The top 3 selections (wearing crowns) are (L-R): 2nd R/U Tatiana Pavlova of Russia, Miss International Malgorzata Rozniecka of Poland, and 1st R/U Aura Zambrano of Venezuela.

Delegates to the Miss International competition strive to promote harmony and international understanding. They're vying for a beauty title, too.

By William Prendiz de Jurado

TOKYO - The 41st annual Miss International Beauty Pageant, held this year in Tokyo, was started in 1960 in Long Beach, California. After the 1959 Miss Universe Pageant, Catalina Swimsuits, the company that owned the title rights of Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants, was unhappy with the publicity it didn't get and moved those pageants to Miami Beach for the next 12 years. The city of Long Beach, however, wanted to continue in the beauty pageant business, so it started the Miss International Pageant, also known as the International Beauty Congress (IBC).

Each year since then, the Miss International Pageant provides an opportunity for its contestants to get to know each other and interact together during the course of the event, acting as "Goodwill Ambassadors of Beauty for building long-lasting friendships on a worldwide scale while promoting harmony and deepening reciprocal understanding," according to the IBC. "Transcending race, language, religion, manners, and customs through the tenderness and affection of womankind, the spirit of mercy, philanthropy, and amity creates 'International Goodwill' and 'World Peace.' "

Touring Kamakura and a Buddhist shrine are (L-R): Miss Malta Ruth Spiteri, Miss San Marino Marzia Bellesso, and Miss Palau Indira Kazuma.

After the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the IBC was uncertain about holding the pageant, which was scheduled to start two weeks after the attacks. The show went on as scheduled, and the delegates started arriving Sept. 24 at Tokyo's Hotel Kaiyo. Even though the delegates were exhausted after traveling (some for over 24 hours), their youth and beauty kept them fresh-looking when they registered at the hotel.

A total of 52 contestants came; a few who had qualified decided not to fly to Tokyo in the wake of the jumbo-jet attacks.

During the 10-day pageant, the contestants kept very busy with daily activities and photo shoots, including a Fuji Film event for this major pageant sponsor during which thousands of flashes went off as the delegates' photos were taken. One day delegates went to Kamakura to a beautiful garden featuring a Buddhist shrine which was breathtaking. After having lunch, the delegates were greeted at an official meeting with the mayor of Kamakura, making for a memorable day. During the days leading up to the finals, the contestants enjoyed their rehearsals; during the evenings they were entertained elegantly at private parties, which I was also honored to attend.

The 2001 pageant finals were held Oct. 4 at the Nakano Sun Plaza. The venue was filled to capacity. As the pageant started, there was a minute of silence to honor those who lost their lives on September 11 and for their living loved ones. It was most touching for me and the thousands who were there.

During the finals judging, many in the audience were shouting for their favorite candidates. The excitement filled the air as the 15 semifinalists were announced. Following that, the award for Miss Photogenic was presented to Miss Israel, a 19-year-old soldier named Dikla Elkabetz. The award for Miss Friendship, which was chosen by the contestants, went to Miss Norway, 22-year-old Siu Therese Hegerland Havik.

At the end of the evening the co-hosts Masumi Okada and Yukie Sakai received the judges' final ballot that held the names of the two runners-up and the new Miss International 2001. Chosen as second runner-up was Miss Russia, 18-year-old Tatiana Pavlova, and the first runner-up title went to Miss Venezuela, 20-year-old Aura Consuelo Zambrano.

The new Miss International is the contender from Poland, Malgorzata Rozniecka, a 23-year-old student. After this announcement, bolts of confetti fell on the heads of the audience as they watched the coronation of Miss International 2001. Everyone was happy with the choice of Miss Poland as many congratulations were sent her way, and wishes that she may have a happy and successful reign this coming year.

William Prendiz de Jurado is a California hair stylist and long-time pageant historian who owns the world's largest collection of Miss Universe memorabilia.