Launching Miss Universe 2008

584 J.S.C. Company Director Tran Kim Minh (L), and the two deputy heads of the host organizing committee-Thanh Nien Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Cong Khe (C) and UniCorp. General Director Nguyen Quoc Toan (R) at Thursday’s press conference
Vietnam is making every effort to ensure this year’s Miss Universe 2008 pageant is one of the best ever.

Three months before the grand finale of the Miss Universe 2008 kicks off, the Vietnamese host organizing committee and the official media sponsor Thanh Nien newspaper held a press conference Thursday to call for all local media outlets to throw their full support behind the event.

About 100 correspondents from local newspapers and television stations showed up to grab the hottest news and an overview of the pageant, the first-ever Miss Universe competition to be hosted by Vietnam.

Beauties from more than 80 countries are expected to visit Vietnam to participate in the contest.

NOT-TO-BE-MISSED SHOWS

Tickets are still available for the three most important shows at Crown Convention Center in Diamond Bay, Nha Trang City:

- Final presentation show (July 8, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.)

- Dress rehearsal (July 13, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.)

- Live Crown telecast (July 14, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.)

Other activities will be held in HCMC, Hanoi and Nha Trang.

Scheduled to arrive in Vietnam on June 15, the contestants will experience a month of culture, sports and charity activities.

Thanh Nien will provide in-depth coverage of four special events: the traditional ao dai performance in Ho Chi Minh City’s Hoa Binh Theater, gift auctions in HCMC and Hanoi, exchanges with beauties and a gala dinner in Nha Trang City.

“These events are among the few activities that all the contestants will participate in,” General Director of UniCorp. and Deputy Head of the host organizing committee Nguyen Quoc Toan said.

“For most of their time here, the beauties will be divided into small groups to travel to Vietnam’s most appealing destinations of the country where they surely captivate people.”

While some hundreds of television and radio stations around the world are set to broadcast news and information about the pageant, dozens of local counterparts, including Vietnamese Television (VTV), HCMC Television (HTV) and Hanoi TV, are scheduled to air trailers on the event every day from April to July.

Organizers say they are going to welcome more than 800 international and local correspondents who have registered to attend the event, as well as thousands of tourists who will visit to witness the excitement.

The most important visible benefit that Vietnam will receive as host of the pageant is that a nine-minute segment about the nation and its people will be broadcast on the worldwide NBC channel during the live crowning telecast program.

The international broadcast was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to publicize Vietnam’s unique beauty and charm, Thanh Nien Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Cong Khe said.

Khe said the host organizing committee was currently working on the nine-minute film’s scenario in preparation for handing it to NBC.

“Local media should do their best to support the pageant,” he said.

“This occasion not only shows our international friends the open-minded, attractive, friendly, beautiful and peaceful nation of Vietnam but will also show how the people of Vietnam are united in supporting the event.” Modern infrastructure facilities

The Vietnamese government awarded the contract to host the Miss Universe competition to UniCorp. in September last year.

Since then, UniCorp. and host province Khanh Hoa have been working hard to mobilize capital and appeal to sponsors to support the event.

The hosts are also racing the clock to ensure appropriate infrastructure will be completed in time for the pageant.

Tran Kim Minh, General Director of the 584 J.S.C. Company which is the contractor and also sponsor of the Nha Trang-based Crown Convention Center, said, “We will finish the project before May 30.”

Located on a 10,000 square meter site in Diamond Bay’s Nha Trang Tourism and Entertainment Area, the center has an international-standard indoor stage with 7,500 seats.

Minh assured, “The nearby international press center of 2,000 square meters will provide correspondents with favorable working conditions.”

Organizers also said hospitality was all ready for the coming pageant.

In order to ensure safety for some 8,000 people attending the finale contest, an anti-terrorism maneuver will take place at Diamond Bay in June.