The Nation's Capitol Becomes Center Stage as Eighteen African Countries Celebrate History and Culture

WASHINGTON, DC: Thousands cheered as women from eighteen African countries showcased their talents, brains, beauty and culture inthe inaugural Miss Africa International Pageant on November 1, 2003 at the Washington Convention Center in D.C. Pageant founder and executive producer Ellen Dunbar declared the program a success, stating that the pageant's purpose of promoting the African culture had been served.

The social Who's Who were all present, including members of the African Diplomatic Corps. A panel of six celebrities including Rockmond Dunbar (who plays Kenny Chadway in the popular Showtime series Soul Food) judged women from Liberia, Nigeria, Eritrea, Angola, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Gambia, Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, DRC Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone in a colorful display of cultural heritage. Nigerian candidate Adenike Taiwo Ariyo was crowned Miss Africa International 2004 after a stiff competition.

Each contestant introduced herself stating an issue confronting Africa that she would be advocating. Miss Demoratic Republic of Congo International stole the hearts of her listeners as she told of her parents dying of HIV/AIDS when she was only thirteen. Unlikely to escape attention was the absence of swimsuits, a traditional essential in other pageants, setting Miss Africa International apart from other pageants around the world. Instead, the contestants performed a unity dance wearing halters and sarongs of rich, colorful fabrics hand woven in Africa. Pageant organizers and contestants were advised by elders

Outstanding contestants received awards such as the Maya Angelou Congeniality Award and the Mamadi Diane Industrial Award. The honorary chairlady of the event, Her Excellency Mme Aude Ndayizeye, First Lady of Burundi, was unable to attend the pageant.

During her reign as Miss Africa International, Ariyo will serve as international spokesperson for hunger and HIV/AIDS in Africa. The other queens will also promote issues relevant to Africa. Dunbar expressed her hope that the pageant, to be held annually, will inspire a renewed interest in a continent greatly affected by war, hunger, disease and poverty, problems wreaking havoc in many of the countries represented (Miss Democratic Republic of Congo lost both parents to HIV/AIDS at age 13; Miss Rwanda International is an orphan of the Rwandan genocide; Liberia has been in turmoil for over a decade.) 

Produced by Mokoli Productions, Inc., the Miss Africa International Pageant is a springboard for the Miss Africa Diaspora Pageant, open to all women of African ancestry regardless of citizenship. The Miss Africa InternationalOrganization sponsors charity organizations that benefit Africa. The next Miss Africa International Pageant will be held on November 13, 2004. For more information visit www.missafricainternational.com or contact: 
Busola Grillo 240-603-6720

Toutou Abraha 202-415-2641

Ellen Dunbar 240-462-4645 or 301-603-9262

or email info@missafricainternational.com

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