Miss Landmine 3 Favorite 

A beauty contest for landmine victims challenges normal concepts of beauty. The search for beauty takes many forms. The traditional beauty pageant might be thought to be one of the less acceptable, concentrating as it does on conventional ideas of female perfection. Miss Landmine is a challenge to normal concepts of beauty. It is a beauty pageant held in Angola, a country ravaged by war and its aftermath, for women who have lost limbs from landmines. The event is organised by Morten Traavik, a Norwegian, backed by the Angolan government. While the idea seems shocking, the contest was devised by an artist not only to question standard aesthetic concepts, but also the image of Africans as victims. In addition to finding pride and beauty despite imperfections, the pageant also hopes to raise awareness towards mine victims and mobilise resources for their reintegration into society.

THE MISS LANDMINE MANIFESTO

* Female pride and empowerment.

* Disabled pride and empowerment.

* Global and local landmine awareness and information.

* Challenge inferiority and/or guilt complexes that hinder creativity-
historical, cultural, social, personal, African, European.

* Question established concepts of physical perfection.

* Challenge old and ingrown concepts of cultural cooperation.

* Celebrate true beauty.

* Replace the passive term 'Victim' with the active term 'Survivor'

And have a good time for all involved while doing so!