Miss Iraq Pageant Winner Crowned For First Time In More Than 40 Years
For the first time in more than 40 years, Iraq has crowned a Miss Iraq beauty pageant winner.Â
Shaima Qassim, a 20-year-old economics student from Kirkuk, clinched the shimmering gold-and-crystal crown Saturday after outshining more than 150 candidates -- and overcoming death threats that reportedly caused many others to drop out.
Since the pageant’s last winner in 1972, the event had been canceled amid unrest in the Middle East. Over the years, other pageants had been held under different names, but none of these contests were in accordance with international standards, NBC reported.
This year's Miss Iraq event was constructed in a way that would allow its winner to potentially go on to compete internationally, with pageants like Miss World having removed the swimsuit segment of its competition in late 2014.
ASSOCIATED PRESS The beauty pageant, its final seen Saturday, was pushed back by two months following threats which caused more than a dozen candidates to drop out.
Even after the Miss Iraq pageant cut swimsuits from the contestants' generally conservative attire, religious extremists threatened violence, forcing the pageant to be pushed back two months in October, The Independent reported.
In the end, Saturday night saw eight brave and beautiful finalists strutting across a Baghdad hotel’s stage in high heels and sleeveless -- but below-the-knee -- evening gowns.
ASSOCIATED PRESS The newly crowned economics student expressed excitement over what she believes is "Iraq going forward" with the pageant's success.
"I'm very happy to see Iraq going forward," Qassim told Agence France-Presse shortly after her crowning before a room full of jovial admirers with armed guards at the door. "This event was huge and put a smile on the faces of the Iraqis."
The green-eyed stunner, speaking to NBC in October, said that like the other candidates, she has been personally affected by the ongoing violence in their area.
Two of her cousins were serving Iraq’s federal police when they were killed while fighting ISIS militants, she said.
"Our people are badly in need of such cultural activities," she said. "After all we have been through, we need to do something new that would reform our society."
Qassim said she will use her title toward educational initiatives, particularly among those displaced by conflict.
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Zimbabwe's reigning Mr Ugly, and three-times winner William Masvinu, poses for a photo in Harare Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. Masvinu, faces stiff competition this year as organisers are forced to hold preliminary rounds, because of the huge amount of contestants the 2015 competition is attracting. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
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Mison Sere smiles after winning the 2015 edition of the Mr Ugly competition, in Harare, Saturday, Nov. 21.2015. Sere who controversially dethroned former Mr Ugly William Masvinu to scoop the top prize of $500 in a contest marked by allegations of cheating. Masvinu has had it relatively easy over the past 3 years when the contest struggled to draw more than 10 contestants. This year's competition attracted 35 contestants with organisers saying they were looking for people with natural ugliness. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
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Former Mr Ugly William Masvinu, second left, stands on stage during the Mr Ugly competition, in Harare, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015. The competition was won by Mison Sere who controversially dethroned former Mr Ugly William Masvinu to scoop the top prize of $500 in a contest marked by allegations of cheating. Masvinu has had it relatively easy over the past 3 years when the contest struggled to draw more than 10 contestants. This year's competition attracted 35 contestants with organisers saying they were looking for people with natural ugliness. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
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Mison Sere reacts, top, after winning the 2015 edition of the Mr Ugly competition, in Harare, Saturday, Nov. 21.2015. The competition was won by Mison Sere who controversially dethroned former Mr Ugly William Masvinu to scoop the top prize of $500 in a contest marked by allegations of cheating. Masvinu has had it relatively easy over the past 3 years when the contest struggled to draw more than 10 contestants. This year's competition attracted 35 contestants with organisers saying they were looking for people with natural ugliness. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
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Contestants stand on stage, during the 2015 edition of the Mr Ugly competition, in Harare, Saturday, Nov. 21.2015. The competition was won by Mison Sere who controversially dethroned former Mr Ugly William Masvinu to scoop the top prize of $500 in a contest marked by allegations of cheating. Masvinu has had it relatively easy over the past 3 years when the contest struggled to draw more than 10 contestants. This year's competition attracted 35 contestants with organisers saying they were looking for people with natural ugliness. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
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Newly crowned 'Mr Ugly' Zimbabwe, Maison Sere, celebrates his victory with members of the audience during the 'Ugliest Man' contest in Harare, Zimbabwe, on November 20, 2015. A 42-year-old unemployed man was crowned Zimbabwe's ugliest man at a pub pageant in Harare -- but the contest turned ugly when the runner-up accused judges of bias. AFP PHOTO / JEKESAI NJIKIZANA (Photo credit should read JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)
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