|
The Miss Russia Organization today announced that it has formed a historic partnership with the Miss Universe Organization, allowing the winner of the annual Miss Russia Pageant to compete on a global level.
The 2006 Miss Russia Pageant event, which is owned and operated by Russian Standard Corporation, will be held on Dec. 15 in Moscow. Fifty glamorous women from all over Russia will converge on a venue next to Red Square to compete for the Miss Russia crown."I am pleased to announce our partnership with the Russian Standard Corporation and Roustam Tariko today," said owner of the Miss Universe Organization Donald J. Trump. "Under Roustam's leadership I am confident that the Miss Russia competition will continue to uphold the prestige and elegance that our organization and brand represent for women and viewers, not only in Russia, but around the globe."
To announce the new partnership, Miss Universe, Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico, will attend the Miss Russia Pageant on Dec. 15.
"Our partnership with the Miss Universe Organization heralds a new era for the Miss Russia Pageant and for Russian women," said Roustam Tariko, founder and chairman of Russian Standard Corporation, one of the country's most dynamic companies. "It is an honor to host Ms. Rivera at our pageant this year," Tariko said.
Since taking over the Miss Russia Pageant in 2004, Russian Standard Corporation has transformed the competition into one of the most popular and well regarded televised events in Russia. Significantly, the new pageant has refocused the duties of Miss Russia on charity efforts for the benefit of Russian people, which has brought a sense of national pride to the pageant.
"The Miss Russia crown comes with a duty -- to contribute to society and to represent what is great about our country," continued Tariko. "We are proud that Miss Russia winners will now have the opportunity to share those virtues with the rest of the world, through the Miss Universe pageant," he said.
The Miss Russia Pageant will be broadcast nationally on Russia's Channel 1 on Dec. 24 at 15:10.
The Miss Universe competition is watched by over 1 billion TV viewers in nearly 200 countries. The Miss Universe Organization is steeped in history, crowning its first pageant winners more than 50 years ago.
| 
