESC with other infrastructure surrounding it – it is between the biggest hockey arena in Europe and the Wankdorf football stadium which means that it would be an excellent location with more than enough hotel rooms.

BB: Does that mean that Biel submitted an application in cooperation with Bern?

EF: We are currently looking into it. I can officially answer this question after 28th June. Then we will know if our plan worked out.

BB: So are you currently in touch with the city of Bern?

EF: It is actually a package of the City of Bern, the Canton of Bern, Bern Expo, and the City of Biel. It is also evident that if we do organize something in Biel, for example the opening ceremony, it will be in our hockey arena, Tissot Arena because it is easier to supervise than the old town, and it is easier to guarantee security. But we do not see a chance for the main event to be in Biel, it would be in Bern in this case, but if it would be held close to us, an event in Biel would be possible.

BB: Would there be any events planned for Biel if it goes to a different city?

EF: I cannot say that yet. It is totally dependent on the mood in the city, then and also whether Nemo is willing to collaborate with us. Maybe they will perform in Biel during that week, so an event would be possible but has not been decided yet.

BB: Switzerland is connected very well so would it be possible that even if Zürich or Geneva get to host, to hold the opening ceremony in Biel?

EF: Our bid is a partnership with Bern so if a different Swiss city gets to host the event, we will not be involved in any official Eurovision events. Right now we have exclusivity with Bern.

BB: Any final words about Biel potentially hosting Eurovision 2025?

EF: We would really love this collaboration between Biel and Bern to happen, not only because it is the wish of Nemo, but also because Swiss events are mostly known through the cities of Geneva and Zürich, so we would like to show the world that the heart of Switzerland can do more than just politics. I also invite anyone reading this to visit Biel, you will be surprised what a city of 57,000 people has to offer! Thank you, tschüß!

Would you like to see Bern-Biel host Eurovision 2025? Let us know in the comments and on our social media profiles @buildingbridgespod !

Image: Pixabay