Friday, July 21, 2006

Miss Universe contestants put politics aside

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Even as conflict embroils much of the world, some 88 women hoping to be ambassadors of goodwill have gathered in Los Angeles this week vowing to put politics aside as they compete to become Miss Universe.

The beauty pageant, which will be held here this Sunday and watched in some 170 countries, is now in its 55th year. The winner will spend her reign as Miss Universe traveling the globe speaking out on humanitarian, health and other issues.

Canadian Natalie Glebova, Miss Universe for the past year, has become an advocate of HIV/AIDS education, research and legislation, and went so far as to take an HIV test in a Johannesburg hospital to raise public awareness.

This year, world conflicts have dominated news headlines, but over the past two weeks as the contestants toured Los Angeles and competed in preliminary competitions, the women said politics have been put aside.

"There's no need to pull politics into a pageant because as beauty queens -- if you want to call us that -- that's not our job ... It's our job to work for our official causes," Miss USA Tara Conner told Reuters.

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