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| Sunday, 25 May 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Miss International Beauty Pageant 2003 Stage is being set for local contest by JAYANTHI LIYANAGE This year's Miss International Beauty Pageant, once again to be hosted by Japan, is scheduled to begin on September 24 and conclude on October 19. Delegates flying from over 85 countries will be invited for a two week stay in Tokyo followed by one week in China. The local pageant to select the Sri Lankan beauty delegate will be held in August, under the scrupulous eye of a team of professionals comprising Usha Jayawardena, Jackie Perera, Ananda Samarakoon and Ranjit Upali, with Sebastian Perera, the pageant's franchise director and the Chairman, Organising Committee. This is the first time in the 42-year history of the glittering Miss International Pageant that a Sri Lankan has secured the franchise for the local territory. Sebastian Perera, who is also the franchise director of Miss Tourism International Pageant, happens to be the local franchise director of quite a few other international beauty pageants as well. The pageant is organised by the Japanese International Cultural Association in Japan, in association with the Japanese Foreign Ministry. "The first three winners alone would receive prizes worth 15 million yen," says Perera, adding that in order to avoid the risk of SARS, the local delegate would not be required to travel to China but instead, could continue her stay in Tokyo. More pageantry glamour is expected when the year's Miss Tourism International pageant is hosted towards end 2003, with the aim of taking the message of Sri Lanka's tourism, goodwill and international friendship to the world. Once again involved in the rigorous process of bringing around 60 beauty queens to Sri Lanka from round the world, Perera plans for five glittering mini pageants each, to be held in exotic island locations. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. will be the media sponsors as well as one of the main sponsors for the pageants. |
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