Miss Universe Organisation

Int’l beauty queens, the first and last time in Vietnam? - Miss Universe Organisation

Miss Universe 2008 is being held in Vietnam but it is the personal affair of the Miss Universe Organisation. Vietnam’s participation in the contest is limited.

Nine months of preparations for two weeks of activity

Miss Universe Organisation’s own rules were applied in the first days of the pageant (correspondents not allowed to interview or take photos of contestants, etc.). It is natural that every game has its rules and everyone who takes part must obey the rules. But investing nearly US$20 million in a game named “Miss Universe 2008”: how will Vietnam benefit from that game when the host country has to follow strict rules and doesn’t have many chances to show itself off?

Officially becoming the host of this international beauty contest just nine months ago, host Vietnam didn’t carefully prepare for this big game. Its improper preparations were seen in warm-up events organised by Vietnam in the first two weeks of the contest. Generally, the exchange between Miss Universe contestants and people in the ancient town of Hoi an was quite bad. A sudden shower stopped the event early, otherwise the audience would have been more disappointed.

Chairwoman of Miss Universe Organisation, Paula Mary Shugart, who came to Nha trang city to oversee the last two weeks of the pageant, didn’t mention any event held by Vietnam in the first two weeks. She politely praised Vietnamese partners’ efforts in organising the event and said “the last two weeks are very important because it is a worldwide live performance. We have many things to do.”

9-minutes of advertising and two-hour live show

Shugart spoke of the live programme because the Miss Universe Organisation is a joint venture between US billionaire Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal so the top priority is the live broadcast of the crowning of the new Miss Universe to the world in the morning on July 14.

The crown ceremony will take place in the morning to serve the American TV audience, who will watch it in the evening, not the audience of the host country and others.

Vietnam doesn’t take part in major activities of the pageant, which run from July 8-14, so it doesn’t have a chance to show itself off or learn organising techniques from the US partner.

Many expect that Vietnam’s image will be spread worldwide through a nine-minute clip in the crown ceremony but nobody knows when the clip will be screened.

It is unfair to request Vietnamese partners to be highly professional when they are involved in an international beauty contest for the first time. Moreover, they are only allowed to organise sideline events.

How is the mission of advertising the country to the world advanced when Vietnam has to pay a lot of money to host this event?

(Source:VNN)

Tag: Hoi An , International , Nha Trang , Vietnam , Vietnamese

Int’l beauty queens, the first and last time in Vietnam? - Miss Universe Organisation

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