(20 Dec 2015) IRAQ MISS IRAQ
SOURCE: AP TELEVISION
RESTRICTIONS: MIDDLE EAST EXTRA CLIENTS ONLY
LENGTH: 2:38
AP Television
Baghdad, Iraq - 19 December 2015
1. Various of contestants walking on stage
2. Various of jury panel
3. Wide of audience watching women on stage
4. Various of contestants
5. Various of audience watching the pageant
6. Wide of contestants
7. Mid of host announcing results
8. Various of the newly crowned Miss Iraq, Shaymaa Abdel Rahman, receiving her crown wearing her sash and holding a bouquet
9. Abdel Raham waving at crowds
10. Close of Abdel Rahman
11. Mid of Abdel Rahman waving to crowds while in line with other contestents
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Shaymaa Abdel Rahman, Miss Iraq:
"This is my challenge to terrorism and thus prove that the Iraqi people are struggling for survival and continuity. Today we proved that, thank you".
13. Sign reading (English) "Miss Iraq 2015"
14. Various of contestants leaving stage UPSOUND clapping
15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Senan Kamel, Jury member and Fashion designer:
"We, in this competition, prove to the world that Iraq is looking forward to the future and continuously trying to give and achieve. In March, there will be the Baghdad Fashion Contest, we aspire to globalisation and elegance in all our occasions".
16. Audience
LEADIN:
A 20-year-old from Kirkuk has won the Miss Iraq crown - the first time the beauty contest has been held since 1974.
Seven contestants battled it out for the top prize - a trip to Malaysia and the chance to represent their country.
STORYLINE:
It's the final round of the Miss Iraq beauty contest - and these seven women are hoping they'll be the ones to take the crown.
As they put their best foot forward and pose for the cameras there's also another reason to celebrate.
It's the first time the contest has taken place in the country for more than forty years.
For a time the competition was held annually, but was stopped in 1974.
Then it was cancelled due to poor attendance. With political and social upheaval taking place in Iraq at that time, there was little interest in beauty pageants.
Now organisers have revived the competition - though not without difficulty.
The contest comes amid a wave of anger and threats by clerics and tribal leaders who accuse it of "incompatibility with public morality".
Some contestants pulled out at the last minute, leaving just seven to compete for the title.
Despite the critics, the competition is going ahead, but organisers have made some concessions.
The swimsuit round was cancelled to reflect the sensitivities of a conservative country like Iraq.
But the atmosphere at the Cristal Grand Ishtar hotel is nothing short of vibrant.
As the tension rises, the winner is announced - to cheers from the audience.
She is twenty-year-old Shaymaa Abdel Rahman from Iraq's multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk.
The newly crowned queen uses her victory speech to send a message to her countrymen.
As part of her prize, she'll now be a beauty ambassador around the Arab world.
"This is my challenge to terrorism and thus prove that the Iraqi people are struggling for survival and continuity. Today we proved that, thank you".
Organisers hope the contest could act as a springboard to more events like this in the country.
And although the contest is not part of the 'Miss World' series, organisers hope this will be possible before long.
Jury member Senan Kamel is a fashion designer and says there are already plans in place
"We, in this competition, prove to the world that Iraq is looking forward to the future and continuously trying to give and achieve."
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