With Camilla Ottesen and Remee as the presenters, the contest was won by the then eleven-year-old Dino Jelusić, who represented Croatia with his song "Ti si moja prva ljubav" (You are my first love) while second and third place went to Spain and the United Kingdom respectively.

[1][2] The idea was extended to a Scandinavian song competition in 2002, known as MGP Nordic, with Denmark, Norway and Sweden as participants.

Forum Copenhagen was designed by Oscar Gundlach-Pedersen, and the lighting was from Poul Henningsen's brand new PH-lamp.

In May 2003, the EBU released the initial list of participants with 16 competing countries, in the first edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

[10] Prior to the event, a compilation album featuring all the songs from the 2003 contest,[a] along with karaoke versions, was put together by the European Broadcasting Union and released by Universal Music Group in November 2003.

Initially, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organizer of the show, announced the possible allocation of this role to Irish vocalist and Eurovision Song Contest 1997 co-host Ronan Keating although no contract had yet been signed.

[13] On 10 October 2003, however, it was officially announced that the contest would be hosted by the Danish duo consisting of Camilla Ottesen and rapper Remee.

Croatia won with 134 points, with Spain, the United Kingdom, Belarus, and Denmark, completing the top five.

It is currently unknown whether the EBU issue invitations of participation to all 56 active members like they do for the Eurovision Song Contest.