Italy's Eurovision 2026 contestant appointed to represent classical Neapolitan music in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage candidacy.
8:11 PM
Sal Da Vinci, Italy's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, has been appointed as ambassador for the candidacy of classical Neapolitan song to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the Italian Ministry of Tourism announced Friday.
The designation was announced by Tourism Minister Gianmarco Mazzi during a press meeting with Italian media at the contest venue, the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria. The appointment links Da Vinci's participation in the international music competition with a broader institutional effort to promote Italian musical heritage on the global stage.
Mazzi emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional support for Italian music and facilitating the internationalization of Italian artists. He cited major musical events, particularly the Festival di Sanremo, as pillars of the national music system and highlighted their potential as economic and tourism assets.
The initiative positions classical Neapolitan song—a centuries-old musical tradition—as a candidate for recognition by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The project integrates cultural preservation, national identity, and international promotion within a wider strategy to leverage Italian music as both a cultural and economic resource.
Da Vinci, who won the 2026 Sanremo Music Festival, performed "Per Sempre Sì" at the Eurovision final. His performance, accompanied by a wedding dress featuring the Italian tricolor and fireworks, drew applause from the Vienna audience. The artist has accumulated over 60 million streams across digital platforms.
In the contest voting, Italy placed sixth after the jury vote with 134 points, then climbed to fifth place overall with 281 points following the public vote. Bulgaria's Dara won the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.
The Neapolitan singer, who won the 2026 Sanremo Festival, responded to critics who questioned his song's merit during a Tuesday appearance on the RAI 2 talk show.
The Sanremo 2026 winner's track "Per Sempre Sì" has slowed in Spotify rankings ahead of the contest, despite solid streaming numbers.
Greece, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Moldova, Israel, Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania and Poland qualified for Saturday's final. San Marino, Georgia, Portugal, Estonia and Montenegro were eliminated.
The 14-year-old from the Russian Federation won the competition's top prize at Teatro Ariston, performing Nemo's "The code" with jury unanimity.
The 71st David di Donatello ceremony honored Italian cinema with Sergio Romano and Aurora Quattrocchi taking best actor awards at Cinecittà.
Dara of Bulgaria claimed the Eurovision Song Contest title Saturday with 516 points, defeating Israel's Noam Bettan, as five countries boycotted over Israel's participation.
