Here’s to a Miss Asean Traditionale! pageant

ON Nov 19, India’s Manushi Chhillar (pic) was crowned Miss World 2017 and there was much jubilation in India, which has won the international beauty contest six times and drawn level with Venezuela.

Both these developing nations take the beauty contests seriously and have won the most. Despite criticisms, beauty contests are getting more popular and a large international television audience awaits with bated breath every year to know who will win the coveted crown.

More recently, on Nov 27, Miss South Africa, Demi-Leigh NelPeters, won the Miss Universe title in Las Vegas. The winners get a large bonanza of various prizes and will be kept busy throughout the whole year with various programmes and events.

The United Nations can also make good use of these Miss World, Miss Universe and Miss International beauty queens as its ambassadors for various causes and programmes since their title and publicity will be an asset to highlight the activity and effort.

Currently, many film stars, singers and others are chosen as UN ambassadors.

It will be equally good if there could be a contest in which women are judged on their beautiful, colourful and unique traditional attire. The South-East Asian region comprising the Asean members is one of the most diverse areas in the world.

All 10 states have much diversity in various aspects such as religion, history, heritage, tradition, culture, dress and cuisine which have, over the centuries, been influenced by India, China, the Middle East and the colonial powers such as Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Britain and the United States.

The diversity and differences in South-East Asia are breathtaking and these features need to be highlighted and be better known to the world.

A beauty contest where all the women participants are featured in their colourful traditional attire and judged on their overall impression and expression could do much to focus on Asean’s colourful heritage and diversity.

The winner could be known as Miss Asean Traditionale!

This would be a contest with a difference that takes into consideration the sensitivities of the people, and could find acceptance among the varied populace of the region that includes Buddhists, Muslims, Christian and Hindus, and also be another plus point for regional grouping.