The MTV ceremony, in which Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo were nominated, was scheduled to take place in Paris in November. The cancellation was announced as France remains at its highest level of security after a schoolteacher was killed and three others were stabbed.
Thursday 19 October 2023 18:56, UK
The MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony has been canceled due to security concerns “given the volatility of world events”, organizers said.
The annual event was due to take place in Paris on Sunday, November 5, with stars including Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Miley Cyrus And Nicki Minaj among the high-profile nominees.
In a statement announcing the decision, a spokesman for Paramount, which owns MTVsaid: “Given the volatility of world events, we have decided not to move forward with the 2023 MTV EMAs out of an abundance of caution for the thousands of staff, crew members, artists, fans and partners who travel from all corners of the world. world to bring the show to life.
“The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of world music. As we watch the devastating events continue to unfold in Israel and the Gaza Strip, this does not feel like a moment of global celebration. With thousands of lives already lost, this is a moment of mourning.”
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Although the event has been cancelled, voting continues and the winning artists will still receive the MTV EMA Awards. Details of how the winners will be announced have not yet been confirmed.
Organizers said they look forward to the event returning in November 2024.
Last year’s MTV European Music Awards, which are separate from the US-based MTV Video Music Awards, Swift dominatedwhich won four of the six awards it was up for: Best Artist, Best Video, Best Pop and Best Long Form Video.
The ceremony is held in a different country each year, but last year it took place in Dusseldorf, Germany, and was hosted by celebrity couple Oscar-winning writer and director Taika Waititi and singer Rita Ora.
The announcement of the cancellation of this year’s war came as European Union interior ministers discussed how to deal with the fallout from the war.
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France is at the highest level of security after a schoolteacher was killed and three others were wounded in a stabbing in the northeastern town of Arras on October 13.
The country’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the alleged Islamist attack was linked to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Eight French airports were alerted on Wednesday and some were evacuated for checks, France’s civil aviation authority said, while the Palace of Versailles was closed again due to a third security threat in five days.