It was pomp and glamor as the fifth edition of Miss Malaika New Sudan beauty pageant was launched Sunday night at the preliminary show held at the Nyakuron Cultural Centre grounds, Juba.Fans turned out in large numbers to support their own beauty queens and also get a chance to be entertained by their favorite artistes and comedians.
And for the first time ever, Miss Malaika New Sudan went digital and fans had the chance to vote in their favorite contestants from the line-up of models, through text messages on Vivacell number 9595, as the judges did their final list of contestants.
The VIP guest list included Southern Sudanese Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and corporate giants operating from Juba and other parts of Southern Sudan.
Organized by Southern Sudanese Artistes Association (SSAA), a total of 22 Southern Sudanese models from different Southern Sudan states graced the catwalk in different attires, from the official Miss Malaika red dress color scheme to traditional, casual and finally dinner dresses.
Out of the 22 beautiful models, only 15 were shortlisted through the SMS voting by the audience, to move to the finals scheduled to be held at the same venue on December 4.
This beauty pageant marked a great step in uniting the youth and the people of Southern Sudan in general, as they take the final steps to freedom after Southern Sudan signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) with the North in 2005, which ends on January 9, 2011.
The CPA, championed by the late freedom fighter and leader Dr John Garang, ended a 21-year civil war, which claimed over 2.5 million lives. Since the signing of the agreement, the youths, who had fled the country to seek refuge in different neighboring countries in their childhood have come back into their country to preach peace and prosperity through culture and arts.
Miss Malaika Southern Sudan has played that vital role of exploring the youths' different talents and skills as they also learn more and appreciate their cultures. Other than the models gracing the catwalk, the pageant acts as a platform for musicians, actors, comedians and public speakers to showcase their talents, giving them a rare opportunity to entertain the people of Southern Sudan as well.
Among the musicians who performed last night included local acts like PNC, J 2 Guys, Duop Pur Duop and Nyangkol Mathiang.
This year, Eyat Roads and Bridges Construction Company, are the official sponsors, while Arech Motors and Rhino Star are among the supporting sponsors.
ABOUT MISS MALAIKA NEW SUDAN BEAUTY PAGEANT
'Malaika' is a Swahili word meaning 'angel'. As one of the projects initiated by SSAA, Miss Malaika Southern Sudan beauty pageant premiered in Nairobi, Kenya, at a colorful event in 2005. With the finals held at Nairobi's Toona Tree Restaurant, the beauty pageant shifted base to Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan, in 2006. Over the years, the founders of the event, renown musician Lam Tungwar, who is also the United Nations Messenger of Truth- Southern Sudan representative, alongside popular author and event organiser Evans Maendeh, have worked hand in hand with a team of experts in event management to ensure that new talent is discovered and appreciated every year. With the event currently able to shortlist models within Southern Sudan, it's main objective also includes opening the opportunity to other Southern Sudanese models in the diaspora.
