Iraq gest first beauty queen in four decades

Baghdad, Dec 21: Impoverished, torn by sectarian violence and at war with the brutal jihadist group Iraq has got its first national pageant in over four decades.

The contest has no swimsuit walk round, media reported.

The 20-year old Shaymaa Abdelrahman has been chosen as the Miss Iraq.

"I'm very happy to see Iraq going forward," said Shaymaa after being crowned. "This event was huge and put a smile on the faces of the Iraqis," reported RT.

Eight contenders competed for the crown and a chance to represent Iraq in the Miss Universe contest. Organizers tried to stick to criteria of the international event, but made concessions to cultural sensitivities.

Iraq only held one pageant as part of Miss Universe - in 1972, when the country was ruled by the predecessor and cousin of Saddam Hussein, President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr.

OneIndia News