Rare beauty pageant judges inner beautySaudi Gazette Beauty pageants are popular all over the world, but in Saudi Arabia, the competition takes on a whole different approach. Contestants here are not scrutinized for their external beauty and how ravishing they look in an evening gown. A rare beauty pageant organized in Al-Qatif in the Eastern Province, was intended to highlight the real beauty of a woman, which is her inner beauty. 22-year old Hashimiya Al-Radi, a nursing student, was chosen as the winner of the contest among 385 participants and was honored with the title ‘Miss Morals'. The two runners up were 17-year old Suhaila Al-Shawaf and 19-year old Zahra Salman Al-Awa. The crowning ceremony was held at King Abdullah National Banquet Hall in Al-Qatif, with an attendance of 500 women from all walks of life and all nationalities. Latifa Al-Tamimi, President of the Office of Social Affairs in Al-Qatif, who was the guest of honor, expressed how proud she was of this noble event. “This is the fourth year in the life of this competition and its continuity is proof of its success and positive influence in the community. I wish to see the Miss Morals contest in every village and city in the Kingdom. Its goals are to bring out the best in people and to churn out ethically guided social leaders. I suggest that the organizers make a replica of this competition for young men as well. The power of good still exists in our community and under the ash, there is always a flame.” Once the competition is announced, young women apply for it and are closely followed for a few months. They must enroll in educational and training programs and apply what they learn in their courses, including morals, Islamic education, psychology, human rights affairs, and child development. After the completion of all programs, the contestants are carefully assessed. Participants must also carry out volunteer work and are rigorously interviewed by the judges. The young woman who is viewed as most capable of serving her community is chosen as ‘Miss Morals'. Khadra Al-Mubarak, co-founder and administrator of the competition said, “Through this contest, we are celebrating the morals and values that contestants display and we hope to keep them alive in our society.” __
