[Ict4ruralwomeninafrica] FW: Applications are being accepted for the Miss Africa International 2004
pageant
miriam byekwaso
motsu31@hotmail.com
Sat, 13 Mar 2004 12:43:26 +0000
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<P>Dear all,</P>
<P>Please find if this interests you or any of your friends and relatives or your Organization.</P>
<P>Read the message below.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>Kind regards, </P>
<P>Miriam</P></TD></TR>
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<DIV></DIV>>From: Mokoliproduction@aol.com
<DIV></DIV>>To: Missafricaintl@aol.com
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Applications are being accepted for the Miss Africa International 2004 pageant
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2004 14:38:54 EST
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Please respond to acknowledge receipt of this announcement, indicating your
<DIV></DIV>>country of origin. Furthermore, please forward to all of your contacts!!
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Applications are being accepted for the Miss Africa International 2004
<DIV></DIV>>pageant to be held in Washington, DC this fall. Deadline for application is May 1,
<DIV></DIV>>2004!!!!!!
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>You would like to give back to Africa, but how? Would you like to be an
<DIV></DIV>>ambassador for your country? Would you like to inspire a renewed interest in
<DIV></DIV>>Africa while learing about teh cultures of many African countries? If so,
<DIV></DIV>>consider participating in the Miss Africa International Pageant as a delegate or a
<DIV></DIV>>volunteer.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Competition Criteria:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>To compete you must:
<DIV></DIV>>-Have direct lineage to an African country, no more than three generations.
<DIV></DIV>>Daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters of Continental Africans
<DIV></DIV>>qualify.
<DIV></DIV>> Coming soon: Miss Africa Universe: Africa reclaims all her daughters! All
<DIV></DIV>>women of African descent qualify, regardless of citizenship.
<DIV></DIV>>-Have no criminal record.
<DIV></DIV>>-Be of good moral rectitude, having no association with immoral or illegal
<DIV></DIV>>activities.
<DIV></DIV>>-Demonstrate leadership abilities and be able to get along with others.
<DIV></DIV>>-Have a general knowledge of facts and issues relevant to Africa.
<DIV></DIV>>-Be familiar with the culture and customs of Africa.
<DIV></DIV>>-Be between the ages of 18 and 31.
<DIV></DIV>>-Be able to obtain sponsorship.
<DIV></DIV>>-Never have posed nude or semi-nude in any pictures, films, or publications.
<DIV></DIV>>-Be in reasonably good health to perform the duties required.
<DIV></DIV>>-Be available as time requires in association with the pageant.
<DIV></DIV>>-Meet character and other criteria as set forth by the organizing
<DIV></DIV>>committee/elders.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>To apply, submit the following:
<DIV></DIV>>- A brief bio with two professional photographs (a head shot and a full shot)
<DIV></DIV>>attached. Photographs will be used for initial screening and are not
<DIV></DIV>>returned.
<DIV></DIV>>- A letter describing why you would like to be Miss Africa International.
<DIV></DIV>>- A non-refundable application fee of $65.00.
<DIV></DIV>>- A letter of reference from an instructor, government official, employer, an
<DIV></DIV>>African embassy if possible, or someone in your community not related to you,
<DIV></DIV>>letter from clergy of your religious preference. References will be contacted
<DIV></DIV>>by the organizing committee.
<DIV></DIV>>- If selected, you are required to spend some time addressing issues that
<DIV></DIV>>face Africa.
<DIV></DIV>>- Additional documents may be requested.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Volunteering:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The Miss Africa International Organization offers volunteers that same sense
<DIV></DIV>>of community that is intrinsic to the African culture. Our volunteers are of
<DIV></DIV>>various income levels, nationalities, professions, and educational backgrounds,
<DIV></DIV>>including two artists of the Sounds of Blackness, a reporter, several
<DIV></DIV>>journalists, a professional actor, fashion designers, event planners and models. What
<DIV></DIV>>they have in common is a willingness to help and enthusiasm for the pageant.
<DIV></DIV>>Volunteers have an opportunity to learn about the cultures of different
<DIV></DIV>>African countries, meet government officials and African diplomats, form lifelong
<DIV></DIV>>friendships, to further their own business objectives. Categories include (but
<DIV></DIV>>are not limited to) the following:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Cultural Consulting
<DIV></DIV>>Community Relations/Public Relations
<DIV></DIV>>Research
<DIV></DIV>>Production: stage managing, ushering, set design
<DIV></DIV>>Judges Committee
<DIV></DIV>>Gifts/Prizes Committee
<DIV></DIV>>Program Book
<DIV></DIV>>Sponsorship
<DIV></DIV>>Logistics: transportation, hospitality,
<DIV></DIV>>Operations CommitteeEvent Planners
<DIV></DIV>>Make-up artists/hair stylists/designers
<DIV></DIV>>Marketing/Sales Specialists/Telemarketing(ad sales, )
<DIV></DIV>>Interpreters
<DIV></DIV>>Photographers
<DIV></DIV>>Videographers
<DIV></DIV>>Interpreters
<DIV></DIV>>Training and Recruiting (choreography, modeling)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>There is a lot that you can do to help. What we need most right now is
<DIV></DIV>>contact with peoples of African ancestry around the world. Please spread the word
<DIV></DIV>>or put us in contact with any African organizations, businesses and student
<DIV></DIV>>unions that you know of. Help make this a success so that all of us will be
<DIV></DIV>>proud!
