Congratulations are in order for beauty queen Hortanse Shema who has made Rwanda proud.

Shema, claimed the first runner up position in the just concluded Miss Nation beauty pageant 2020, with Indonesian deejay  and model Khamelia Chalid emerging the winner while Yasaman Jafari, from Iraq, was named second runner up.

This year’s contest saw 22 beauty queens vying for the title.

Shema was among the 20 finalists at the grand finale of the pageant which took place virtually as a precaution against the fast spreading COVID-19.

The international pageant is a platform to celebrate peace, unity and love but also supports the natural beauty of a lady without artificial transformation.

By winning the crown, Shema will become the brand ambassador of #StayU campaign which calls upon women to refrain from plastic surgery and skin bleaching among other campaigns that transform their bodies.

In an exclusive interview with The New Times, the 20-year old  expressed her joy and gratitude to fans for the votes.

"I do not know how to say it, but I am really thankful and overjoyed. This victory is for all Rwandans, not just me. Winning one of the top crowns in an international pageant is not something to take for granted”, she said.

To participate in the contest, beauty queens had to submit their photos, videos and conduct online interviews, but also online votes were counted.