24.11. 1997 Miss World 1997
The title means the world to me: Miss World
Newly crowned Miss World 1997 Diana Hayden from India has said that the title means the world to her and that she intends to keep her promise to give part of her prize money to charities.
"That's a promise I made should I win the Miss World title, and I intend to keep it," an overjoyed Miss Hayden told the press minutes after she was crowned Miss World 1997 at the Plantation Club Hotel and Casino on Saturday evening.
It is to be noted that Miss World 1997 receives among other prizes a cash prize of $100,000 from the Miss World Organisation.
Miss Hayden added that with the money she would also help her family and "maybe spend a little bit" on herself. "I think I'm entitled to that right now," she said laughingly.
Asked what would be her priority as Miss World 1997, Miss Hayden said: "Let me absorb it first. Let me soak this whole thing in and get the feel of it."
However during a press conference yesterday morning at the Plantation Club Hotel Miss Hayden said she planned to buy a house for her family and a few other presents for close relatives, including a computer for her cousin, with the money she had won.
Speaking to the local and international press who had crowded around her with a multitude of cameras with which the press members took hundreds of her snaps, Miss Hayden said that she owed part of the sparkle that spelt her success to journalists who had chosen her as Miss Photogenic, according her extra confidence.
However, Miss Hayden said she had not even imagined she could win the Miss India pageant, let alone the Miss World title.
She conceded that she had little idea of what plans the Miss World Organisation had for her.
Regarding her non-Indian name and heritage, Diana said she was in the process of tracing her family tree.
This year is the third time that a beauty queen from India wins the coveted Miss World title since the pageant started in 1951. The two previous times that Miss India won the title was in 1966 in the person of Reita Faira and in 1994 by Aishwarya Rai.
Miss India is Miss World '94
Miss India, Diana Hayden, won both the 1997 Miss World and Miss Photogenic titles at this year's Miss World Beauty Pageant held at the Plantation Club Hotel and Casino on Saturday night.
The first runner-up title went to Miss New Zealand Lauralee Martinovich and the second runner-up was Miss South Africa Jessica Motaung.
The list of the 86 participants contesting for this year's Miss World title was trimmed down to ten semi-finalists, and then shortlisted to five finalists from whom the winners were ultimately selected. The contestants who made it to the final five were Miss Thailand, Miss South Africa, Miss New Zealand, Miss India and Miss Turkey.
MISS GREECE- MS. WORLD 1996
It was on the stroke of midnight that Miss India Diana Hayden, 24, was crowned by her predecessor Irene Skilva at the same time that the night sky was lit up by a spectacular fireworks display which culminated an equally spectacular two-hour show brought live to television viewers in a record 176 countries world-wide.
The hosts for the evening were South African fashion editor and broadcaster Khanyi Dhlomo-Mkhize and American actor Richard Steinmetz.
The event which took place alfresco amid a garden like setting of palm trees, lush vegetation, granite boulders and cascading waterfalls, was attended by some 800 guests among whom were the President of the Republic Mr France Albert Rene, Vice President James Michel, government ministers and other VIPs.
However the atmosphere really started heating up when charismatic Latin American superstar Ricky Martin treated the audience to a sensational number entitled Un, dos, tres Maria. While the audience cheered and applauded, the contestants who were all on stage at that time waiting for the announcement of the ten semi-finalists, could not refrain from moving to the pulsing beat of the song.
However the relatively fine weather which prevailed during the Final Pageant was a far cry from the weather conditions earlier in the afternoon when heavy and persistent rain flooded the entire outdoor venue where the ensuing coronation party was to have taken place. This forced the organisers to shift the party indoors.
Although not everybody would agree with the final result of the pageant it was all in all an evening enjoyed by one and all.
Miss World 1997 Diana Hayden
17.11. 1997 Miss World 1997
Successful fashion show kicks off beauty pageant
The first of the two key events of this year's Miss World Beauty Pageant, an international fashion show and preview of Miss Photogenic 1997, successfully took place at the Plantation House at the entrance to the Plantation Club Hotel and Casino on Saturday evening.
Guests, among whom was Vice President James Michel, started arriving as early as 6.45 and were met by smiling ushers, dressed in multicoloured traditional wraps, who lined the driveway leading to the venue . Each of the nearby coconut trees was adorned with hundreds of lights producing a magical effect with the dark background of the night. Similar effect was achieved, this time with the dark sky as a background when the leaves of other adjacent trees were generously illuminated by concealed electric lamps.
A local group, Soulmates Jazz Quartet, entertained guests as they came in. Powerful beams of coloured lights made impressive patterns on the Plantation House where guests kept their eyes focused expectantly.
The fashion parade proper started at 7.40 p.m. with the emergence of the first group of the 86 Miss World contestants modelling for the first designer, who apparently had wildlife in mind for the attire the young ladies were clad in had patterns reminiscent of either the spotted leopard or the reticulated giraffe.
