The 47th Miss International Beauty Pageant recently began in Beijing. The pageant is sponsored by the International Culture Association and KESSLES. The national final will be held in September and in October, the global final will be held in China.

The Miss International contest was first held in Long Beach, California, in 1960. Since 1970 it has always been held in Japan. This contest has been running for 47 years and promotes communication and friendship.

Organizers hold the pageant in the spirit of "friendship, kindness and humanity". The pageant helps to raise money for poor people.

(People's Daily March 28, 2007)