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The Vietnam News

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Future journalist crowned Miss Vietnam

HALONG CITY - A journalism student named Nguyen Thi Huyen was named Miss Vietnam 2004 on Saturday, winning a national beauty contest which promotes both beauty and knowledge. Huyen, first-year student at the Hanoi Sub Institute for Journalism and Propaganda, outperformed and outsmarted 20 other young women in the final round of the 16-year-old pageant held in an open-air stage in the resort islet of Tuan Chau, Ha Long city, northern Quang Ninh province.

The 19-year-old student from the capital city of Hanoi not only showed her shapely figure with bust-waist-hip measurements of 84-60-91 cm, but also her wisdom when tactfully answering a question raised by the contest's judges about the fact that many beauty contest winners become goodwill ambassadors of the United Nations (UN).

"The purpose of beauty pageants is to honor the beauty of women, not only their physical beauty, but also their intellectualbeauty. The fact that many beauty queens have become the UN's goodwill ambassadors should be promoted so that the beauty and the virtue will cast a more brilliant light over life, making it better and better," the 1.72-meter girl replied to the question. With the reply, the 54-kg student, who loves nature and wants to be a good journalist, won a prize for those having the best answer. Besides, she got the title Miss Best Complexion. As Miss Vietnam 2004, Huyen will represent the country in a world beauty pageant this year. Her award included a trip to Japan and 60 million Vietnamese dong (3,800 US dollars) in cash.

The first runner-up is the eldest among 21 finalists in the agebracket of 18-24 -- Trinh Chan Tran from Ho Chi Minh City, who gained a degree of master in business administration in England. The master degree holder, also a professional model, also grabbed two more titles, namely Miss Vietnam elected by local phone users and Tuan Chau Graceful. In the question and answer session, the 1.72-meter girl showed a proper viewpoint about the current state of the world -- full of uncertainties, and called for greater awareness and stronger senseof responsibility of all people for others.

The second runner-up is a 19-year-old student from southern BenTre province named Nguyen Thi Ngoc Bich. The 1.74-meter girl also gained a prize for those looking best in costumes. She likes reading and music, and wants to become a businesswoman. She is following her studies at the Vietnamese American Training College. Other attractive titles of the pageants included Miss Tourism Ambassador, Miss Most Lovely Face and Miss Best Body. All of the winners are university students aged 19-20.

The 21 contestants, selected from over 3,000 candidates nationwide, competed for the Miss Vietnam crown in a three-hour show which lured some 12,000 spectators and millions of TV viewersby performance of the beautiful women in ao dai (Vietnam's traditional long dress) uniform violet swimsuits and costumes chosen by themselves, and their responses to the judges' questions. The pageant was beautified with splendid decorations, includinglaser lights, water jets and a flying helicopter, and artistic performances of well-known local singers, dancers and instrumentalists. Before appearing on the stage, the finalists actively participated in social activities, especially charity works, in Quang Ninh. A great amount of proceeds of ticket sales were given to the Fund for Vietnamese Agent Orange Child Victims and the Fundfor Kindness Repayment on Saturday.

Some 50 foreign reporters from 29 countries and regions and nearly 100 local reporters covered the contest, the most-awaited cultural event in Vietnam this year, said the organizer, local newspaper Pioneer, noting that it is the first time a local beauty contest has drawn such great attention of foreign media. The newspaper has organized the contest biennially since 1988. Most of winners in the previous eight pageants are successful in their professional career and active in social activities, it said.

Xinhuanet - October 30, 2004.