Conchita Wurst to perform for the United Nations
By Josh Haggis
Conchita Wurst’s remarkable year will continue when she performs for the United Nations (UN) next week.
The Austrian drag queen, famed for her distinctive bearded look, shot to fame in May when she won the Eurovision Song Contest with her power ballad Rise Like a Phoenix.
The 25-year-old, real name Tom Neuwirth, will sing at the UN’s Vienna headquarters on Monday (November 3) before Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon delivers a speech discussing gay rights and tolerance.
A UN spokesperson said of Wurst’s performance:
“Everyone is entitled to enjoy the same basic rights and live a life of worth and dignity without discrimination. This fundamental principle is embedded in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Conchita is a symbol in that sense and I think it’s good for them to meet. This meeting will allow [Ban] Ki-Moon to reassert his support for LGBT people and for them to ensure that they enjoy the same human rights and protection that we all do.”
Last month (October), Nigella Lawson presented Conchita Wurst with the prize for Moment of the Year at this year’s Attitude Awards – watch Conchita collecting her trophy here.