MTV has canceled its Europe Music Awards in Paris next month, with organizers citing "the volatility of world events," particularly the Israel-Hamas War.
According to Reuters, the awards ceremony was scheduled to be held at the Paris Nord Villepinte on November 5, with nominees including Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny, and the Foo Fighters.
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MTV Cancels EMA Due to Israel-Hamas War
"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 employees, crew members, artists, fans, and partners who travel from all corners of the world to bring the show to life," an MTV spokesperson said in a statement first reported by Variety.
MTV explained that the war between Israel and Hamas has spoiled the rationale of the event, which was supposed to be a "global celebration" for pop music.
"With thousands of lives already lost, it is a moment of mourning," the statement added. "We look forward to hosting the MTV EMAs again in November of 2024."
Additional Context
In addition to the recent war in the Middle East, France - where the EMAs were supposed to be hosted - is in its highest state of alertness after a Russian man of Muslim Chechen descent fatally stabbed a schoolteacher last week in a suspected Islamist attack.
French airports and the Palace of Versailles were also closed due to security alerts this week.
The annual MTV Europe Music Awards are held in a different city each year. Last year's event was in Dusseldorf in western Germany.
The last time Paris hosted the event was in 1995.
