AwlaVision Song Contest 35

AwlaVision Song Contest 35, often referred to as ASC#35, was the thirty-fifth edition of AwlaVision Song Contest, held in Thessaloniki, Greece. The edition started the 03rd December 2018, and ended the 22nd December 2018.

46 countries took part in this edition. No one debuted in this edition. No one withdrew from ASC. Czech Republic, Kazakhstan and Moldova returned to the competition. Iveta Mukuchyan from Armenia won the contest with the song "Hayastani aghjikner" receiving a total of 312 points, 11 points ahead the runner-up, Romania. Andorra finished in third place with 233 points. The host country, Greece achieved a 25th place with 10 points. The last place was for Ireland, that got 7 points.

Organisation
After Greece's victory in AwlaVision Song Contest 35, NERIT and ABU had to decide where to organise the contest this time. NERIT organised a public competition for choosing the host city between all applicant cities. Several cities presented their applications and the organisation had to decide which one was the best. Finally, NERIT and ABU chose Thessaloniki as the host city of ASC35.

NERIT decided to use popular and professionals people as presenters. Finally Marietta Chrousala and Sakis Tanimanidis were selected.

PAOK Sports Arena
The PAOK Sports Arena is an indoor arena located in Thessaloniki, Greece, and it hosts the PAOK. B.C., PAOK. V.C., and PAOK. H.C. departments of the multi-sports club PAOK. It was opened in 2000, and in the same year, it hosted the EuroLeague and Greek Cup final-fours. It is built on land donated by Ioannis Dedeoglou, for which PAOK. B.C. holds an annual tournament in his honor. It has 8,500 seats for fans and guests, and has 502 parking spots. The capacity for basketball and volleyball games with standing room, and for concerts is 10,200.

The arena is located in southeast Thessaloniki, Greece, in the Pylea borough, 7 km from the city centre, and around 1 km from Thessaloniki's International Airport. The arena lies 300 meters off the junction, on a small hill. Bus lines #69, #72, and #76 provide public transport to the arena. PAOK. B.C. had to wait 10 years from the laying of the arena's foundations (on March 18, 1990), and 12 years from the time Ioannis Dedeoglou donated the land (June 17, 1988), until the sports arena was complete. Ioannis and his brother, Thanasis Dedeoglou, first began to think about a new major European sports arena in Thessaloniki in 1991, by donating land to PAOK. A proposal to host the 2000 FIBA EuroLeague Final Four in the new arena, increased the motivation to complete the stadium. FIBA Europe accepted the offer, and the construction was finished in time. The stadium also hosted, earlier that year, the 2000 Greek Cup Final Four, as its first major event.

Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is the second-largest city in Greece, with over 1 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. Its nickname is Symprotévousa, literally "the co-capital", a reference to its historical status as the Symvasilévousa or "co-reigning" city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople.

Thessaloniki is located on the Thermaic Gulf, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. It is bounded on the west by the delta of the Axios river. The Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area had 1,030,338 inhabitants in 2011. It is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre; it is a major transportation hub for Greece and southeastern Europe, notably through the Port of Thessaloniki. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora. Thessaloniki was the 2014 European Youth Capital.

Thessaloniki's climate is directly affected by the sea it is situated on. The city lies in a transitional climatic zone, so its climate displays characteristics of several climates. According to the Köppen climate classification, it has a humid subtropical climate that borders on a Mediterranean climate, as well as a semi-arid climate, observed on the periphery of the region. Its average annual precipitation of 450 mm is due to the Pindus rain shadow drying the westerly winds. However, the city has a summer precipitation between 20 to 30 mm, which prevents it from qualifying as a Mediterranean climate, and increases gradually towards the north and west, turning humid subtropical.

This is the first time in the contest that AwlaVision Song Contest is held in Greece.

Participants
46 countries took part in the edition.

Returning countries
Bellow a list of all returning countries:

First Semifinal
Jury
 * (Host)
 * (Finalist)
 * (Finalist)

Second Semifinal
Jury
 * (Finalist)
 * (Finalist)
 * (Finalist)