Third Annual ‘Miss Congeniality’ beauty pageant held in Saudi Arabia.

               Maram al-Saif, in the middle, was the obvious winner.photo: Sharq newspaper

Third Annual ‘Miss Congeniality’ beauty pageant held in Saudi Arabia.(AA).A beauty pageant in Saudi Arabia? Yes!... with actual women participating, a panel of judges a winner and two runners-up. Welcome to the third annual Saudi “Miss Congeniality” contest, whereby the winning lady isn’t crowned based on looks, measurements or physical beauty; but on her “ethics”.
This year, the pageant took place under the theme “my ethics, my identity” as the event took place on Monday at the grand King Abdullah Ballroom in the Eastern province of Qatif.
The winner, Maram Zaki al-Saif, a was chosen as the new Saudi “Queen of Ethics” after her notable piety apparently had a mesmerising affect on the panel. In addition to the title, Saif handed in an award worth approximately ten thousand Saudi Riyals (2,6666 USD), according to local daily newspaper, Sharq. The queen – who hails from the Saudi island of Tarout - was among the top five finalists who made it through the competition that initially had 285 contestants, all between the ages of 16-24. At the same competition, Fatema Abdel Jaleel Al Abad, 17, from the Saudi region of Al-Ahsa was crowned first runner-up whilst Fatema Saeed Al Baik, 23, from Al Qatif was the second runner-up.
In addition to a contestant’s ethics and good behaviour, the competition’s executive director Khadra’a Al Mubarak said the electoral criteria focused on the participant’s charisma and theatrical performance, in addition to herself confidence and literacy, reported Sharq newspaper.Read the full story here.