The show, choreographed by Lubna Adam from India and sponsored by Cineblitz which is a cinema magazine of the Dolphin Group of Publication, was one of the best international fashion events held in Seychelles.
The clothes for different occasion and tastes were designed by a team of top Indian and South African designers and were worn with grace and elegance by the 1997 Miss World contestants. The Creole setting gave them an even more special appeal.
The clothes were designed by Sunita Shankar, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Omana (Kavita Bhartia), Gitanjali Kashyap, Bhairavi Jaikishan, Rohit Bal, Madhu Jain, Raghavendra Rathore, Monisha Jaising and Wendell Rodricks from India with Marianne Fassler from South Africa displaying her Leopard Frock collection.
At the end of the show the Miss World Contestants were introduced individually to the guests who responded with applause with Miss Seychelles, Michelle Lane receiving the loudest.
All in all, the participants appeared at home, relaxed and wore smiles that seemed to stem more from inner joy than practice.
On behalf of the local organisers Mr Gilbert Pool thanked the Seychelles Government, acknowledging the presence of Vice-President After the show guests and participants were treated to a buffet and entertainment from the Happy Islanders with their Moutia tunes.
Soon after the fashion show, contestants dined with guests and members of the mass media.
The Miss Photogenic 1997 event, which forms an important part of the Miss World Pageant 1997, was sponsored by Cineblizt, and was therefore titled "the Cineblizt Miss Photogenic 1997 contest."
14.11. 1997 Miss World 1997
Celebrating the spirit of international harmony
The Miss World Beauty Pageant takes another dimension tomorrow when contestants celebrate the spirit of international harmony and peace in the organisation in an International Fashion Show.
A team of top Indian and South African designers have come together to put up a show fit for the occasion, giving spectators an "avant-gout" of the Final Pageant that will take place on November 22, 1997.
Tomorrow's show entitled Fragrances and choreographed by Lubna Adam from India is sponsored by Cineblitz, a cinema magazine of the Dolphin Media Group Publication. It will be held at the Plantation House at the entrance to the Plantation Club Resort and Casino Club.
On site preparations are well underway to welcome this fashion extravaganza. For the past few days, a technical and creative team have been working round the clock to ensure the location is ready for tomorrow's event.
In a fitting tribute to both the Pageant and to the islands, the organisers of the event say the International Fashion Show will celebrate the spirit of gaiety and freedom that is so representative of Seychelles.
They say that although the textiles, colours, textures and silhouettes being used by the designers are rooted in India and South Africa, they create a look which is truly international.
"The collections are inspired as much by the richness and diversity of the textiles and crafts as they are by the beauty and splendour of Seychelles, known among the discerning travellers as the most unspoiled group of holiday islands in the world," Lubna Adam said.
A spokesman for the local organisers added that the show will be staged as a build-up to the Final Pageant and that hopefully proceeds will go towards charitable social causes.
Although preparations for tomorrow's event started some three months back, Mr Alvarez said that for the past three days these had intensified. Preparations included renovating the old casino building which will serve as the backdrop to the fashion show, training of staff both on a practical as well as psychological level.
11.11. 1997 Miss World 1997
Moutia, Salsa to light up pageant evening
Brazil's Ricky Martin makes Seychelles debut
Combine the fiery pulse of Latin American Salsa music and the heady beat of the Seychelles Moutia and you have an electric rhythm to set the night alive.
Such will be the atmosphere on the November 22 night of the Miss World final pageant to unfold from a lush tropical garden of Eden at the Plantation Club hotel, according to the organisers.
They say the delicate whispers of palm leaves in the wind and the periodic calls of night birds will all combine into a climax of music and dance with the Salsa of Latin American Superstar Ricky Martin and the Moutia of Seychellois vedette Jany de Letourdie.
Already with 2 multi-platinum albums under his belt, 25-year-old Ricky Martin is currently Number 1 across Europe at the moment with the huge smash single Maria.
Martin's famous Un, Dos, Tres and Jany's Tambour; Will the combination of Latin American Salsa and Seychelles Moutia give birth to a new kind of music? The outcome will be known on the night the new Miss World is crowned.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Martin made his TV debut at the age of 6, starring in various TV commercials. When he was 12, he joined Menudo, the most popular young Latin American group of all time and during his time with the group, Martin spent 5 years travelling the world, performing sold-out concerts on every continent.
As a result of his huge popularity in the US, he was offered a starring role in Les Miserables and made his Broadway debut in one of the biggest selling and highly acclaimed works of musical theatre.
Since he began as a soloist, Ricky Martin has become one of the most popular, award-winning and concerted artists, not only in Latin America but also in the United States. He recently played a huge sell-out concert in Buenos Aires to over 250,000 people which was broadcast live to over 50 million people.