Pageants typically focus on external beauty, glitz
and glamour. However, the United Nations Pageant
hosted in Kingston, Jamaica seeks goodwill ambassadors.
The United Nations
Pageant is an international event, dedicated to identifying and
showcasing the best tourism and ambassadors of humanity.
Contestants are scored on inner beauty or how they relate with
others, and show support towards community service. Contestants
from Africa, South America, India, the United States and the
Caribbean converged from July 1st through the 6th, 2014. This
was an opportunity for comradery, community service and cultural
expression.
Leon Williams, the United Nations Pageant president, explained "Unknown
to the contestants, we had judges socialize and mingle
with them during the early days of the pageant.
The judges were revealed later on day three of the
pageant and participated in activities with the
contestants throughout the week. This provided
opportunity to know each contestant personably. During
this part of the process, a person can excel at the
finals --but not get along with others; and this will
hinder their chance to win. This opportunity offers more
than a pageant title. The winners become
ambassadors who foster goodwill and help those less
fortunate. Retrospectively, we also look at
contributions each contestant has offered in their home
community. Humanitarianism is a strong indicator of good
character."
TeKay Designs, a sponsor and official fashion designer of the
pageant, launched a pageant dress line titled the "Crown
Collection" during the fashion show segment of the contest. The
winners of the Miss and Ms. United Nations 2014 wore couture
TeKay gowns. TeKay also offered gift certificates worth a total
value of $5000 USD amongst three winners. "We retail at
Shades of Africa boutique in Kingston, Jamaica, and were
looking for opportunities to launch the new pageant
collection in the Caribbean. This pageant was
appropriate for launching the gown collection because
this event embraces multiculturalism, tourism and
community service. TeKay Designs creates ethnic fashions
for people who want to express cultural chic. It's
beautiful that the pageant encouraged contestants to
wear ethnic attire. I've enjoyed the opportunity to meet
like-minded individuals of diverse cultures from around
the world and form lasting relationships."
states Creative Director, Kimma Wreh of TeKay Designs.
Precious Chikwendu from Nigeria won the "Miss United Nations
2014" title. During the ceremony Precious announced, "My
mission is to out-reach to people who want yet can not
afford quality education, but can use their talents to
make a difference in the world. I plan to work with
schools that are involved in environmental rehabilitation.
I plan to help the younger students gain additional
vocational skills to enhance creativity. I wish to setup
vocational centers with curriculum
for tailoring schools and food catering centers where
students may acquire skills for the future. The
United Nations Pageant was a humbling experience and I'm
pleased for the friends that I've made. Each day was full
of activities. We got up every morning around 5 am for
fitness and exercise. Our activities were non stop until
the evening. This was my first visit to Jamaica and I'm
glad that we volunteered to work at Dunrobin Primary
School to clean and paint the school facility."
The United Nations Pageant brings together representatives from
a wide range of cultures from across the globe. The pageant's
principal objective is to identify and showcase the best
tourism, and goodwill ambassadors. Those who have the skills,
talents and character best suited will promote their respective
countries in furtherance of tourism, goodwill and cultural
expression.
Photographers:
Vladimir Dorsainvil and
Ian B. McDonald
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