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Promoters and student organizations will be hosting Miss Africa Searches
<DIV></DIV>>around the world. Please refer any interested parties to us. This is a very good
<DIV></DIV>>business opportunity.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>We are also establishing a relationship with the media worldwide-newspapers,
<DIV></DIV>>magazines, television/radio stations and journalists. If you would like to
<DIV></DIV>>help in those areas, please send us your phone numbers and we'll be happy to
<DIV></DIV>>call you.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Next, we could never have too many interpreters: Amharic, Swahili, French,
<DIV></DIV>>German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Dutch. We are also accepting
<DIV></DIV>>volunteers for the upcoming Miss Africa Universe pageant open to all women of African
<DIV></DIV>>ancestry.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Send your applications, queries or feedback to:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Miss Africa International Headquarters
<DIV></DIV>>5284 Randolph Road, Suite 152
<DIV></DIV>>Rockville, Maryland 20852
<DIV></DIV>>(301) 603-9262 or 240-462-4645 or visit
<DIV></DIV>>www.missafricainternational.com
<DIV></DIV>>Please read last year's press release to find out more about our exciting
<DIV></DIV>>event:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>First Ever Ms. Africa International Pageant Draws Thousands…
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The Nation's Capitol Becomes Center Stage as Eighteen African Countries
<DIV></DIV>>Celebrate History and Culture…
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>(WASHINGTON, D.C., November 1 2003) Thousands cheered as women from eighteen
<DIV></DIV>>African countries showcased their talents, brains, beauty and culture in the
<DIV></DIV>>inaugural Miss Africa International Pageant on November 1, 2003 at the
<DIV></DIV>>Washington Convention Center in D.C. Pageant founder and executive producer Ellen
<DIV></DIV>>Dunbar declared the program a success, stating that the pageant's purpose of
<DIV></DIV>>promoting the African culture had been served.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>The social Who's Who were all present, including members of the African
<DIV></DIV>>Diplomatic Corps, Africare, the Congressional Black Caucus and the National
<DIV></DIV>>Congress of Black Women, to name a few. A panel of six celebrities including
<DIV></DIV>>Rockmond Dunbar (who plays Kenny Chadway in the popular Showtime series Soul Food)
<DIV></DIV>>judged women from Liberia, Nigeria, Eritrea, Angola, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya,
<DIV></DIV>>Gambia, Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, DRC Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, Zimbabwe
<DIV></DIV>>and Sierra Leone in a colorful display of cultural heritage. Nigerian
<DIV></DIV>>candidate Adenike Taiwo Ariyo was crowned Miss Africa International 2004 after a
<DIV></DIV>>stiff competition.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Each contestant introduced herself stating an issue confronting Africa that
<DIV></DIV>>she would be advocating. Miss Demoratic Republic of Congo International stole
<DIV></DIV>>the hearts of her listeners as she told of her parents dying of HIV/AIDS when
<DIV></DIV>>she was only thirteen. Unlikely to escape attention was the absence of
<DIV></DIV>>swimsuits, a traditional essential in other pageants, setting Miss Africa
<DIV></DIV>>International apart from other pageants around the world. Instead, the contestants
<DIV></DIV>>performed a unity dance wearing halters and sarongs of rich, colorful fabrics hand
<DIV></DIV>>woven in Africa. Pageant organizers and contestants were advised by elders.
<DIV></DIV>>Outstanding contestants received awards such as the Maya Angelou Congeniality
<DIV></DIV>>Award and the Mamadi Diane Industrial Award. The honorary chairlady of the
<DIV></DIV>>event, Her Excellency Mme Aude Ndayizeye, First Lady of Burundi, was unable to
<DIV></DIV>>attend the pageant.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>During her reign as Miss Africa International, Ariyo will serve as
<DIV></DIV>>international spokesperson for HIV/AIDS in Africa. The other queens will also promote
<DIV></DIV>>issues relevant to Africa.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Dunbar expressed hope that the pageant, to be held annually, will inspire a
<DIV></DIV>>renewed interest in a continent greatly affected by war, hunger, disease and
<DIV></DIV>>poverty, problems wreaking havoc in many of the countries represented (Miss
<DIV></DIV>>Democratic Republic of Congo lost both parents to HIV/AIDS; Miss Rwanda
<DIV></DIV>>International is an orphan of the Rwandan genocide; Liberia has been in turmoil for over
<DIV></DIV>>a decade.)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Produced by Mokoli Productions, Inc., the Miss Africa International Pageant
<DIV></DIV>>is a springboard for the Miss Africa Diaspora Pageant, open to all women of
<DIV></DIV>>African ancestry regardless of citizenship. The Miss Africa International
<DIV></DIV>>Organization sponsors charities that benefit Africa. The next Miss Africa
<DIV></DIV>>International Pageant will be held on November 13, 2004, open to African women all over
<DIV></DIV>>the world. For more information visit www.missafricainternational.com or
<DIV></DIV>>contact:
<DIV></DIV>>Busola Grillo 240-603-6720
<DIV></DIV>>Toutou Abraha 202-415-2641
<DIV></DIV>>Ellen Dunbar 301-603-9262
<DIV></DIV>>or email info@missafricainternational.com
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