Today, European Broadcasting Union Supervisor Svante Stockselius formally welcomed the press to this year�s Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Lillehammer. Stockselius thanked Norwegian broadcaster NRK for the excellent work they have done so far and already looked forward to next year's Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Belgium.

EBU Supervisor Svante Stockselius started with welcoming France and Switzerland, the two new countries at this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest, and invited other European countries to be part of the third edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. “Perhaps there will be even more than the 18 participating countries that we have now,” he added.

Stockselius once again emphasized that the rules of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest slightly differ to those of the normal Euriovision Song Contest where the winning country hosts the contest the following year. The organization of next year's Junior Euovision Song Contest has already been given to Belgium some months ago. In this way there is less pressure on the participating children since they are not responsible for winning the right to host the contest for their home country.

A delegation of Flemish broadcaster VRT and RTBF, broadcaster of the French community in Belgium, is present in Lillehammer in order to prepare for next year's organization. Next Tuesday, they will present the plans for the 2005 Junior Eurovision Song Contest.