The first round of competition in this year’s Miss Taiwan Beauty Contest will be launched in April, organizers said yesterday.
Speaking at a press conference in Taipei, Lina Pan (潘逢卿), president of the Republic of China Beauty Consultation and Development Association, said the first round was scheduled to be held at the beginning of April, while the final round would take place in July at the Grand Hotel in Taipei.
“We will select suitable candidates during the preliminary stage of the contest from the northern, central and southern parts of the country,” Pan said.
Aspiring contestants must be between the ages of 18 and 30, taller than 160cm, unmarried, must never have given birth and must have high-school education or higher, Pan said.
The organizing committee will accept registrations until March 15, she said.
“Miss Taiwan Beauty Contest is held once every two years. We are very particular about the transparency of the judging process,” Pan said.
The organizing committee has always sought to ensure that the judges’ decisions are fair and objective, she said.
Pan said that in light of the difficult economic situation, the organizing committee had lowered the registration fee from the usual NT$3,000 to NT$1,000.
Pan said a new segment had been added to this year’s competition, in which contestants will be required to wear a costume that represents their heritage.
“The costumes can range from traditional Chinese dresses to indigenous outfits,” Pan said, adding that the new category was designed to promote the nation’s rich cultural mix.
Event organizers said the winner of this year’s Miss Taiwan Beauty Contest would receive a prize of NT$300,000 and have a chance to participate in local and international charity and cultural exchange events.
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