UK: Star-studded Miss Zim Diamond beauty pageant announces arrival
….. with a touch of business class. Contestants at the Miss Zim Diamond 2011 beauty contest, which reaches the eagerly anticipated finale on Saturday (10 September 2011), will have to possess a knack for entrepreneurship, organisers of the show have revealed.
The first ever Miss Zim Diamond beauty pageant will see thirteen beauties of Zimbabwean heritage battle for the prestigious crown by a show of looks and balance of business books, as they each have to present a solid business plan to prove their worth.
Event founder, Glorianne Francis said: “Miss Zim Diamond is not your regular pageant; contestants will be judged on their entrepreneurial acumen, commitment to charitable causes, their portrayal of the modern Zimbabwean woman and representation of the beauty of Zimbabwe as a country.
“We aim to see the girls make a mark in their communities here in the UK through firm business ventures, and inspire their compatriots at home in Zimbabwe and the diasporas at large,” she added.
The winning contestant of the Miss Zim Diamond 2011 stands to walk off the catwalk with a career in the hospitality industry, as the first prize of the competitions includes a package to a job that pays £30 0000. The winner will also be given the bye to represent the UK region in the Miss Zimbabwe contest to be held in Harare next year.
This comes after the Zimbabwean government endorsed the Miss Zim Diamond pageant to take over the slot from the now-defunct Miss Zimbabwe-UK. Mobile phone giants, Econet are the pageant’s headline corporate sponsor together with Global Hospitality Services.
Expected to grace the evening of beauty and glamour will be a “who’s who” line-up of Zimbabwean celebrities and socialites with confirmed attendance of Olympic athlete Brian Dzingai, former British and Commonwealth heavyweight boxing champion Derek Chisora and Britain’s Got Talent competitor Donna Africa. Also expected to attend will be MOBO-award winning UK Hip Hop star Akala, who is due to tour Zimbabwe next month.
Indie rock diva and Miss Zim Diamond ambassador, Shingai Shoniwa of the chart-topping Noisettes band said: “I am proud of all our girls and I would like to see them shining like the diamonds they are.
“More than being the beauties they are in looks, this pageant will call on them to unearth the shining gems inside their hearts and minds. I can only wish them well,” she added.
Entertainment on the evening will be presented by Afro-pop sensations BKay and Kazz, neo soul singer Zuwa, as well as Jusa Dementor and R&B siren Cynthia Mare.
The Miss Zim Diamond show will be held at the Royal National Hotel, 38-51 Bedford Road, London WC1H 0AP on Saturday with doors opening from 6pm. Tickets for the event are available via the website http://www.misszimdiamond.com/
· Models present business plans as part of criteria to contest
· Winning queen gets chance to walk off catwalk with a career in a hospitality job with a salary of £30 000
