MINISPOC revives Miss Rwanda beauty contest

The Ministry of Sports and Culture (MINISPOC) has announced the revival of Miss Rwanda beauty contest, 17 years after it was last held. This was confirmed yesterday, at a press conference held by Rwandatel, the main sponsor of the 2009 contest. It was revealed that the telecommunication company will organise, coordinate and co-sponsor the beauty contest. The search for Miss Rwanda started yesterday and registration will end on October 15. The search will cover the entire country, with registration points being set up in all the five provinces; Rwamagana, Ruhengeri, Huye, Karongi, and Kigali City. Contestants from each region will be brought to Kigali to compete in the finals. Criteria for the contestants have been set in accordance with Miss World standards, according to the organizers. These include being a Rwandan citizen of 18-25 years of age, at least 1.7 metres tall, morally upright, and with good public speaking skills. The contestants will also be judged based on the aspects to do with catwalk, confidence, eloquence and intelligence. The 20 finalists will undergo a month-long training and the final competition will be held in Kigali, on December 19. Prizes include, a car and a trip to the Miss World pageant for the winner, cash prizes for the first and second runner-up and a host of other prizes. In his remarks, the Minister of Culture and Sports Joseph Habineza said he was “happy to be associated with this new initiative to organise the Miss Rwanda beauty contest.” Flanked by the former CEO of Rwandatel Patrick Kariningufu, Habineza said that the pageant is a celebration of Rwanda’s beauty as well as cultural pride. “Rwandatel is honoured by the confidence the Ministry has placed in us to host an event of this magnitude, for the first time in over 17 years,” Kariningufu said. Meanwhile, a committee to manage Miss Rwanda will be put in place to ensure that the winner of this contest adheres with the set rules, behaves in a manner expected of beauty queens and to ensure that the institution of Miss Rwanda is respected. Rwandans in the Diaspora will also be allowed to participate in the contest, but they will have to register from within Rwanda. Miss Rwanda 2009 is sponsored by a list of different corporate companies, including; BCR, Kigali Serena hotel, and Kenya Airways among others. Ends

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MINISPOC revives Miss Rwanda beauty contest