Yasmina Zaytoun was crowned Miss Lebanon 2022 in a glittering ceremony in Beirut on Sunday. The pageant was the first to take place since 2018.
"I did it," Zaytoun, 20, wrote on Instagram, celebrating being declared the winner. She will now compete in both the Miss World 2022 and Miss Universe 2022 pageants, which will take place later this year.
Zaytoun, who is from Kfarchouba, a village in southern Lebanon, is a journalism student, studying at Notre Dame University — Louaize. She is currently in the third year of her course.
As well as doing some modelling, she hosts the With Yasmina Show on Instagram, which she describes as an educational show and on which she interviews notable Lebanese media and sport personalities. Guests have included TV presenter Lana Daoud, politician Paula Yacoubian, and actress and influencer Enjy Kiwan, to name a few. She's also recently created a series on happiness.
"This is the best thing that happened in my life ... my dream has finally come true," Zaytoun said on stage, after being crowned Miss Lebanon. "I dedicate my victory to my parents, for sure."
Zaytoun beat first runner-up, Maya Aboul Hosn; Jacintha Rached, who was named second runner-up; Lara Hraoui who came fourth; and Dalal Hoballah, who took fifth place.
Zaytoun was crowned by Maya Reaidy, who held the Miss Lebanon crown from 2018 to 2021.
For the pageant, her make-up was done by celebrity make-up artist Bassam Fattouh and Wassim Morkos styled her hair.
Fattouh, who has worked with singers Haifa Wehbe and Elissa, shared behind the scenes footage of Zaytoun in the make-up chair before heading to the stage for the final round.
The ceremony was hosted by Lebanese actress and television personality, Aimee Sayah.
Like the beauty queens, Sayah's make-up was done by Fattouh, her hair was styled by Tony El Mendelek and her dress was by Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika.
The judging panel included Michel Fadel, musical composer; Karen Wazen, influencer; Mohamad Yehya from IP Studios; Karolina Bielawska, Miss World 2021; Nayla Tueni, general manager, An-Nahar and Annahar Arabi; Ivan Caracalla, dance theatre director; Hilda Khalife, TV host; and Samaya Chedrawi, Miss Lebanon 1993.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
If you go...
Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.
Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.
Brief scores:
Toss: Australia, chose to bat
Australia: 272-9 (50 ov)
Khawaja 100, Handscomb 52; Bhuvneshwar 3-48
India: 237 (50 ov)
Rohit 56, Bhuvneshwar 46; Zampa 3-46
Player of the Match: Usman Khawaja (Australia)
Player of the Series: Usman Khawaja (Australia)