Preview - Miss Africa in China - Postponed till further notice

See the first ever Miss Africa beauty pageant in China

THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED TILL FURTHER NOTICE

This month sees the first ever Miss Africa in China beauty pageant, and whatever your take on beauty pageants, it’s a significant event for the African community here.

‘There hasn’t been something like this before, which is aimed at promoting Africa to non-Africans in China,’ says Denis Nkwegato, the chief organiser of the pageant and a teacher from Cameroon.

The event has a few aims: besides ‘celebrating the idea of African beauty, both in its women and its culture’, Nkwegato says he wants to show that ‘Africans in China are making it, whether as artists, teachers or businesspeople.’

But while the African population in China has swollen to over 100,000, with 20,000 residents in Guangzhou alone, Nkwegato says there are still prejudices to overcome.

‘I don’t know what it is, but sometimes Africans are looked down on in China and don’t have the same chances as other foreigners – if, say, you have qualified Africans competing with white Americans or Europeans, there’s a higher possibility that the African will not be chosen. There are also a lot of problems for Africans in China when it comes to applying for visas.’

He hopes the pageant will go some way to improving perceptions, and says that it is largely aimed at Chinese and non-African foreigners.

Online voting has already begun at  www.missafricainchina.com, where, at the time of going to press, Lilian from Kenya was in the lead, with her message that ‘black is beauty’.

One of these girls will be chosen in the final on Friday 10, where there will be a band, DJs and a traditional African buffet before the main event. TO

The Miss Africa in China beauty pageant is at the Rain Club, 22 Dongsishitiao, Chaoyang district (6409 6922). The pageant starts at 9pm. Tickets cost 200RMB and can be bought by calling 138 1101 2217. For more information, see www.missafricainchina.com.