Eurovision winner Nemo received a hero's welcome when he took to the stage to perform the song "The Code" in his Swiss hometown of Biel, AFP reported.
Five weeks after winning the crown at the glitzy annual televised spectacle in Malmö, the 24-year-old returned to Biel for a special ceremony organized by the city, which is now hoping to host Eurovision next year thanks to Nemo's triumph.
The Eurovision final was watched by 163 million viewers, but in Biel, around 2,000 locals were in the old town's central square to watch Nemo receive the trophy and a huge bouquet of flowers.
Nemo appeared on stage wearing a huge pink fluffy hat, despite the 22°C summer evening heat, blowing kisses to the audience as they chanted his name.
"Thank you. It's a great honor to be here and I love you, Biel," he said, after many presented him with cards and drawings.
Known by its German and French names, Biel/Bienne in northwestern Switzerland is the country's largest bilingual city and the heart of the Alpine nation's watchmaking industry. | BGNES
